Grown Up Politics

Is this what adulting looks like? After straying outside of his comfort zone at the weekend for saying "no" to the United States, Keir Starmer rowed back in familiar surrounds on Monday morning. At a press conference the Prime Minister said tariffs are in no one's interests and allies should sit down and calmly discuss differences. This was why the UK would not be meeting US tariffs over Greenland with counter-measures of its own. A position somewhat at odds with the European Union, and one unlikely to endear London to EU capitals - dspite the warm words of mutual support and protecting sovereignty.

In his speech, because no occasion is too important to punch leftwards, he condemned "grandstanding" and "performative" commentary, saying this "may make politicians feel good, but it does nothing for working people whose jobs, livelihoods and security rely on the relationships we build across the world." Or, just perhaps, the leaders of the Greens and the Liberal Democrats know that if the government does nothing that would be read by Trump as a sign to pressure the UK for future concessions, such as binning food standards. This is nothing but an appeasement strategy - something this government has experience of. Number 10's hope is that doing nothing now will invite favourable treatment later.

The political problems are obvious. In the UK, Trump is marginally less popular than diphtheria and most find his aggressive language over Greenland bewildering, stupid, and scary. Views very common among US punters, incidentally. So yes, Starmer is right that this should be "moment for the whole country to pull together". But not one where we, collectively, raise the white flag and hope for better treatment than an EU seemingly standing up to White House bullying. Those Starmer attacked for "grandstanding" are likely to politically benefit, as they are more in tune with the fear and growing frustrations of public opinion. Meanwhile, our "grown up" PM will be awarded for his "maturity" in due course - an ever-plummeting personal rating that this ridiculous crisis will deepen. How low will it go before his hapless party administers the coup de grâce?

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