Keir Starmer describes himself as a “British pragmatist” who takes a “common sense” approach. When it comes to global affairs, and domestic ones too, he isn’t one to grandstand, he’d rather try to get things done.
That has been the entire tenor of his three-day visit to China as the former human rights lawyer-turned prime minister seeks tor reset Britain’s relationship with China.
Ask him about Donald Trump’s warning that it’s “very dangerous” for the UK to seek closer ties with China, and Starmer swerves.
Ask him about the plight of the pro-democracy campaigner Jimmy Lai, imprisoned in Hong Kong, and he says the issues has been raised, but he doesn’t want to go into it.
Ask him whether he agrees with Mark Carney critique that the middle powers need to work together to counter the rise of great powers – the US and China, he distances.
He is, if you like, making pragmatic choices to find favour with the big beast nations – be it on Jimmy Lai, or the building of a super embassy for China, or allowing Trump to troll him on a variety of subjects according to his fancy. Starmer keeps his head down and ploughs on.
His supporters say this pragmatism delivers results, be it a better trade deal with the US, or the prospect of great investment and trade with the world’s second-biggest economy China.
His detractors argue that the UK is supine and the prime minister is leaving his country to the mercy of much bigger powers.
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney sees a third way.
“Great powers can afford, for now, to go it alone. They have the market size, the military capacity and the leverage to dictate terms. Middle powers do not. The middle powers must act together, because if we’re not at the table, we’re on the menu,” he told the annual Davos summit earlier this month.
