Even Keir Starmer’s fiercest detractors (and there are a fair few) must concede that he has had a very good week on the international stage: the best by a long chalk since he entered Downing Street. The Prime Minister, derided by critics as a political plodder, lacking in ideas and charisma-free, is a leader transformed.
The new Starmer is a man with a mission, imbued with the confidence to lead. This was very much in evidence when he met US President Donald Trump for talks in Washington earlier this week. Starmer approached the discussions in the manner of the barrister he used to be, carefully mastering his brief and solely focused on making a success of his case. His standing with Trump was bolstered by the decision to increase military expenditure (Starmer plans to boost defence spending to 2.5 per cent of GDP by 2027), a key demand of the new American administration.
The bonhomie between the two leaders appeared genuine enough; job done, as far as Downing Street was concerned.
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