🇪🇺🇬🇧 Through my first set of meetings in Brussels. The praise for Starmer is overwhelming: “What he has managed to do is not just good for him. It's good for all of us. Absolutely top notch. This is the UK at its best. The UK we have always admired.
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There’ll be the cynics and naysayers who’ll ridicule his efforts, but he actually got off his backside to do something , and making a pretty good fist of it. 👏👏👏
After 14 years of poor governance we are getting back on track. There is a lot to put right and it will take a long time to do so. We should be patient and accept it takes time to rectify 14 years of mostly chaotic policies.
We've spent so long trying desperately to dig ourselves out of so many self-imposed 'holes', that trying to dig Europe out of one that actually 'wasn't our fault', must seem to the Foreign Office like a piece of Cake ... ! 😉
I’m critical of Starmer in several areas but he’s playing a blinder in this.
The UK is best placed to be a bridge between the free world & an untrustworthy US.
Nobody says it, but Starmer will still be Prime Minister when Trump has gone.
Agreed Starmer is the kind of leader we need in this situation. My only concern with the four year thing is that The Orange Felon may now be inspired by Zelenskyy, and put himself in a war or other crisis, so he can claim he can't run elections.
He can try but not succeed. Unlike here the USA has a tradition of holding elections in wartime. 1944 for instance. And even in 1864 in the midst of civil war.
Over four million - or more than around half the EU states in 2025. TBF that was only around 25% turnout but for obvious reasons about one-third of states didn't participate. S remarkable achievement all the same.
War in 1864 wasn't anything like today, and in 1944 the war wasn't happening on US territory, so it wasn't difficult to hold an election. And I don't think Trump could care less about precedent anyway!
I'm sure EU leaders would not have come if the U.K. had a Tory PM, because of the ideological conflict. But the other important thing is that Starmer demonstrated humility and did not use the gathering for his own personal aggrandisement. Sometimes luck throws up the right leader at the right time.
Hell yes. Unbelievable really. I had been to Ukraine a couple of times in 2010- 2013, corruption was pretty endemic and the people were utterly fed up with politicians. I could therefore understand why a complete non-politician would appeal to them. What an inspired choice he turned out to be!
I don't undersell Macrons contribution. This is about buying time to divest ourselves and build capacity. I am fully aware that Trump will always side with Putin. The issue is *he* has to be seen to flounce out when presented with a fair and reasonable plan. He's already ranting about the bad press
I'm sure they do. My worry is that once it becomes obvious that Europe is turning away and building capacity that Trump will have yet another tantrum and threaten more tarrifs. But, we shall see. Starmer will do all he can.
Please help us to return to the European Union. The vote to leave was won by people who I believe committed treason.
The majority of UK citizens want to rejoin the EU.
C’est pour cela que nous 🇪🇺,nous attendons qu’une chose,c’est que notre ami britannique nous rejoigne au plus vite à l’intérieur de l’Europe. Avec elle nous pouvons devenir une Europe forte 💪 Une Europe qui puisse contrer des administrations comme celle de Trump. Nous avons ce qu’il faut pour lui
Répondre à lui et à ses sbires qui sont venus il y’a quelques jours en Allemagne 🇩🇪 pour faire l’éloge de l’extrême droite et de leurs idées nauséabondes. Si ils veulent cela pour 🇺🇸 qu’ils le fassent mais qu’ils ne viennent pas s’ingérer dans nos démocraties ici en 🇪🇺. Nous vous attendons avec
C’est parfait,ne vous en faites pas avec sa. Je pourrais m’exprimer en anglais comme vous le faites en français,je serais content. Votre message est nickel 👌
Have to say, when you look at our recent offerings in the realm of Prime ministers and at the garbage America have bizarrely chosen to sit upon an imaginary throne, it is refreshing to see a performance from our political leadership that doesn't make me feel embarrassed to be a human.
The UK that should be at the centre of the EU not dallying with a USA which at the best of times is moderately beneficial & in the worst, like now, aggressive bullying & solely self interested
As a Pole, I would like to thank you for this support and good leadership alongside Macron. We are all in the same boat here. I really hope you will return to the EU soon.
At last, after 14 miserable years, we have someone to be proud of. I do hope this gives the Starmer bashers pause for thought, like us all he's not perfect but he's the best PM we've had since Gordon Brown.
I am very proud of my Prime Minister right now. I was a supporter of Corbyn but recognised his flaws. I have moved on. I can hold concurrent positions - pride in my PM’s role here, and concern with our economic approach in particular. With respect, please don’t just write people like me off.
Apologies Ina, I read your post as Starmer critics fall into two camps - Corbyn loyalists and right-wingers, with no budging. I just wanted to pop up and say there’s a lot of us here on the left that struggle with the former categorisation and don’t identify with it.
Indeed - remember the near universal praise for Gordon Brown for his actions in the wake of the 2008 banking crisis? Didn't register for the dribbling morons who kept repeating the mantra that "he sold all the gold".
If the numbers of ‘dribbling morons’ on social media is anything to go by, we’re fucked. Why are we even letting them vote without first sitting a test of competence?
Agree Tony.
Some voters have been influenced by the relentless attacks on Starmer by the RW media, Starmers response over the last few days will set these people back on track with a purpose. ⚘️
Quite. The “I regret voting Labour” people - who lent us their vote on 4 July - are saying something very different today (both online and in personal chats).
Same here in the UK, there are those who voted for Brexit without a clue and easily coerced by lies and foreign influence, and those of us who voted to stay in the EU. It's a disaster and lamentable
I am a Remainer/Rejoiner but there is no moral equivalence between voting to Leave the EU and voting for a convicted felon, who is obviously a fascist and would happily remove US democracy.
Like our loons, they have loud voices amplified by the media. We rational UK citizens soldier quietly on beavering away. Don't get disheartened, we'll win!
Never forget that he barely won the most votes but he didn't even win half of them. There are fewer loons than it seems and people are fighting back everywhere.
The last many years have been embarrassing for the UK. A country with so much to offer, so many capabilities and so many successes on the card, and yet looking at is self like a victim, apparently unable to make an impact on the world. This has led to Brexit, but now it seems its improving again 😊
We're not out of the woods yet. I thought America had turned a corner when they elected Biden and then look what happened! There are still dark forces lurking in the UK.
Its a constant struggle, not only in the US or the UK but in all countries. We need more focus on what we can do to improve things and less focus on being a victim of others. The US and the UK can be proud of what the have achieved in the past and could/can continue if they wish. I hope they do.
Starmer has proven to bold, focussed and clear-sighted on the international stage but he lacks this domestically. It concerns me. You cannot be timid with the far right.
Yes he did, but he has also tried to placate people by boasting about immingration stats and other stuff. Don't lean into the narrative! Make your own!
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I've been impressed, by both Starmer and the U.K. generally, I missed this type of leadership from the Brits. Germany and Merz need to follow suit and show some leadership, U.K. and France is showing the way.
While the Transatlantic political situation is dire, I'm thankful that we don't have Truss or Badenoch as PM, France has Macron, not Le Pen, Italy's Meloni has not turned out to be a disaster à la Orban, and Germany is getting a possibly more proactive Chancellor.
Yes, things could always be worse....imagine a Tory or, worse still, a Reform PM. However, that's hardly a ringing endorsement of Starmer. He must be regretting the State Visit invite; it was unnecessary and always likely to backfire.
Although the State Visit has been offered and accepted, the timing is down to us and we can slow or accelerate proceedings as we see fit. Supposedly there is no slot for this year whatever.
Do you think if Trump says he wants it this summer, they'd actually refuse? Highly unlikely, they were practically tripping over themselves to accommodate him, offering a visit to Scotland at a venue of his choice, nearest whichever of his golf courses he preferred. UK is desperate for a trade deal🙄
Kremlins in there long term, and its only going to get worse until American people get rid of Trump and Musk. Putin will be wanting to cause as much damage while he can. Having Musk in revamping the FAA risks the efficient operation of the entire aviation sector and US security. Forget a trade deal.
Right now he needs to be able to ride both horses. Flattering Trump with the ceremonial trappings of a State visit is perhaps the only way to influence that fecking moron…!
Just imagine what an utter sh*t show this would have been if Johnson, Truss or Badenoch was PM. They would have *tried* to do something, utterly failed (Suez canal anyone), and made the UK look foolish on the world stage. I think even Sunak would have made a bad fist of it.
The tories wouldn't have done what Keir Starmer is doing. None ofvthosec5 PMs were statesmen or stateswomen. They antagonized Europe. Starmer is unifying European leaders with Turkey's and Canada's. Quitd extraordinary. Our PM is a statdsman.
I think Cameron or May would have been capable, not as good as Starmer (that he is a lawyer and used to conflict resolution and management is obvious) but I think they would have been competent.
No Tory after the post-May gutting of the party to remove the sane though. Current Tory MPS are bananas.
OK, well we're really going to have to disagree here. Of all the Tory leaders since 2010 he was by far the most qualified and most capable. It's insane to me to suggest any of Johnson, Sunak, Truss or Badenoch were are even 10% as capable as Cameron.
If they were competent, Cameron would not have foisted his EU Referendum on the country and May would have ensured a proper risk and cost-benefit analysis of leaving the EU, or remaining, before triggering Arti le 50 with su h indeceng haste. No debate in parliament before she did it. Shocking.
The cowards who brought forward the most economically damaging policy in at least 100 years? May could have chosen a softer Brexit, still in line with an advisory vote. She chose party first. As did Cameron by calling the referendum. Weak behaviour. Instead of taking on UKIP/Reform vacuous policies.
This is about the ability to do international diplomacy not domestic policy. Much as I think the behaviour of Cameron and May wrt Brexit was utterly wrong and nation harming (in two different ways) I can still see that only those 2 of the 2010 onwards Tory leaders would possibly have been capable.
I think we underestimate the damage they did, just because they have slightly more polite polish. We fall for this far too often in the UK. Private and grammar school confidence disguising self-interest and ineptitude. At least Sunak, Johnson and Truss didn't even hide their chaotic thinking!
As a Brit and a Labour voter i must admit that i hadn't been very impressed with him up to now, but he suddenly looks more like a statesman and has gone up considerably in my estimation.
Keep it up Kier.
I know you want to be a bridge between US and EU, but don't ever bow down to Trump. Respect
The first time in well over a decade that the UK has shown foreign policy leadership in Europe. Before the weekend I thought Starmer was too mired in Brexit past to be effective on Ukraine. But I am glad I was wrong.
Is it? Or does "it" remember, for example, that Keir is the only major European leader who did not immediately and unreservedly condemn Trump's disgusting remarks during Zelenskyy's visit to the White House (and indeed still has not)?
Yes, far more important to get that inflammatory tweet out first than actually do something to put the skip fire out. Maybe you should have a think about the demographic that performative politics is designed to appeal to.
Diplomacy is a twisted game - we can see that France & the UK want to keep the yanks on-side and unfortunately they chose a deluded, ego-driven thin-skinned man-baby to run their country - so the Europeans all bend the language to placate him
People only have to consider Johnson or Truss doing what Starmer is doing on the international stage and they might change their minds.Also what did the Tory party do to improve the lives of the majority- improve the NHS? (no), invest in schools? (no), build prisons (no). Enrich themselves? - yes.
You're literally putting the bar on the floor if that's your point of comparison. You could make pile of dirt prime minister and it would still do better than Johnson or Truss.
I personally think Starmer is doing a really good job. I’m relieved he is in power and was just commenting that I could only imagine his awful it would be with the other two. That’s all.
What we saw with Starmer was a classic piece of British diplomacy. The bringing out of the letter from Charles lll was timed to perfection and played to Trumps weaknesses.
I have never voted for Labour in my life but credit where credit is due.
Taking a course which seems very popular will boost his electoral prospects, at a time when these seem to be at a very low ebb. Thatcher on the other hand was heavily criticised by some for going to war. I suspect his bona fides.
No disrespect non-bot, but on that basis you could compare anyone to anyone else who does a thing that seems well received when their popularity is down - it doesn’t make them alike, nor does it make war akin to visits
Starmer is a good leader. Now he needs to stop appeasing Trump and start working with real partners. We all support UK, but we need UK to focus on real allies. Trump is a traitor and we cannot trust him with anything. This is important. https://youtu.be/T-u4d6Zwdns?si=8Ua5R1oHaC00K8t3
Yet, around 1 in 4 or 5 of the UK population wish a Trump or even Putin invasion of the country to remove the democratically elected government. This percentage combines dome very rich, eg Clarkson, with the poorer, less well-educated.
Farage is a favourite of the RW press/MSM, esp BBC.
Don’t forget, Starmer was an international lawyer and wrote papers at European level; the geezer has pedigree! Yeah, he’s made a few faux pas here and there, no where near as the previous cvnts in the position! I do not want a buffoon in or an idiot as our leader! Starmer has been very good!
True. I can only imagine one single variant universe worst than the mess we’re in right now: if Liz Truss or BoJo was still PM.
I’m starting to re-consider my conviction that universal suffrage is good. Perhaps limit suffrage to more educated people, to have democracy less exposed to populism?
No no don’t get me wrong. I was using the conditional, I’m just frustrated because of a dark future resulting from the votes of a mass of ignorant (and possibly rich and white) voters, that still represent a minority of world population
Yes, that’s why I used the conditional. But looking at the current worldwide state of democracy, it seems that we’re already on a slippery slope, aren’t we? The best way to sustain democracy is to increase the education of citizens, but it takes time and willingness, which we don’t have
Of course the availability of large amount of voters easy to pilot with lies is valuable to virtually any governing party right now, so I don’t suppose we’re looking at improvements anytime soon.
So I’m pessimistic.
I think rather than taking votes away (which is a bad thing to start, because where does it end?) is to teach from reception through to sixth form all about our democracy and back that up with teaching robust critical thinking skills. An educated electorate wouldn't have elected trump.
We can only hope that we can convince more people that when you can cast a vote, you always have to vote for lesser evil, BUT YOU HAVE TO VOTE. Never wait for your ideal candidate, you’ll never have one. But beware of letting the worst one win because you didn’t vote.
Comments
The UK is best placed to be a bridge between the free world & an untrustworthy US.
Nobody says it, but Starmer will still be Prime Minister when Trump has gone.
Lets not let the best be the enemy of the good.
This is about Ukraine and European Security in an era of Trump. Lets keep it focussed on that.
Also, don't count your chickens before they've hatched.
Talk the talk was good. Now, he needs to walk the walk. He will hit a wall in DC while presenting the peace plan, I predict.
But that's where it will fail. Do they have a plan B?
The majority of UK citizens want to rejoin the EU.
🇫🇷 🇬🇧 🌎
Starmer did very well and his approach is an asset so far.
They’re already trying to twist the narrative in favour of TrumPutin
Sycophant Ferrari was first out the blocks this morning allowing Farage to double down on Vance’s abuse of Zelensky🤬
Some voters have been influenced by the relentless attacks on Starmer by the RW media, Starmers response over the last few days will set these people back on track with a purpose. ⚘️
Voters for both these were ignorant of facts/did not care/ or racist
https://youtu.be/AWSWqn7UHYM?si=E4H4YN76PAnjqsTA
What to do with Trumps invite still on the table ?
Johnson would have aligned us with the US and pulled us away from Europe.
As I think would Badenoch.
Truss has now gone full Maga, nd is trying to set up a Maga movement in the UK (wants her job back)
No Tory after the post-May gutting of the party to remove the sane though. Current Tory MPS are bananas.
He was the most under qualified out of his depth PM’s we’ve seen in recent times
I cant.
Keep it up Kier.
I know you want to be a bridge between US and EU, but don't ever bow down to Trump. Respect
He has been willing to look weak publicly, to achieve better results.
Don't let yourself be so deceived by the superficial.
This is why cranks like you get laughed at. Zero grasp on reality.
Take you whining self pity elsewhere; we don’t give be a fuck.
You are welcome.
Watch their nutty posts get ever wilder once the polls respond to recognise how the PM has risen to the occasion!
Diplomacy is a twisted game - we can see that France & the UK want to keep the yanks on-side and unfortunately they chose a deluded, ego-driven thin-skinned man-baby to run their country - so the Europeans all bend the language to placate him
Whatever works
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Good that he’s found a wagon to jump on with Ukraine but let’s face it, he’s working for the arms industry here. Nothing less. Nothing more.
Peace his arse!
I have never voted for Labour in my life but credit where credit is due.
Farage is a favourite of the RW press/MSM, esp BBC.
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/farage-trump-zelensky-ukraine-b2707928.html
I’m starting to re-consider my conviction that universal suffrage is good. Perhaps limit suffrage to more educated people, to have democracy less exposed to populism?
So I’m pessimistic.