A potential trade war is looming between the UK and the United States as the Government has been slammed by one of Donald Trump’s ambassadors.

Mike Huckabee, the US ambassador to Israel, accused Andy Burnham’s Government of “Jew hate” in a post on social media over the weekend after it announced it was preparing to sanction the West Bank.

Speaking to the BBC today, Mr Huckabee doubled-down on his comments, even after being told Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband was Jewish himself.

He said he was aware of Mr Miliband’s faith, but continued: “There are some of Americans who don’t like America very much. They march in the streets and burn our flag, doesn’t mean they love America just because they live there.

“You go by what people do, not just by what they say or who they’re related to.

He continued: “I feel like it’s a discrimination against the Israeli government. It is a discrimination against the Jewish people and I don’t understand the rationale of it.”

“It’s like throwing a stone and not having an idea of where it’s going to land. The UK is a sovereign country, they can do what they want, but so is the US,” he added.

Mr Miliband is due to announce the already contentious policy in a statement to MPs today.

The sanctions will subject goods being exported from illegal settlements in the West Bank to trade restrictions.

It comes after Israel unveiled plans to open tenders for the construction of 1,200 settler homes in the E1 area of the West Bank.

Mr Burnham is expected to say on the matter that Britain will not stand by and tolerate the “destruction of the two-state solution”.

US Government preparing statement condemning UK’s sanctions on Israel 

The US Government is drafting a statement about Britain’s Israeli settler sanctions.

It is understood the US State Department will condemn the sanctions in the statement, which is due to be released later today, the Telegraph reports.

The statement is expected to echo the sentiment of US ambassador to Israel, Mike Huckabee, who described the sanctions as “discrimination”.

It could possibly include threats of retaliation.

Israeli settlement sanctions ‘will embolden antisemitic hate crimes in UK’, says Richard Tice 

Reform UK’s Richard Tice has weighed in on criticism of the Government’s proposed Israeli settlement sanctions, saying they “will embolden antisemitic hate crimes” in Britain.

Writing on X, Mr Tice said: “Sanctions imposed by this hard left, anti-Jew Burnham Government against Israel: 1) Will embolden antisemitic hate crimes in UK.

“2) Are damaging to our international standing with US & Israel, two of our most important security partners It is self destructive virtue signalling that will make us less safe.”

US ambassador to Israel calls out Andy Burnham’s settlement sanctions 

Mike Huckabee, the US ambassador to Israel, has issued a veiled warning to the UK, accusing Andy Burnham’s Government of Jewish discrimination over its sanctions on Israeli settlements.

Speaking to the BBC, Mr Huckabee said: “I feel like it’s a discrimination against the Israeli government. It is a discrimination against the Jewish people and I don’t understand the rationale of it.”

He added: “It’s like throwing a stone and not having an idea of where it’s going to land. The UK is a sovereign country, they can do what they want, but so is the US.”

Chris Philp: Britain should be a country where people can speak freely ‘without fear of intimidation’ 

Chris Philp MP said Britain should be a country where people can express strong views on immigration “without any fear of repercussions or intimidation”, insisting this would mean protesters no longer feel the need to cover their faces.

This follows fierce condemnation of protesters in Portsmouth and Dover, who covered their faces during demonstrations.

He said: “You don’t hear the same criticism if it is Extinction Rebellion, Just Stop Oil or the Gaza protests. So, I think there is an element of double standards.”

The Shadow Home Secretary said he personally shares the view immigration “should be a lot lower” and “illegal immigration should be zero”.

He added: “Anyone should be able to express those views publicly and freely without fear of intimidation. That’s the kind of society I want to see us living in.”

Labour ‘putting party political interests’ over what is best for nation, says Chris Philp 

The Conservatives has said they do not support the proposed sanctions against the Israeli West Bank, which the Government will lay out later today.

Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp told GB News that it is difficult to decipher which goods are produced in the West Bank.

He also said the move is Labour “putting party political interests” ahead of what is best for the country, as he accused Labour of attempting to appeal to Green voters.

Mr Philp said: “This is simply performative posturing by the Labour Government.

“They’re really doing it for domestic political reasons, aren’t they? They’re trying to shore up votes on the left and get votes back from the Green Party. That’s why they’re doing it.”

UK commits £100million to Ukraine to bolster defences over winter 

The UK has committed £100million to strengthen Ukraine’s air defences over winter, funding Patriot missiles, defence interceptors, large-calibre artillery rounds and drones.

The package forms part of the UK’s contribution to Nato’s prioritised list of Ukraine’s military requirements.

It comes as Defence Secretary Wes Streeting prepares to co-chair his first Ukraine Defence Contact Group meeting alongside German counterpart Boris Pistorius today.

Britain REFUSES Jamaica’s £7.6bn slavery reparations demand as delegation descends on Buckingham Palace

Britain has refused Jamaica’s £7.6billion reparations demand after a delegation descended on Buckingham Palace to pursue redress over the transatlantic slave trade.

The Jamaican delegation formally submitted a petition on Monday calling on King Charles, who is the country’s head of state, to refer a series of legal questions surrounding slavery and reparations to the Privy Council.

The group described the move as the first time a Commonwealth nation had pursued the legal avenue “for the cause of reparatory justice”.

But Downing Street swiftly ruled out Britain paying reparations.

Read Dan McDonald’s story here.