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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Starmer obviously thought it was time to put on his leaders suit and glasses and address the nations of the UK and Mr Trump. Problem was he could not say anything meaningful. All he could do was repeat a set of phrases - long term partners, special relationship, pramgmatism, working people, no tariffs, private conversation - and hope listners would take them as a strategic position rather than a Hail Mary for divine intevention to get him out of the mess.
Trouble is Trump sees him as a patsy who does as he is told. After all he failed to condemn the kidnapping of Maduro and implicitly supported it because Maduro was not a nice man. And the Russian's now see him and Europe as pathetic in the face of might.
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