In a bold move, Labour leader Keir Starmer has finally confronted the volatility of US President Donald Trump, marking a significant shift in the UK’s relationship with the Trump administration. Starmer’s fiery rebuttal of Trump’s “insulting and frankly appalling” remarks about British troops in Afghanistan has sparked the worst week in US-UK relations since the president took office last year.
Starmer’s approach to Trump has traditionally been one of “serious, calm, pragmatic, behind-the-scenes diplomacy,” as described by Downing Street. However, the president’s recent digs at Britain over the Chagos Islands and his claims about the UK’s military performance in Afghanistan have proven too much for the Labour leader to ignore.
The prime minister’s televised press statements this week reflect his exasperation with Trump’s comments, signaling a readiness to draw a line in the sand over what is considered unacceptable when it comes to criticizing a key ally. Many Labour MPs have long felt uncomfortable with the UK appearing overly sycophantic towards Trump, especially given the British public’s general disdain for the US president.
Starmer’s decision to stand up to Trump is unlikely to harm him domestically, with his party and the wider public likely to welcome his firm stance. However, the move does carry risks on the international stage, as world leaders, businesses, and politicians fear the president’s potential retaliatory actions.
The prime minister’s bolder approach to Trump coincides with speeches from Canadian’s Mark Carney and France’s Emmanuel Macron at Davos, which have emphasized the need for middle-ranking countries to stand together more. This dynamic opens up the politically perilous but potentially appealing option for Starmer to make the case for the UK to move closer to Europe, distancing itself from the unpredictability and occasional hostility of the US under Trump.
With the public’s unease about Nigel Farage’s repeated defenses of Trump, Starmer’s Labour party has a chance to make arguments favoring stronger ties with Europe over Trump’s America. While Reform remains firmly ahead in the polls, the public may be more receptive to this narrative than they have been in a long time.
