"When the dramatic raid did finally happen, with Trump saying the Venezuelan had been seized for narco-terrorism, the UK prime minister took 16 hours to respond publicly, and even then it was a masterclass in hedging his bets. We regarded Maduro as an illegitimate president and we shed no tears about the end of his regime, Starmer said, but then as might be expected from a former human rights lawyer reiterated his support for international law."
"The UK government has continued this approach since: say as little as possible that might offend Trump; leave it to the US to explain the legal justification for the move; and, in the words of one aide, recognise that it's not our fight. Labour's political opponents on its progressive wing the Lib Dems and the Greens have piled pressure on the government to condemn the US action."
Keir Starmer has repeatedly navigated a diplomatic tightrope with Donald Trump as US operations in Venezuela escalated into a dramatic overnight raid that removed Nicolas Maduro. UK response was cautious and delayed, with the prime minister taking 16 hours to respond and framing comments to both call Maduro illegitimate and reaffirm support for international law. The UK government adopted a low-profile approach: minimise statements that might offend the US, defer legal explanation to the US, and treat the matter as not Britain's fight. Progressive parties pressured the government to condemn the action, and Downing Street rejected comparisons to full-scale invasion and concerns about emboldening China and Russia.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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