In a recently leaked audio recording, Britain's ambassador to the United States, Sir Christian Turner, stated that the only country with a "special relationship" with the US is "probably Israel." The comments were made during a private meeting with UK sixth-form students in February and were first reported by the Financial Times.
"'Special relationship' is a phrase I try not to utter because it's quite nostalgic, it's quite backwards-looking, and it has a lot of baggage about it," Turner said in the recording. He advised the prime minister not to assume the relationship would automatically remain strong, emphasizing the need to work clearly on what the UK brings to the table.
Turner's remarks come at a sensitive time, coinciding with King Charles III's state visit to the US, which aims to bolster UK-US ties amid tensions over the Iran war. The UK Foreign Office dismissed the comments as "private, informal" and not reflective of the government's stance.
Former foreign secretary Jack Straw endorsed Turner's view, noting that US subsidies for Israel's military make its relationship uniquely special. However, former ambassador Lord Darroch called the leak a "betrayal" and a "massive breach of trust."
The controversy underscores the shifting dynamics of international alliances, with Turner acknowledging that while the UK and US share deep historical ties, the era of relying solely on the US security umbrella is ending.