Far from the disaster that most people considered the Oval Office row to be, it has now opened the door to a peace deal. I can imagine it was very difficult for President Zelenskyy to contemplate signing a minerals deal that would begin a process that results in a loss of territory for his country. This explains his nervy appearance and the clash that ensued.
However, there is no point now in blaming either side. What’s important is that serious discussions about the scope of Ukraine’s security arrangements can be discussed.
Sir Keir Starmer has emerged as the leader who is best placed to act as a bridge between the EU and America. Many will find this an unlikely role for given the inauspicious start to his premiership. All prime ministers past and present have relished the prospect of enhancing their own reputation on the world stage, especially if their domestic situation is as dreadful as it has been for Keir Starmer.
Having a good personal relationship with President Trump is key to doing business with him. From that, all else flows – including, hopefully, a lasting peace in Europe. Despite their very obvious political differences, Sir Keir managed to charm the leader of the free world more effectively than analysts had believed possible. For now, Trump and Starmer are on good terms. Having a strong relationship with Trump is in the British national interest and long may it continue.
On Saturday night, senior Government sources briefed out the following to journalists: “The UK is in a unique position, a different position to the rest of Europe, because Starmer is able to call Trump and have a working relationship. For better or for worse, Trump likes the UK more than the EU and will speak to Starmer. The UK has to try to use that to Europe’s and Ukraine’s advantage.”
Translation: Keir Starmer can stand tall on the world stage thanks to Brexit Britain.
It’s no secret that Trump and the EU have a mutual dislike. They certainly don’t trust each other. By the same token, Trump is a great supporter of Britain’s decision to leave the bloc.
But the irony of the Remainer-in-chief Starmer now choosing to present himself as the unifier between the two as a direct result of that historic vote of 2016 is extraordinary.
Starmer spent years trying to derail Brexit and was in favour of a second referendum, even though this would have been profoundly anti-democratic. Now he is able to fall back on one of its many benefits: total freedom in the area of foreign policy. Starmer is using the very benefits of Brexit that he previously opposed to his political advantage as Prime Minister.
Where the EU lumbers along, Britain can be light of foot. We stand apart from the EU in a truly positive sense.
We have seen the benefits of Brexit before.
Britain was able to make its own decisions on the Covid vaccine and rolled it out more quickly than EU countries in 2020. We also acted swiftly and decisively in support of Ukraine when the war began in 2022. Our status as a free and independent nation ensured that we could cut tariffs and ship weapons to Ukraine quicker than our friends on the continent. Whether we agree with these decisions is not the point. The British government was free to make them.
It would be nice to think that Starmer might be prepared to acknowledge that Brexit has many attributes – and to use this experience to change his mind when it comes to trying to take Britain back into various EU arrangements via the back door, as he has been doing in recent months. Remember, the Cabinet Office has set up a team of at least 100 civil servants whose job is to focus on “resetting” UK relations with the EU on matters such as fishing rights, food checks and immigration. This is a betrayal of Brexit, make no mistake. It will leave Britain worse off in every respect. It must be stopped.
Let us hope that the remarkable situation our prime minister now finds himself in due to our freedom as an independent country can help bring this war to end and ensure a lasting peace.
It is also time for him to admit that the “unique” position that Downing Street speaks of has put our country in a place where it can be a force for good in the world.
Far from the disaster that most people considered the Oval Office row to be, it has now opened the door to a peace deal. I can imagine it was very difficult for President Zelenskyy to contemplate signing a minerals deal that would begin a process that results in a loss of territory for his country. This explains his nervy appearance and the clash that ensued.
However, there is no point now in blaming either side. What’s important is that serious discussions about the scope of Ukraine’s security arrangements can be discussed.
Sir Keir Starmer has emerged as the leader who is best placed to act as a bridge between the EU and America. Many will find this an unlikely role for given the inauspicious start to his premiership. All prime ministers past and present have relished the prospect of enhancing their own reputation on the world stage, especially if their domestic situation is as dreadful as it has been for Keir Starmer.
Having a good personal relationship with President Trump is key to doing business with him. From that, all else flows – including, hopefully, a lasting peace in Europe. Despite their very obvious political differences, Sir Keir managed to charm the leader of the free world more effectively than analysts had believed possible. For now, Trump and Starmer are on good terms. Having a strong relationship with Trump is in the British national interest and long may it continue.
On Saturday night, senior Government sources briefed out the following to journalists: “The UK is in a unique position, a different position to the rest of Europe, because Starmer is able to call Trump and have a working relationship. For better or for worse, Trump likes the UK more than the EU and will speak to Starmer. The UK has to try to use that to Europe’s and Ukraine’s advantage.”
Translation: Keir Starmer can stand tall on the world stage thanks to Brexit Britain.
It’s no secret that Trump and the EU have a mutual dislike. They certainly don’t trust each other. By the same token, Trump is a great supporter of Britain’s decision to leave the bloc.
But the irony of the Remainer-in-chief Starmer now choosing to present himself as the unifier between the two as a direct result of that historic vote of 2016 is extraordinary.
Starmer spent years trying to derail Brexit and was in favour of a second referendum, even though this would have been profoundly anti-democratic. Now he is able to fall back on one of its many benefits: total freedom in the area of foreign policy. Starmer is using the very benefits of Brexit that he previously opposed to his political advantage as Prime Minister.
Where the EU lumbers along, Britain can be light of foot. We stand apart from the EU in a truly positive sense.
We have seen the benefits of Brexit before.
Britain was able to make its own decisions on the Covid vaccine and rolled it out more quickly than EU countries in 2020. We also acted swiftly and decisively in support of Ukraine when the war began in 2022. Our status as a free and independent nation ensured that we could cut tariffs and ship weapons to Ukraine quicker than our friends on the continent. Whether we agree with these decisions is not the point. The British government was free to make them.
It would be nice to think that Starmer might be prepared to acknowledge that Brexit has many attributes – and to use this experience to change his mind when it comes to trying to take Britain back into various EU arrangements via the back door, as he has been doing in recent months. Remember, the Cabinet Office has set up a team of at least 100 civil servants whose job is to focus on “resetting” UK relations with the EU on matters such as fishing rights, food checks and immigration. This is a betrayal of Brexit, make no mistake. It will leave Britain worse off in every respect. It must be stopped.
Let us hope that the remarkable situation our prime minister now finds himself in due to our freedom as an independent country can help bring this war to end and ensure a lasting peace.
It is also time for him to admit that the “unique” position that Downing Street speaks of has put our country in a place where it can be a force for good in the world.