The leader of the United Kingdom’s Liberal Democrats, Ed Davey, has sharply criticised United States President Donald Trump, describing him as an “international gangster” and the most corrupt president in American history.

Davey made the remarks during a parliamentary session on Tuesday, warning that Trump’s actions pose a serious danger to the United Kingdom, Europe and the global order.

He accused the U.S. president of pursuing aggressive policies that undermine allied nations and destabilise international security.

According to Davey, Trump has threatened the sovereignty of long-standing allies, questioned the future of NATO and imposed the risk of punitive tariffs on Britain and several European countries unless his administration gains control over Greenland.

He said the U.S. president’s conduct amounted to an unprovoked attack on Britain’s economy and national security, stressing that British businesses and workers were being placed at risk by Washington’s posture.

Davey further argued that Trump’s actions were benefiting America’s geopolitical rivals, claiming that leaders such as Russia’s Vladimir Putin and China’s Xi Jinping stood to gain from growing divisions between Western allies.

The Liberal Democrats leader also criticised the UK government’s approach to the White House, accusing the Prime Minister of pursuing a policy of appeasement rather than standing firm against Trump’s threats.

He said attempts to flatter and placate the U.S. president over the past year had failed and left Britain more exposed.

Davey described Trump’s leadership style as coercive, alleging that he relied on intimidation and force to achieve his objectives.

He said the international community faced a clear choice between yielding to pressure or confronting the U.S. president’s actions directly.

He concluded by urging the UK government to adopt a tougher and more assertive stance, as political debate intensifies over how Britain and its European partners should respond to Trump’s trade threats, foreign policy direction and approach to long-standing alliances.

Trump had earlier threatened heavy tariffs against the United Kingdom and several European countries in connection with his administration’s position on Greenland.

While European leaders have pledged resistance, the precise measures to counter the threats remain unclear, with the U.S. president insisting he will not reverse his stance.

Spain has begun three days of national mourning following a deadly high-speed train collision in the southern region of Andalusia that has claimed at least 41 lives, with the government pledging a full and transparent investigation into the cause of the disaster.

The accident occurred late Sunday near the town of Adamuz when a high-speed train operated by private rail company Iryo derailed while travelling from Malaga to Madrid and crossed onto an adjacent track, colliding with an oncoming passenger train. Both trains subsequently derailed.

Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, who visited the crash site on Monday, described the incident as a moment of national grief and assured Spaniards that authorities would determine the cause of the tragedy and make the findings public.

“This is a day of sorrow for our entire country,” Sánchez said. “We will uncover the truth, and once the cause is established, it will be presented with absolute transparency.”

The head of Andalusia’s regional government, Juan Manuel Moreno, confirmed that the death toll had risen to 41, adding that it could take up to 48 hours to establish the final number of casualties as rescue operations continue.

More than 120 passengers were injured in the crash, with 41 people still receiving treatment in hospitals in the nearby city of Córdoba.

Heavy lifting equipment has been deployed to remove mangled carriages and allow emergency teams access to trapped areas.

Relatives and friends of missing passengers have taken to social media, sharing photographs and personal details in efforts to locate loved ones.

Initial findings have raised questions about the circumstances of the derailment.

Authorities said the accident occurred on a straight stretch of track and that both trains were travelling below the permitted speed limit.

Transport Minister Óscar Puente described the incident as “extremely strange,” noting that the derailed Iryo train was relatively new, built in 2022, and had undergone inspection just days before the crash.

Rail operator Iryo said the train inexplicably veered onto the adjacent track for reasons yet to be determined.

Renfe, operator of the second train heading to the southern city of Huelva, confirmed that 184 passengers were on board, while Iryo said about 300 people were travelling on its Malaga–Madrid service.

Renfe President Álvaro Fernández Heredia told Spanish public radio that human error and speeding had largely been ruled out, stating that both trains were travelling at just over 200 kilometres per hour, below the 250 km/h limit for that section of track. He suggested the cause was likely linked to infrastructure or rolling stock issues.

Spain operates Europe’s largest high-speed rail network, with more than 3,000 kilometres of dedicated tracks linking major cities across the country.

Survivors have described terrifying scenes. Lucas Meriako, a passenger on the derailed train, said the impact felt like something out of a horror film, with shattered glass and injured passengers throughout the carriage.

Residents of Adamuz quickly mobilised to support victims, bringing water, blankets and other supplies to local authorities as emergency services worked through the night.

Condolences have poured in from across the world, including messages from Pope Leo XIV and French President Emmanuel Macron, as Spain mourns one of its deadliest rail disasters in more than a decade.