Reform hits back at Trump over Ireland reunification row

Robert Jenrick has hit back at Donald Trump's claim that he would "love" to see a united Ireland and said the US President should have "butted out" of British politics.

Reform UK's treasury spokesman said Trump "shouldn't have weighed into British politics" when he claimed Irish reunification was inevitable and it "may as well happen now", during a visit to Dublin on Saturday.

Mr Jenrick told Sky News's Sunday Morning programme: "If you're referring to what he said about Ireland he was completely wrong.

"We're a unionist party. The clue's in the name, Reform UK, and we'll always support the union.

"We firmly disagree with Donald Trump on this. He shouldn't have weighed into British politics. Our borders are our borders. And Reform will always defend the United Kingdom."

Donald Trump claimed Irish reunification was inevitable during his visit to Dublin (PA)

During a visit to Dublin this weekend Trump claimed Irish reunification was inevitable, adding it "may as well happen now".

Speaking while sitting alongside Taoiseach Micheál Martin, the US president said: "Well, I don't want to cause any problems, but I will tell you I'd love to see it unified.

"I have friends on both sides, great people. They're Irish people. How can they be bad, right?

"I'd love to see it unified. I think it would be a great feather in everybody's cap if that happened. It's going to happen eventually.

"You know what? The way I look at it, it's going to happen eventually. It may as well happen now.

"We're talking about it and you got the right man over here to get it moving.

"But, yeah, I think it would be a fantastic thing.

"Now the UK will have something to say about it, obviously. But I think it would be a great thing. I mean, how can it be bad?"

But the US President's opinions caused a triggered a major diplomatic row, with unionist leaders in Northern Ireland, members of Reform and the Conservative party.

Reform UK leader Nigel Farage wrote on X: "Northern Ireland is a proud and integral part of the United Kingdom. The people of Northern Ireland neither want a referendum, nor unification. I disagree with President Trump."

Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch said Trump is "shooting from the hip as usual" and creating "unnecessary tension" following his comments on a united Ireland.

"This sort of loose talk about the future of democratic countries is deeply unhelpful and creates unnecessary tension. Northern Ireland is part of the United Kingdom," she wrote in a post on X.

The shadow secretary of state for Northern Ireland also said Mr Trump's comments were "very wrong".

Conservative MP Alex Burghart said: "Northern Ireland is an integral part of the United Kingdom. Kemi and the Conservatives will always stand up for the Union.

"We will build a stronger economy in every corner of the United Kingdom, creating jobs and opportunities and clearing up Labour's mess."

DUP leader Gavin Robinson said Northern Ireland's future would be decided by its people, not "commentary in London, Dublin or Washington".

He added: "As unionists, we are not interested in the destruction of our country by joining with the Irish Republic."

This is a developing news story, more to follow...