Keir Starmer was understated as he boarded the flight back to London after his visit to the White House. “I’m happy,” he said. His team were less restrained, celebrating what they thought was a triumph.
Not only did the meeting not go wrong – which, with Donald Trump, is always an achievement of sorts – but the prime minister emerged with some tangible gains. The US president all but promised not to impose tariffs on the UK, and praised Starmer as “a very tough negotiator”.
