Greenland: Proposed US Tariffs

Lord West of Spithead Excerpts

Monday 19th January 2026 Lords Chamber

[Baroness Chapman of Darlington (Lab)]

We talk with relevant partners as appropriate, but the main conversations that have happened between the United Kingdom and the United States have taken place between our Prime Minister and President Trump—most recently yesterday, and there may have been more contact since then that I am not aware of. That is the right level at which to address such a serious situation.

[Lord West of Spithead (Lab)]

My Lords, I have never been one to underplay a threat, but does my noble friend the Minister agree that there seems to be no intelligence assessment whatever to say that there is an immediate threat to the mainland of Greenland? It is extraordinary that things are being done at this pace. We need to take a deep breath, look at the intelligence assessments, and assess the real threat and the real situation before doing anything.

[Baroness Chapman of Darlington (Lab)]

The noble Lord is encouraging us to be calm and to respond thoughtfully but clearly. Luckily, that is the approach that our Prime Minister is taking.