Does Keir Starmer finally have cause for optimism over Donald Trump? It did not go unnoticed that the only Labour figure to bag an invite to the President’s inauguration last week was Maurice Glasman, the architect of Blue Labour. On returning from Washington DC, the Labour peer told PoliticsHome that the team around Trump is ‘very, very sceptical about the Labour government’. So aides will be breathing a sigh of relief that, on Sunday night, Starmer finally spoke with Trump. The Labour leader was the first President’s first call to a major European leader (though Italy’s Giorgia Meloni of course attended the inauguration).
Those comments show that Trump is not in the same place as his political ally and colleague Elon Musk
During the 45-minute conversation, the pair discussed the ceasefire in Gaza, as well as trade and the economy, with Starmer attempting to find common ground by talking up his government’s plans for deregulation. They also discussed Trump’s affection for the royal family and Trump offered Starmer his condolences over his late brother. What’s more telling really is the topics that weren’t briefed out as discussion points. It’s understood there was a desire to avoid the more chewy topics where there could be disagreement, such as the Chagos islands, Peter Mandelson’s appointment as ambassador and defence spending. It certainly seemed to go better than Trump’s call with Denmark’s prime minister where he made clear that he really does plan to make Greenland part of the US whether the government likes it or not.
The conversation comes after Trump also spoke positively about Starmer in an interview. The president said his first international trip could be the UK: ‘It could be Saudi Arabia, it could be UK. Traditionally it could be UK. Last time I went to Saudi Arabia because they agreed to buy $450 billion (£360 billion) of American United States merchandise’.
He also said that Starmer is a ‘very good person’ even if he’s ‘liberal, which is a bit different from me…I may not agree with his philosophy, but I have a very good relationship with him’.
Those comments at the very least show that Trump is not in the same place as his political ally and colleague Elon Musk when it comes to the UK Prime Minister. No. 10 aides will be hoping to confirm an in-person meeting soon. But in that conversation, the tricky topics – such as the UK government’s reluctance to increase defence spending anytime soon – will be impossible to avoid.
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