Hypocrisy is in the air this morning! As the tariff war between China and the US rages on, Sir Keir Starmer is hoping to avoid taking retaliatory action over Donald Trump’s Liberation Day tariffs – and instead negotiate a transatlantic trade deal with his American counterparts. But while Starmer’s army now insists coming to an agreement is their preferred option, it’s worth remembering that Labour politicians haven’t always looked upon negotiations with Trump quite so favourably – as Good Morning Britain’s Ed Balls was quick to point out in today’s interview with Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy.
Grilling the parliamentarian over the airwaves this morning, Balls – an ex-Labour MP himself – reminded Nandy that in opposition she had blasted then-Tory Prime Minister Boris Johnson as ‘pathetic’ for approaching the US for a post-Brexit trade deal. Going on, he quizzed the Culture Secretary:
EB: Boris Johnson in 2020, Keir Starmer in 2025. It’s exactly the same, isn’t it?
LN: No, it’s not the same. We’re acting in the national interest…whereas in 2020 Boris Johnson was doing everything to get a photo with President Trump but not actually securing any benefits for Britain. At the same time, he was trashing our relationships with our closest friends and allies in the European Union.
Shots fired! Balls pushed back, reiterating that, in 2019, Nandy herself had fumed Britain should be standing up to Trump and not trying to do deal with him. How curious.
EB: I just don’t understand, why was it weak to do a trade deal in 2019/20, and why is it strong now – when other countries are retaliating, standing up to Trump – Keir Starmer is refusing to. In your words, it’s pathetic.
LN: I don’t think it’s pathetic to try and secure a trade deal.
EB: So begging for a trade deal if your Keir Starmer is not pathetic, but it is if you’re Boris Johnson.
Talk about double standards, eh? Watch the clip here:
Comments