The UK is unique in being a world trading country with a long history of involvement in international disputes that can work with NATO, the Commonwealth, the TPP, the G7, and the Five Eyes. We need to work with who we can issue by issue, but concentrate on the UK national interest.
I have no problem in principle with PM Starmer if he wants to follow a different course from the USA on any particular matter. He needs to make his case and get it right when or if he disagrees with the President. I supported as a youngster the UK staying out of the Viet Nam war, and later failed to persuade the Conservative opposition to oppose Blair’s involvement of the UK in Iraq. I have always thought a strong and friendly relationship with the USA a good idea. I remember the failure of the US to join our war in Europe in 1939 until Japan bombed them into the conflict, and remember the reluctance of the US to help us liberate the Falklands by military means. The UK has to be able to defend itself.
I do have a problem with PM Starmer believing there is some proto EU defence scheme we can attach ourselves to. It is embarrassing to watch him asking France and Germany before he expresses a view of what the UK can and should do as if they would help or have the resources to defend us. Our history shows us that all invasions and military threats to these islands have in the past come from European countries and empires, though we are assured this cannot happen now. The French, the Germans, the Italian Romans, the Scandinavian Vikings, the Dutch, the Spanish and others have taken it in turns to seek to conquer us. It is clearly a good idea to seek friendly and positive relations with European countries and with the EU, but a grave folly to think we can by becoming a rule taker from the continent somehow secure our own safety and pursue our own interests.
The modern EU has no plans to assail us militarily, but plenty of plans to make us obey its laws, import more from them, pay them tax revenues and direct our policies. Their interests are clearly not our interests in these areas. It makes sense for them to tax us, but makes no sense for us to agree. It makes sense for them to want to send many of their young people here, but not for us as we are short of homes and jobs. It makes sense for them to demand cheap fees at UK universities for their students, but that undermines the finances of our great universities. It makes sense for them to want us to impose high tariffs on non EU imports to give their companies more chance to take over our markets. That will just harm the UK consumer more.
The EU is trying to establish a stronger role in European defence by taking powers from member states and borrowing large sums centrally to buy more control. It wants the UK to pay a large sum to have possible access to their defence orders. This comes at a time when the UK defence industry has a full order book and when the UK should be spending extra money on buying more UK produced weapons, not on subsidising an emerging EU defence presence we do not control.
March 17, 2026
it is pointless expecting someone like starmer to be able to model a complex multi dimensional changing problem domain in his head. or to be able to instinctively know the right thing to do given a new problem, working it out from guiding first principles. or to have any delivery experience to fix real world problems, or knowing how to lead and motivate widely differing members of a team.
he simply doesn’t have the skills, insight, or self awareness of his own strengths and weaknesses.
sadly our political process is selecting completely the wrong kinds of people for jobs like this.
we need people in the top jobs who can deal with complex problems, but we simply dont have them.
March 17, 2026
In Iran’s case it looks as though Starmer’s stumbling has landed him on the correct side. Yesterday’s developments appear pivotal; the lack of any, so far, US friendly nations to want to participate in the hard work of clearing and maintaining the free use of the Straits of Hormuz, makes Starmer appear to have made a sensible decision (even IF we had any vessels to help). The expectations of the orange general that Iran’s dictators would collapse and flee appear to be premature. Trump has been told now, and reportedly many time before, that the Straits o H. would be the key and hard to manage. Will he continue hammering the same nut, or has he got a backup plan?
Midterms are looking on the horizon, he needs a quick win and cannot afford to go home empty handed.
March 17, 2026
As I recall President Reagan did, in fact, help Britain in the Falklands War…against the counsel of his advisers. Whilst not overt, it was of consequence.
March 17, 2026
He refuelled our planes midair.
It allowed them to fly round trips from the U.K. to the Falklands.
Not exactly a lot of help.
March 17, 2026
I think I agree with that fair assessment.
I doubt Starmer and his motley crew are doing anything in the interests of this nation and its people. Their only desire is to be incorporated into the EU bloc and all decisions will be made with that in mind.
March 17, 2026
I agree fully but alas Starmer and his appalling cabinet get virtually everything wrong.
I too was against Iran rather too young to know much about Vietnam. Has that Manchester FC owner chemicals magnet yet corrected his statement saying Starmer was a “decent, intelligent and honourable man”?
Interesting to see Steven Pound with you on Mogg yesterday (he voted for Iraq) talking his usual daft party supporting drivel. Perhaps he was always like this or perhaps all that Naval Boxing did it. Can they not find a rather more worthy rational lefty for you to spar with. I suppose it must be quite hard.
Interesting to hear on Mogg too just how West Midlands police are financing themselves by harassing truck drivers. Truly appalling but such is Anarcho-Tyranny that is so prevalent now in the UK.
It seems following the two deaths in Kent student are queuing up for antibiotics. Why would you give these (bug killing drugs) to people unless they have signs they are suffering from these bacteria. Seems to be rather an odd practice – the antibiotics are surely not preventive of anything until infected are they?
March 17, 2026
“….others have taken it in turns to seek to conquer us”. Indeed – now they have an insider doing it for them.
March 17, 2026
Once a great trading nation, now an importing nation without basic industries
This week Denby Pottery will go into administration afterc150 years citing energy costs. Another win for Milibrain, nor so good for the 600 workers.
Starmer and his gang are fixated by the EU no doubt relishing the prospect of a well paid sinecure after they’ve destroyed Britain.
I see Austria has closed its borders. Seems the whole things unravelling but 2TK wants to join.
March 17, 2026
Good morning.
This government an and this PM in particular is very pro-EU, hence all the kow-towing. He is also no leader of men.
It was interesting to hear some of the words from President Trump about the PM. They were far less than complimentary. Apparently, according to President Trump, TTK offered one of our Carriers to help police the Straights of Humus(sp). I think it was rejected.
President Trump is making other political leaders look bad. He has long argued over various nations ability to commit to NATO fully and be there for the USA as the USA would, and has been, for them. This is I think playing well to a domestic audience ahead of elections there.
We, and to be fair others, have been made to look weak and pathetic, cowering behind the USA military. And we are !
March 17, 2026
The modern EU has no plans to assail us militarily, but plenty of plans to make us obey its laws, import more from them, pay them tax revenues and direct our policies.
And what’s your bet that Starmer & Rachel from accounts are already in talks with the EU to run our country because they bloody sure are not and you can bet your bottom dollar that clueless tool Starmer will use the conflict in the Middle East to gain more support for his useless government and swing the polls to his advantage, because after all the misguided voter put these useless clowns into power and they will fall for his bile again
March 17, 2026
Reeves is talking about the damage Brexit did and how to rectify it.!
March 17, 2026
The EU is assailing us by economic, legal and regulatory means. We voted to LEAVE and restore our independence but the Establishment, using the pro-EU CONs then in Government, refused to do it.
Two-Tier is deliberately damaging the Special Relationship and distancing us from the USA whilst at the same time selling us out to the EU again and promoting the idea of a European Defence Force. Labour’s plan was to realign the UK with the EU during its first term of Office and then, having effectively made us a colony, pledge to rejoin the EU during the second term.
Since they have realised that there won’t be a second term, Two-Tier/Miliband etc are now men in a hurry. The sellout will be swift and comprehensive.
Anyone who wants to comment on the proposals for Ditigal ID and the plan for a Surveillance State can make their contribution to the CONsultation here.
https://roadmap-for-modern-digital-government.campaign.gov.uk/digital-id-consultation/
March 17, 2026
The person currently in 10 Downing St has other plans John.
To endorse your point. when was the last time any European nation came to help Britain defend our islands from invasion?
I can’t think of a single occasion.
March 17, 2026
Starmer seems to be looking for an easy route out of his problems by trying to get under the EU umbrella for all sorts of reasons – clearly he has realised that he himself and his party of the left are not up to the job of stimulating and managing the UK, never mind putting the country on a war footing.
If he can get the UK ruled from Brussels he can concentrate on staying in office and completing the tasks set for him of making the UK a 1984-style communist woke haven.
This man who pretends to be our PM is dangerous beyond measure – never mind his U-turns and general incompetence, he is still whispering in Zelensky’s ear to support him and keep that war going, and all for his own personal reasons.
We need a GE NOW before he does irreversible damage!
March 17, 2026
The Donald has found that his orders demanding that America’s allies take the place of the US Navy and provide escorts for tankers going through the Straits of Hormuz has been rejected
The UK, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Australia, Japan, Canada have all refused. After 911 America invoked Article 5 and everyone sent troops to Afghanistan, where they fought bravely with many soldiers paying the ultimate price – despite Trump’s disgusting assertions to the contrary. Clearly, Trump’s regular insults to his NATO allies have seriously damaged relations, particularly the UK/USA “Special Relationship”
Trump’s repeated animus towards Ukraine and particularly to the brave and resourceful Volodymyr Zelenskyy has it’s origin in Zelenskyy’s refusing to dig up dirt on Biden – which led to Trump’s impeachment
Over the past two days the IRGC has allowed Chinese, India and Russian tankers full of oil and natural gas to pass the Strait unmolested. The price of oil has fallen back this morning
Trump, the pro-Putin anti-NATO Vietnam draft dodger, has found out that America needs allies after all