There is general agreement that, whatever his problems with domestic politics, Sir Keir Starmer has handled his international diplomatic duties as prime minister with aplomb. He joined with all other European leaders in rejecting the Donald Trump-Benjamin Netanyahu war on Iran. He stood with Canada against Trump’s Anschluss politics of saying it should be joined with the US, and with Denmark against Trump’s attempted grab of Greenland.
After years of Tory governments’ neglect of defence, Britain is sending a clear message to Vladimir Putin that his 1930s-style invasion and takeover of Ukraine will be resisted. Starmer has good relations with social democratic and socialist leaders in Europe, and Labour is again playing a role in the Party of European Socialists and the Socialist International following years of neglect after Labour left office in 2010.
