Sir Keir Starmer has so far not stood up in public to Donald Trump amid the ongoing furore over Ukraine and threats of US trade tariffs.

The US President has launched a slew of attacks on his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky in recent days, falsely describing him as a “dictator” with a “4% approval rating”.

Mr Trump, speaking in Miami, said: “He (Mr Zelensky) refuses to have elections. The only thing he was really good at was playing Joe Biden like a fiddle. A dictator without elections, Zelensky better move fast. He’s not going to have a country left.”

Sir Keir backed Mr Zelensky in a phone call after Mr Trump’s criticism, but did not contradict the US president publicly.

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On Wednesday, a Downing Street spokesman said: “The Prime Minister spoke to President Zelensky this evening and stressed the need for everyone to work together.

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“The only people that Starmer can stand up to are pensioners and under-privileged. Other than that he couldn’t stand up to a wet paper bag.” 18

“Starmer is unable to stand up to a wet lettuce never mind Trump.” 17

“Sir Keir does not speak for me, and after Southport I doubt he speaks for many people …” 15

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“The Prime Minister expressed his support for President Zelensky as Ukraine’s democratically elected leader and said that it was perfectly reasonable to suspend elections during wartime, as the UK did during World War 2.

“The Prime Minister reiterated his support for the US-led efforts to get a lasting peace in Ukraine that deterred Russia from any future aggression.”

Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy defended the PM on the airwaves on Thursday morning, telling the BBC Sir Keir had “made his own view clear”.

She added: “He spoke to President Zelensky in the last few days and made clear he understands, first of all that he is an elected leader, and we consider him in the United Kingdom to be a legitimate leader.”

Asked whether she was saying Mr Trump was wrong, Ms Nandy said: “We take a different view. We do not consider President Zelensky to be a dictator.”