Labour urged to 'increase defence spending' as Donald Trump sets sights on Greenland: 'We must be sensitive to threats!'

Mr Trump said he "needs" Greenland as a matter of "national security", amid possible threats from China and Russia.

Delivering his verdict on Mr Trump's latest move, Mr Cartlidge told the People's Channel: "Well, our position is very clear, and it's the same as the Government's, it won't surprise you.

"Which is that Greenland is part of Denmark and Denmark is a not only a Nato member, it's close ally of the UK and indeed the US. And so that's the position as we see it.

"And given the US is a strong member of NATO, let's hope that that remains the case."

Asked by host Ellie Costello if the Conservatives would be "supportive of further conversations" involving the US "potentially operating there in a defence capability", he disagreed.

He said: "It already does that. I think you'll see that military exercises take place there for very good reason.

"Nato exercises take place there frequently. When I was a defence minister, I attended Nato exercises such as Steadfast Defender, which was in the Outer Hebrides, and so that does already happen."

Warning Labour of a need to be more "sensitive" to threats, Mr Cartlidge added: "And I think to be fair, the point you make about across Nato and particularly in the high north, we need to be sensitive to the threats we face in that in the case of high north, particularly Russia.

"And that is a matter for the UK. So without wishing to get too distracted on this, I think let's not forget that we have our own responsibilities here, and as I discussed when I was last on your programme before the new year, we also need to increase our defence spending and move at a faster pace on rearmament ourselves."

Questioned on his stance on the actions of Donald Trump in Venezuela, the Shadow Defence Secretary admitted that he "supports the outcome", but with "caveats".

Mr Cartlidge told the channel: "I think the key point I would make is I support the outcomes, but with caveats. When I say I support the outcomes in the sense of Maduro, who's gone, he was a brutal dictator who arrested political opponents. He did many bad things.

"He was wanted by the International Criminal Court for crimes against humanity, but the caveat is now that he's been removed, we need to move to the next phase very carefully."

He added: "In my view, it needs to be moving towards a stable democracy where ultimately the future of Venezuela is determined by the people of Venezuela, as one would expect in a stable democracy.

"But it has to be said, that's something the country hasn't enjoyed for a long time because of Maduro and his predecessor. And so to that extent, I welcome what the US has done. But as I say, it's with a very cautious caveat that the next phase is critical, and I do think the priority must to move towards stable democracy in Venezuela."

Noting there is a "message for the UK" amid the ongoing escalation between Venezuela and Mr Trump, Mr Cartlidge concluded: "I think what we can accept is we know what's happened, which is obviously in military terms a very successful operation.

"Lifting President Maduro and taking him to the US to go on trial, I think in terms of what happens next, that is now purely speculative. But I think in many ways, there is a message for us in the UK. I know that viewers of your programme want to see us standing strong.

"They watch President Trump and think whatever one thinks of the legalities, et cetera, that he is a very strong leader and they want to see that from the UK. And so as a return to my previous point and the one I made on your show before Christmas, I think that one thing we've got to learn from this is we've got to be strong.

"We've really got to up our military spending and not just the spending, but the rate at which we rearm as a key member of Nato so that we do our bit in in standing up to to the threats that we face."

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