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The UK should take back British members of Isis being held in Syrian prison camps, Donald Trump’s incoming counter-terrorism chief has said, indicating that a failure to do so could damage the special relationship.
Sebastian Gorka said any nation which wishes to be seen as a “serious ally” of the US should commit to the international fight against the extremist group by repatriating citizens currently languishing in the north east of the country.
They include Shamima Begum, who left for Syria from Bethnal Green, east London, as a schoolgirl in 2015 and lost a final appeal last year against the rescinding of her British citizenship.
Mr Gorka insisted this applied “doubly” to Britain and suggested the move would help to cement the transatlantic special relationship under the second Trump presidency.
Speaking toThe Times, Mr Gorka said: “Any nation which wishes to be seen to be a serious ally and friend of the most powerful nation in the world should act in a fashion that reflects that serious commitment” when asked if the UK should be forced to accept Isis members back.
“That is doubly so for the UK which has a very special place in President Trump’s heart and we would all wish to see the ‘special relationship’ fully re-established.”
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Up to 20 women, 40 children and 10 men from Britain are being held in camps.
While Joe Biden in 2021 called for the UK to repatriate Isis members from northern Syria, claiming it had a “moral responsibility” to do so, there was no suggestion that a failure to do so would damage relations.
The intervention is the latest signal from the president-elect’s inner circle of his incoming administration taking a more robust approach towards Washington’s allies.
Mr Trump has also threatened to impose global tariffs on imports, sparking fears of a global trade war.
Claiming “tariff is my favourite word”, in the run-up to the election, the Republican promised to implement 10 to 20 per cent levies on all goods coming into the country – a figure that rises to 60 per cent for those from China.
Chancellor Rachel Reeves has promised the UK will make “strong representations” to Mr Trump over tariffs which could hit Britain’s economy.
The incoming Trump administration has also put mounting pressure on its allies to boost defence spending, with the president-elect on Monday calling for European Nato members to increase their spending on defence to 5 per cent of GDP, adding: “We have a thing called the ocean in between us, right? Why are we in for billions and billions of dollars more money than Europe?”
A government spokesperson said: “Our priority remains to ensure the safety and security of the UK. We will continue to do whatever is necessary to protect the UK from those who pose a threat to our security.”
