The minute Sir Keir Starmer announced his intention to resign 16 days ago, power began to drain away from him and towards his almost certain successor, Andy Burnham. Our prime minister therefore attended his final Nato meeting in Ankara as half a ghost, half a figure of fun.
But make no mistake, Europe is crying out for a stronger Britain. The Finnish prime minister was reduced last night to pleading with Britain: “Sort yourselves out. Please, we need you.” That need for clarity and leadership was indeed underlined by the latest perplexing fusillade of tirades from an increasingly erratic Donald Trump. The US president described Iran’s rulers as “scum” while launching verbal attacks on America’s allies – Denmark, Spain and the rest of Nato.
