The balance of global power is shifting fast, but Britain is stuck in the same old Brexit rut | Rafael Behr

A domestic political crisis can dominate media and parliamentary attention, pushing major foreign events out of the news agenda. While the Labour party faced internal turmoil, Donald Trump visited China and held a two-hour meeting with Xi Jinping, followed by sightseeing. Public statements from both leaders emphasized mutual praise and avoiding conflict, while private discussions on trade, Taiwan, AI, and Iran could carry greater significance despite limited access to details. International relations are unlikely to become a campaign focus in local elections because voters have limited bandwidth and candidates are advised to prioritize prominent public concerns. Gaza can influence support, but it often drives outrage rather than clear policy expectations. Starmer is portrayed as stronger internationally than domestically, with decisions to avoid entanglement in the US-Israeli war on Iran cited as evidence of judgment.

"While the Labour party was in meltdown last week, Donald Trump was visiting China. By the time Wes Streeting had sent his resignation letter to Keir Starmer, the US president had completed a two-hour bilateral meeting with his Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping, and moved on to sightseeing. The events unfolded in parallel, but in the competition for media and Westminster attention the superpower summit couldn't rival manoeuvres against the prime minister. That is normal. A domestic crisis will always bump foreign events off the news agenda."

"In public, the two leaders stuck to a script of mutual flattery and conflict aversion. What they said in private on trade, on Taiwan, on AI, on Iran may prove significant. It's hard to judge when the contents are secret. Andy Burnham's chances of winning a byelection in Greater Manchester probably didn't come up. Likewise, Sino-US relations are not going to feature on the campaign trail in Makerfield over the coming weeks. It is not what party strategists call a doorstep issue."

"When voters have limited bandwidth to receive political messages, candidates are advised to stick only to prominent public concerns. That usually excludes the world beyond Britain's borders. There are exceptions. Gaza has been a driver of support for Greens and independent candidates in recent ballots, but as an engine of outrage, not a coherent account of what the UK government let alone a local councillor in Hackney might realistically achieve in the Middle East."

"Starmer performs better in the international arena than on the domestic stage. Even his rivals for the Labour leadership praise the decision not to let Britain get embroiled in the US-Israeli war on Iran. Streeting's resignation letter singled it out as an example of courage and statesmanship. It stands out also as a marker of good judgment against the gung-ho impulses that Nigel Farage and Kemi Badenoch indulged in during the"

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