As Starmer walks tightrope over Trump, he needs help from opposition

He added: “Whilst I often take great delight in criticism of the government, I think this weekend he has not really put a foot wrong."

This welcome cross-party agreement over the need to tread carefully when dealing with Trump underlines the fundamental importance of our alliance with the US to the UK’s national interest. The ‘Special Relationship’ may not be as special as it once was, but it still matters a great deal.

This country’s security is bound up with America’s in many ways, such as the ‘Five Eyes’ intelligence-sharing arrangement and military contracts for weapon systems that require regular software upgrades from the US. Starmer was right to say “we must strengthen our relationship with America – for our security, for our technology, for our trade and investment”.

‘Not a reliable ally’

Trump’s volatility was on full display in his disgraceful upbraiding of Zelensky on Friday, and Liberal Democrat leader Ed Davey’s remark that the US President was “not a reliable ally with respect to Russia" seems self-evident. However, Starmer’s job is to use all the diplomatic powers at his disposal to keep Trump on the right side.

This is vitally important for Ukraine, the UK and the world. Trump will not always be US President and we can only hope that whoever succeeds him will be friendlier to the interests of Europe’s democracies.

Suggestions that Trump’s UK state visit should be cancelled following his attack on Zelensky smack of student politics. Despite his treatment, Zelensky himself has said he is still willing to sign the US-Ukraine mineral deal that Trump has disgracefully decided to demand.

That said, make no mistake, dealing with Trump is like walking a tightrope and it may prove all-too easy to put a foot wrong. Nonetheless, Starmer must keep trying to move forward, and he needs all the help he can get.