UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer has congratulated U.S. President-elect Donald Trump ahead of his inauguration and said that the so-called special relationship “will continue to flourish for years to come.”

The US president-elect will be sworn in to his second term in the White House on Monday, eight years after he first took the oath of office.

Starmer paid tribute to the “depth of friendship” between the 47th president and the UK, and pledged to continue to “work together to ensure the success of both our countries and deliver for people on both sides of the Atlantic.”

Mr Trump spent the eve of the inauguration at a rally, where he declared his supporters had “built a new American majority that will lead our country to success for generations to come.”

UK politicians, including Nigel Farage, are in the American capital ahead of the ceremonies. However, questions remain over what impact the second Trump presidency will have on economies across the world if he follows through on threats to implement tariffs.

In a statement on Sunday evening, Starmer sent his congratulations to Mr Trump.

“For centuries, the relationship between our two nations has been one of collaboration, cooperation and enduring partnership. It is a uniquely close bond,” the prime minister said. “Together, we have defended the world from tyranny and worked towards our mutual security and prosperity.”

Mr Starmer and the president-elect met in New York in September at Trump Tower, ahead of the U.S. election, and at the time, the UK leader said he is a “great believer in personal relations on the international stage.”

“Since our first meeting in September, the President and I have spoken about the need to deepen and invest in the transatlantic relationship. We will continue to build upon the unshakeable foundations of our historic alliance as we tackle together the global challenges we face and take our partnership to the next level focused on shared opportunities ahead for growth.

“I look forward to our next meeting as we continue our shared mission to ensure the peace, prosperity and security of our two great nations. The special relationship between the United Kingdom and United States will continue to flourish for years to come,” Mr Starmer added on Sunday.

(dpa/NAN)