Starmer U-turns on US trade deal

It’s a day ending in ‘y’ – so of course Keir Starmer is spinning like a top. Donald Trump’s inauguration this week has sparked a raft of speculation (again) about a long-awaited US-UK trade deal. The Telegraph reports that the Prime Minister is taking this push seriously: so seriously in fact that he has now convened a ‘mini-Cabinet’ of senior ministers to draw up ways to persuade the incoming US president to come to an agreement. Meetings are convened by Jonathan Powell: architect of the Chagos deal. Truly, a government of all the talents.

Of course, the newly-elected President might be less keen on a deal: especially when he remembers all the rather rude things that half the British cabinet have said about him. And what of the Prime Minister, the man who once called himself ‘anti-Trump’? It was not so very long ago that he, as Shadow Brexit Secretary, was screaming that a trade deal with America would have ‘profound’ effects on ‘public services, businesses and for workers’ rights.’