"The prime minister finds himself in charge when the globe is being bent into a new shape by his big pal in the White House. While a lot has gone wrong at home, Downing Street's handling of events abroad has broadly been considered a success. But as the pace of Donald Trump's activity around the world picks up - particularly in Venezuela and Greenland - the prime minister's increasingly assertive opponents at home are set on turning one of his few sweet spots sour."
"It is true there has been some squeamishness, particularly on the left of the Labour Party, over Starmer's closeness to Trump. It is a symptom of a traditional distaste for the schmaltz of the "special relationship", that did not start and will not end with Starmer and Trump. Think Blair being accused of being Bush's poodle over Iraq, or parodies of Margaret Thatcher and Ronald Reagan taking a spin on the White House dance floor."
The prime minister leads during a global realignment driven by the US president's assertive diplomacy, with Downing Street's foreign-policy record viewed as broadly successful despite domestic failings. Accelerating US activity in places like Venezuela and Greenland increases political risk at home, where opponents may exploit close ties. Squeamishness on Labour's left over Starmer's closeness to Trump reflects a longstanding distrust of the 'special relationship.' Political loyalty is treated as transactional to secure trade deals, tech concessions, or support for Ukraine. Senior advisers receive praise, but concerns grow about being associated with controversial US actions and looming defence spending decisions.
Read at www.bbc.com
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