The UK's Response to Trump

Submitted by: 12 members
Mover: Calum Miller MP (Spokesperson for Foreign Affairs)
Summation: Daisy Cooper MP (Spokesperson for the Treasury and Deputy Leader).

Conference notes that in November 2024, Donald Trump was elected as the President of the United States for a second time.

Conference expresses profound alarm at:

1. Trump’s disregard for democratic institutions, exemplified by his false claims that the 2020 US election was ‘stolen’, his involvement in the January 6th Capitol attack, and his decision to pardon those imprisoned for the attack.
2. In January 2025, the US Department of Justice Special Counsel reported that had Trump not been re-elected, he would have been convicted for illegally trying to overturn the 2020 US election.
3. Trump’s suspension of military aid to Ukraine, and lack of commitment to NATO.
4. Trump’s failure to rule out using military force to seize control of the Panama Canal and Greenland and his threat to annexe Canada as the US 51st state.
5. Trump’s reckless comments proposing that Palestinians be removed from Gaza and ‘resettled’ elsewhere - which would constitute a grave violation of international law - undermining the already fragile ceasefire and disregarding the legitimate right of Palestinians for their own state.
6. Trump’s plans to implement tariffs which will damage the UK economy in the midst of a cost of living crisis.
7. The continued attempts by Trump ally and incoming US government official Elon Musk to interfere in UK politics, including reports of potential future donations.
8. Trump’s lack of commitment to international climate action and his plan to withdraw from the Paris agreement.
9. Trump and the Republican Party’s pursuit of policies which are deeply damaging for American women and minority groups.
10. Donald Trump’s personal conduct, as the first US President to be a convicted felon, and to have been found liable for sexual assault.
11. Trump’s cancellation of USAID, which could lead to China increasing its influence in the Global South.
12. The disgraceful verbal assault by Trump and Vance on President Zelensky in the Oval Office on 28 February 2025.
13. The Trump Administration’s actions to roll back the rights of LGBTQ+ people in the US, in particular towards trans people, as well as those of women and ethnic minorities.

Conference is also deeply concerned that the second Trump presidency comes at a time when Putin’s forces are still waging their illegal war in Ukraine and we see unprecedented attempts at foreign interference by Russia, including in Georgia, Moldova and Romania.

Conference believes that the United Kingdom must now lead in Europe to ensure support for Ukraine, to secure NATO's future and strengthen trade and defence cooperation with our European allies.

Conference welcomes the Government's decision to raise defence spending to 2.5% of GDP, but expresses concern that doing so by cutting Official Development Assistance will ultimately make the UK less secure. 

Conference further believes that it is more urgent than ever for the UK to fix its broken relationship with the EU and that enhancing economic ties with the EU, including by cutting red tape and boosting trade links, is essential for insulating the UK from Trump’s unpredictability as well as growing our economy.

Conference reaffirms the Liberal Democrats’ longer-term objective of UK membership of the EU and our four-stage roadmap to restore ties of trust and trade as set out in Policy Paper 144 Rebuilding Trade and Cooperation with Europe.

Conference deeply regrets the continued refusal of the Labour Government to entertain the prospect of membership of the Single Market or the Customs Union, especially given the uncertainty and unpredictability threatened by the second Trump presidency.

Conference accordingly calls on the Government to:

1. Ensure that Ukraine is supported no matter what, by holding a European leaders summit to seize the frozen Russian assets in the UK and Europe and giving them to Ukraine.
2. Ensure Ukraine’s participation in peace negotiations as an equal partner to safeguard against a coerced and detrimental peace settlement.
3. Take urgent and immediate action to boost growth by restoring the trading relationship with the EU, removing red tape imposed by the Brexit deal in line with our four-stage roadmap and, as the culmination of the third stage in our roadmap, negotiate a new UK-EU Customs Union by 2030 at the latest.
4. Rule out any UK-US trade deal which lowers British environmental and health standards.
5. Ensure that the UK is a world leader on climate in the US’s absence, including by restoring the international development budget to 0.7% of national income with tackling climate change a key priority for development spending.
6. Strengthen the UK’s defences in the light of US isolationism and Putin’s aggression by:
   1. Reversing the 10,000 Conservative troop cut, with an ambition of returning the Army to 100,000 troops.
   2. Committing to spending 2.5% of GDP as soon as possible - to be funded by raising the Digital Services Tax from 2% to 10% - and holding cross-party talks to agree a consensus on how to reach spending 3% of GDP on defence.
   3. Maintaining the UK’s nuclear deterrent with the four Dreadnought-class submarines providing continuous at-sea deterrence, while pursuing global multilateral disarmament.
7. Deepen cooperation on defence and security with our allies, including by:
   1. Providing further investment in the Joint Expeditionary Force, including convening a summit of JEF leaders in the UK to discuss how the JEF should respond to Trump’s election and his remarks regarding Greenland.
   2. Building on existing UK-French and UK-German cooperation arrangements, including the Lancaster House Treaties and the Trinity House Agreement.
   3. Developing closer cooperation with EU agencies and member states over defence, intelligence and cyber-security.
   4. Support the creation of a Rearmament Bank, together with our European and other allies, to enable greater access to finance for defence programmes.
8. Protect the UK from foreign interference from overseas oligarchs and hostile state and non-state actors by:
   1. Making protecting our democracy a national security priority.
   2. Taking big money out of politics by capping donations to UK political parties.
   3. Working closely with European and other democratic allies to coordinate our response to Russian interference.

Applicability: Federal.

Motion prior to amendment

Conference notes that in November 2024, Donald Trump was elected as the President of the United States for a second time.

Conference expresses profound alarm at:

1. Trump’s disregard for democratic institutions, exemplified by his false claims that the 2020 US election was ‘stolen’, his involvement in the January 6th Capitol attack, and his decision to pardon those imprisoned for the attack.
2. In January 2025, the US Department of Justice Special Counsel reported that had Trump not been re-elected, he would have been convicted for illegally trying to overturn the 2020 US election.
3. Trump’s lack of commitment to NATO and Ukraine, with the President praising Putin’s invasion of Ukraine as ‘genius’.
4. Trump’s failure to rule out using military force to seize control of the Panama Canal and Greenland.
5. Trump’s plans to implement tariffs which will damage the UK economy in the midst of a cost of living crisis.
6. The continued attempts by Trump ally and incoming US government official Elon Musk to interfere in UK politics, including reports of potential future donations.
7. Trump’s lack of commitment to international climate action and his plan to withdraw from the Paris agreement.
8. Trump and the Republican Party’s pursuit of policies which are deeply damaging for American women and minority groups.
9. Donald Trump’s personal conduct, as the first US President to be a convicted felon, and to have been found liable for sexual assault.

Conference is also deeply concerned that the second Trump presidency comes at a time when Putin’s forces are still waging their illegal war in Ukraine and we see unprecedented attempts at foreign interference by Russia, including in Georgia, Moldova and Romania.

Conference believes that the United Kingdom must now lead in Europe to ensure support for Ukraine, to secure NATO's future and strengthen trade and defence cooperation with our European allies.

Conference further believes that it is more urgent than ever for the UK to fix its broken relationship with the EU.

Conference reaffirms the Liberal Democrats’ longer-term objective of UK membership of the EU and our four-stage roadmap to restore ties of trust and trade as set out in Policy Paper 144 Rebuilding Trade and Cooperation with Europe.

Conference deeply regrets the continued refusal of the Labour Government to entertain the prospect of membership of the Single Market or the Customs Union, especially given the uncertainty and unpredictability threatened by the second Trump presidency.

Conference accordingly calls on the Government to:

1. Ensure that Ukraine is supported no matter what, by holding a European leaders summit to seize the frozen Russian assets in the UK and Europe and giving them to Ukraine.
2. Take urgent and immediate action to boost growth by restoring the trading relationship with the EU, removing red tape imposed by the Brexit deal in line with our four-stage roadmap.
3. Rule out any UK-US trade deal which lowers British environmental and health standards.
4. Ensure that the UK is a world leader on climate in the US’s absence, including by restoring the international development budget to 0.7% of national income with tackling climate change a key priority for development spending.
5. Strengthen the UK’s defences in the light of US isolationism and Putin’s aggression by:
   1. Reversing the 10,000 Conservative troop cut, with an ambition of returning the Army to 100,000 troops.
   2. Setting out a pathway to spending 2.5% of GDP on defence by no later than Easter.
   3. Maintaining the UK’s nuclear deterrent with the four Dreadnought-class submarines providing continuous at-sea deterrence, while pursuing global multilateral disarmament.
6. Deepen cooperation on defence and security with our allies, including by:
   1. Providing further investment in the Joint Expeditionary Force, including convening a summit of JEF leaders in the UK to discuss how the JEF should respond to Trump’s election and his remarks regarding Greenland.
   2. Building on existing UK-French and UK-German cooperation arrangements, including the Lancaster House Treaties and the Trinity House Agreement.
   3. Developing closer cooperation with EU agencies and member states over defence, intelligence and cyber-security.
7. Protect the UK from foreign interference from overseas oligarchs and hostile state and non-state actors by:
   1. Making protecting our democracy a national security priority.
   2. Taking big money out of politics by capping donations to UK political parties.
   3. Working closely with European and other democratic allies to coordinate our response to Russian interference.

Applicability: Federal.

Amendments

Drafting Amendments

The FCC has agreed to make the following drafting amendments to the motion: 

Delete iii) (lines 12-13) and insert:

iii) Trump’s suspension of military aid to Ukraine, and lack of commitment to NATO. 

In iv) (line 15) after ‘Greenland’ insert: ‘...and his threat to annexe Canada as the US 51st state.’ 

After line 15, insert new v): 

v) Trump’s reckless comments proposing that Palestinians be removed from Gaza and ‘resettled’ elsewhere - which would constitute a grave violation of international law - undermining the already fragile ceasefire and disregarding the legitimate right of Palestinians for their own state. 

After line 28, insert new x), xi) and xii): 

x) Trump’s cancellation of USAID, which could lead to China increasing its influence in the Global South. 

xi) The disgraceful verbal assault by Trump and Vance on President Zelensky in the Oval Office on 28 February 2025. 

xii) The Trump Administration’s actions to roll back the rights of LGBTQ+ people in the US, in particular towards trans people, as well as those of women and ethnic minorities.

Amendment One

PASSED

Submitted by: 12 members
Mover: Helen Maguire MP (Spokesperson for Defence)
Summation: Baroness Smith of Newnham (Lords Spokesperson for Defence) 

After line 37, insert:

Conference welcomes the Government's decision to raise defence spending to 2.5% of GDP, but expresses concern that doing so by cutting Official Development Assistance will ultimately make the UK less secure. 

Delete E. b) (lines 69-70) and insert: 

b) Committing to spending 2.5% of GDP as soon as possible - to be funded by raising the Digital Services Tax from 2% to 10% - and holding cross-party talks to agree a consensus on how to reach spending 3% of GDP on defence. 

After line 84, insert: 

d) Support the creation of a Rearmament Bank, together with our European and other allies, to enable greater access to finance for defence programmes.

Amendment Two

PASSED

Submitted by: 12 members
Mover: James McCleary MP (Spokesperson for Europe) 
Summation: David Chalmers (Chair of the Federal International Relations Committee)

At end of line 39, insert: ‘...and that enhancing economic ties with the EU, including by cutting red tape and boosting trade links, is essential for insulating the UK from Trump’s unpredictability as well as growing our economy’. 

At end of line 57, insert: ‘...and, as the culmination of the third stage in our roadmap, negotiate a new UK-EU Customs Union by 2030 at the latest.’

Amendment Three

PASSED

Submitted by: Yorkshire and Humber 
Mover: Samuel Jackson 
Summation: Adrian Ramsdale

After line 53, insert new B.: 

B. Ensure Ukraine’s participation in peace negotiations as an equal partner to safeguard against a coerced and detrimental peace settlement.