Keir Starmer is full of bilge

Who runs Britain’s foreign policy? Not the government, that’s clear. At PMQs, Sir Keir Starmer got a monumental roasting from Rishi Sunak whose patience seems to be wearing thin. 

Technically, Rishi was asking questions but in fact he was correcting Labour’s latest raft of blunders. He began by urging the PM to have a discreet word with his foreign secretary, David Lammy, who appears to be learning on the job. Rishi suggested that Lammy should give China a rap over the knuckles for its ‘dangerous escalatory acts in the Taiwan Strait.’ 

Sir Keir nodded along. He agreed to ‘co-operate as a permanent member of the Security Council’ and he promised to ‘challenge on the point he makes where it’s needed.’

Rishi then asked about a regime of sanctions including, ‘secondary sanctions on financial institutions.’ Another ‘yes’ from the PM. After this he floundered badly. Rishi mentioned a Tory initiative, the Foreign Influence Registration Scheme, which protects Britain against attempts by China, Russia and Iran to interfere in our democracy.