Why Keir Starmer should enlist King Charles' help in dealing with Donald Trump
Keir Starmer may not be the ‘Trump whisperer’ any more but he will have a chance to rebuild relations next month with a little Royal Family magic
More than a week into the Iran War, the missiles continue to fly and yet the US plan for how the conflict will end remains as unclear as ever; the evil Iranian regime’s ‘strategy’, meanwhile, seems to consist of threatening to “eliminate” Donald Trump and attacking neighbouring countries like Bahrain, where a 29-year-old woman was killed when a residential building was hit.
The conflict has clearly created tension between London and Washington, with Keir Starmer no longer seen as the ‘Trump whisperer’ that his early diplomatic offensives suggested he could be. Nonetheless, his decision to incur the wrath of the US President by refusing to allow British bases to be used in the initial attack was still the correct one.
International law matters and the UK should adhere to the standards that have helped keep the peace since the end of the Second World War, despite populist politicians who foolishly regard them with contempt.
Charles should go to US
However, the criticism the Prime Minister has faced over the lack of readiness of Britain’s much-depleted Armed Forces is justified, even if Labour cannot be entirely blamed for years of under-investment when the world was a far safer place. Rapidly increasing defence spending is an imperative that cannot be ignored.
On the diplomatic front, Starmer must stick to his current course of trying to maintain the Special Relationship as best he can, while not giving in to Trump administration demands that cross a line.
READ MORE: Iran War: I'm no fan of Keir Starmer but he's right to reject demands of pro-Trump Tories and Reform
King Charles’ visit to the US next month, as part of the celebrations marking the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, is an ideal opportunity to mend some fences. A YouGov poll found that people in the UK support cancelling the trip by 46 to 36 per cent but realpolitik must win out over any ill-feeling towards Trump.
Like many Americans, Trump is a Royal Family fan and, thankfully, he’s also susceptible to flattery, which should be laid on with a trowel. With just under three years to go, the UK’s most important diplomatic task remains to act as a restraining influence on this reckless and volatile man’s worst impulses and persuade him to act more like the US Presidents of old.
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