[ad_1]
“We will remember. We don’t need people that join Wars after we’ve already won!”
The latest late-night broadside from Donald Trump has torn another strip off the tattered remains of the special relationship Sir Keir Starmer has spent the past year trying to cultivate.
Politics Live: ‘PM learning lessons from what went wrong in Iraq’
The US president’s scornful tirade against both the PM – and indeed, the whole of the UK (“our once Great Ally”) – makes it very clear he’s not going to forgive Starmer for refusing permission for American planes to use British military bases in their initial attack on Iran.
As break-ups go, it’s a bitter one, especially given the diplomatic effort and political capital Starmer has expended to develop his reputation as the so-called Trump whisperer.
The Conservatives were already attacking the PM for failing to do more to support the US and Israel; now shadow home secretary Chris Philp claims he’s “severely damaged the special relationship”.
Reform UK leader Nigel Farage has been in Mar-a-Lago this weekend, surely hammering home his critique of the government with the Trump administration.
Now it’s emerged that former Labour prime minister Sir Tony Blair also believes Starmer is wrong not to have backed America from the start of the conflict, telling attendees at a private event, “if they are your ally and they are an indispensable cornerstone for your security…you had better show up”.
But for many in the Labour Party – and beyond – Blair is the very last person who should be giving advice on following American presidents into wars in the Middle East.
Iran war latest: New supreme leader chosen
His criticism of Starmer is therefore something of a godsend for the current PM – as it highlights the contrast between his own cautious approach to Blair’s…
[ad_2]
