Hardened Starmer changes tack as gentle approach fails to sway Trump

Keir Starmer at PMQs on Wednesday. He said he would not yield on his position on Greenland. Photograph: House of Commons/UK Parliament/PA

For a man who chooses his words so carefully, there is no doubt that Keir Starmer’s shift in tone towards Donald Trump at prime minister’s questions was intentional.

Since the turn of the year, as the US president has shown his imperialist ambition, the prime minister’s softly-softly approach to his unpredictable friend in the White House has come under increased strain.