PM unveils £100m deal for fighter jets on visit

THERESA MAY and her Turkish counterpart have announced a £100m-plus defence collaboration deal on the continued development of fighter jets for Turkey.

The announcement comes during the Prime Minister’s one-day visit to the Turkish capital Ankara, where she became the first Western leader to meet president Recep Tayyip Erdogan since last year’s attempted coup.

Mrs May told the president that Britain stood with his defence of Turkey’s democracy, but warned him it was “important” for him to uphold human rights.

Speaking to Mr Erdogan as they addressed the press at his presidential palace, Mrs May said: “Turkey is one of the UK’s oldest friends, our relations stretch back over 400 years but there is much that we can do in the future to build on that relationship together.

“I’m proud the UK stood with you on July 15 last year in defence of your democracy. Now it’s important that Turkey sustains that democracy by maintaining the rule of law and upholding its international human rights obligations, as the government has undertaken to do.”

Mrs May had come under pressure to raise human rights issues with the Turkish president, who has imposed a state of emergency involving waves of arrests, the closure of numerous media outlets and the removal of thousands of public officials – including judges, academics and teachers – from their jobs.

Mrs May and Mr Erdogan also discussed counterterrorism, security, trade and migration.