Dear Prime Minister
President Macron has been to Washington to set out the European position on Ukraine. There is little you can add to that. Europe is divided, with several key military states refusing to join any peacekeeping force. Germany and the UK have led the provision of money  and weapons this side of the Atlantic , with France, Italy and Spain far less generous. This remains a sore point with President Trump who thinks the European members of NATO should have been much more forthcoming. Trying to defend their inactions is not going to help.
President Trump wants some early wins. He wishes to strengthen NATO with bigger non US forces. You should tell him new legal advice has come to light showing that the ICJ cannot decide a case against the UK on the Chagos islands as our Treaty Agreement held Commonwealth matters outside their remit. Given this you will not be giving the islands away and the US base is secure. You will allocate the money Mauritius wanted for the lease to more defence spending on improved capacity.
The President wants to get tariffs on US exports down and is very critical of the EU imposing  tariffs on 73% of all the WTO categories of goods. It is true since Brexit the UK has taken this down to 53% but some high tariffs on food, cars and other items remain. You should offer to cancel all tariffs where the US will match us, giving both sides a big win.
The meeting should be mainly about trade. The UK will not be in the negotiations between Ukraine, US and Russia, which need to be kept tight to have more chance of success. Offering the President free trade, a secure naval base, higher UK defence spending and an early State visit could bring a good result. Lecturing him on Ukraine and giving away Chagos will mean bad transatlantic relations.
Yours
Rt Hon Sir John Redwood
February 25, 2025
Pity itâs not you packing to go to Washington. Nobody else will take this agenda.
So Starmer will defend the massive EU tariffs against the rest of the world.
He will give away everything he can for fear of ânot obeying the rulesâ, regardless of the collateral damage.
He will push into the Ukraine/Russian negotiations with all the delicacy of a bull in a China shop. I fully expect Trump to say he did his best for Ukraine – which is true – and withdraw the USA. Zelensky/Starmer/Macron/Merz will go to the table with demands and find that Russia prefers to fight it out.
The European arm of NATO will lose and be seen to lose.
What a shame! So easily avoided.
February 25, 2025
2TK is determined to give away Chagos regardless who it upsets. There must be money to be made.
He’s going empty handed because he won’t challenge the EU position because he support it.
We have nothing to offer peacekeeping wise as our forces are already overstretched. I think the European welfare model is going to be severely tested and not before time.
We could muster a division of channel paddlers which she acceptable to Putin.
February 25, 2025
Trump is showing the world what paper tigers the EU economies have become; what came out of the EU/Macron summit that showed strength? (If you meet up like that and don’t come out with something BIG, then you’re displaying weakness) Starmer once again embarrassed himself on webcam yesterday; reading from a script worthy of a Star Wars episode, but with nothing useful, as usual. Does anybody believe a word Starmer says anymore?
We don’t seem to get the seriousness of the situation. If Putin wins Ukraine, then he can stop fighting and re-equip, his economy is already on a war footing. Who is helping Putin; Xi and Kim. If Putin has spare resources then he will have capacity to assist those two dictators in Korea and Taiwan. Trump has pacts with S Korea, Japan and Philippines, will he abandon Taiwan, because that’s next. We must stop Putin now, and it needs to be ALL Europe standing up and going to war economies, now.
February 25, 2025
The first action of the war economy is to deal with the enemy within. End this critical race theory agenda, deport foreign nationals engaged in anti-British and pro a different country demonstrations, remind the people of Britain what it means to be conquered by a foreign power, especially an army that has lost discipline and humanity.
February 25, 2025
You think the US economy is so powerful?It’s a paper tiger too!Mitch Presnick,visiting fellow at Harvard’s Fairbank Centre,scoffing on X back in January at the very idea that China’s economy,ppp,is ‘only’ 25% larger than the US:
“Come on people…who are we kidding?Last year China generated twice as much electricity as the US,produced 12.6x as much steel and 22x as much cement.China’s shipyards accounted for over 50% of the world’s output while US production was negligible.In 2023 China produced 30.2m vehicles almost three times more than the 10.6m made in the US.
On the demand side,26m vehicles were sold in China last year,68% more than the 15.5 m sold in the US.Chinese consumers bought 434m smartphones,three times the 144m sold in the US.As a country,China consumes twice as much meat and eight times as much seafood as the US.Chinese shoppers spent twice as much on luxury goods as American shoppers.”
Add to that China has just exploded the US’s hopes for hegemony and superprofits from AI.The west has been well and truly crushed.
February 25, 2025
Useful warning.
We couldn’t have a blog like this one in the PRC.
February 25, 2025
and the population is? China about 4 to 5 times USA.
February 25, 2025
Wrong ! He will be treated like all the others like last time. ie Ignored.
February 25, 2025
Trump’s got an infinitely better offer-
TASS,25/2/25:Dmitry Peskov-“Investment and trade co-operation between Russia and US including on rare earths will only be possible after relations are restored and a deal on Ukraine is agreed.America needs rare earth metals.We have plenty of them.We have our own plans to develop strategic resources.This opens up significant prospects for collaboration,particularly as it will be a capital intensive project.The potential is there,the opportunities exist.When the time comes for political will to be exercised,we will be open to it.”
Much less messier than trying to grab Greenland!
February 25, 2025
That deal will be done whether Ukraine is settled or not. The USA is out of Ukraine and thatâs good enough for Putin. Looking at the increased speed of the Russian advance, I think they know they canât make a deal with the Europeans, so they will just win in Ukraine – I guess that means the Ukraine war will be settled.
February 25, 2025
The real issue is that a lot of consumers and buyers think some (or more) American products / services are relatively low quality compared to the products / services of other countries.
Take cars. Everyone dreams of owning a Mercedes or a BMW from Kuala Lumpur to Timbuktoo. But how many dream of owning an American car?!
If Trump wants to improve his economy he needs to focus on helping entrepreneurs and companies in general to be as productive and high quality as possible in what they offer.
And if he wants better trading relations with others, he should start off by showing off more respect to Europe (not the EU) but Europe and Canada and others.
February 25, 2025
The high profile French ‘public intellectual’,Emmanuel Todd,in an interview with Corriere di Bologna,10/10/24,said:
“If Russia is defeated in Ukraine,European submission to the Americans will be prolonged for a century.If,as I believe,the US is defeated,NATO will disintegrate and Europe will be set free.”
In an earlier interview with Le Figaro,12/1/24 :”We are witnessing the final fall of the west”,he attributes the fall to three factors-Industrial deficiency of the US with the revelation of the fictitious nature of its GDP,Disappearance of American protestantism triggering intellectual decline and loss of work ethic and the Rest of the world’s preference for Russia which with its conservative values has discovered discreet economic allies everywhere.
February 25, 2025
PS give my regards to your friends in Timbuktu.
February 25, 2025
Sounds like a French intellectual.
The US will NOT be defeated. Trump is out of Ukraine whether the Rada settles or not. Macron has said that EUROPE will step in. Itâs EUROPE which will be defeated.
The USA is not prepared to defend Germany for another 80 years free of charge. So they can wag their tails as much as they like, Trump will not allow this puppy to follow him home.
The people of Europe need to recover their countries, their currencies and their nations. Else they are finished and the Caucasians who progress to the new age will be Russian and American.
February 25, 2025
On the subject of quality I’d offer the view that every item I’ve purchased/ used made in China is of lower quality than others – but by dumping on the market China is killing off competition.
February 26, 2025
Trump is fixing that with reciprocal tariffs. Only fair.
February 25, 2025
Trump sees VAT as a tariff, despite the fact it is charged on all goods – not just American imports. So that is a very big issue.
The UK has mostly flogged off the family silver and is now a vassal state of the USA.
Starmer shows little sign of mollifying Trump, apart from keeping his mouth shut (occasionally).
It will be interesting to see how it all pans out.
February 25, 2025
@Peter +1
February 25, 2025
I had to Google âRight Honourableâ. I had thought the title disappeared on retirement, but that is not the case.
Reply Rt Hon means someone is a Privy Counsellor, which is for usually for life. Normally only Rt Hons who are also Ministers attend the working meetings with the King.
February 25, 2025
When set against his first few months of performance within the UK, and his reversal of Brexit tendencies, it is hard to judge what his attitude to Trump might be. To be frank I do not trust him to have a sound position on anything. Accumulating failure has been his watchword to date and there is no indication that he has learnt anything in the process. We are in the hands of an idealalog with despotic tendecies and the support of none entities within his party. The outcome is a matter of degree of failure and damage done in the process.
February 25, 2025
Talking about Starmer Agi?
February 25, 2025
I think ideal-a-log sums up ideologue Starmer very well. Much thicker than a plank. Will probably be burned because he can’t work out what is in the interests of the people. It struck me as very odd that the government evidently pushed for a description of how disastrous nuclear war would be to be published in the newspapers. Does it not occur to them that if they have to resort to this threat they have failed in the most basic task for any government?
February 25, 2025
Maybe Starmer can get The Open Championship held at Trumpâs golf course, Turnberry, once more ?
Heavy pressure on the Royal and Ancient. Flatter Trump with a victory to brag about.
February 25, 2025
Simplicity is genius according to Albert Einstein
February 25, 2025
There is a simple solution :TASS,4/7/24:”New Co-operation Architecture in Eurasia to Replace Euro-Atlantic Models.”
“The Russia-proposed new architecture for co-operation and security in Eurasia is designed to replace outdated Euro-Atlantic models,President Vladimir Putin said at the Shanghai Security Summit.
Hence Russia’s initiative to create a new architecture for co-operation,indivisible security and development in Eurasia designed to replace the outdated Eurocentric and Euro-Atlantic models,which only provided unilateral advantages to certain countries and led to an increasing number of crises across the world,Ukraine being one of them.”
Good idea and I think it appeals to Trump’s advisors who need to cut military expenditure substantially.Trouble is the vested interests of the old colonial powers (UK and France) get greatly diminished-in fact will be reduced to the periphery which is where they belong in the modern world.Hence those old world desperados,Macron and Starmer, taking the yellow brick road to the Wizard of Oz while the stars of the new world follow the ‘Golden Road to Samarkand’ and beyond!
February 25, 2025
(You can decide for yourselves who is Dorothy and who is the cowardly lion or the scarecrow!)
February 25, 2025
Agreed ….and note when any politician starts a sentence with …”its complicated…”
February 25, 2025
The USA already owns so much of the UK, following the East India Co playbook, that Starmer does not have much else to offer apart from Ruritanian style displays if/when Trumps decides to grace these shores with his presence. He could have the temerity to demand higher fees for US bases but would then risk the embarrassment of being charged for the benefits offered by their presence in the UK.
February 25, 2025
So good I could have written that myself!
February 25, 2025
đ
February 25, 2025
Trump loves the U.K. Factor that in. He loves his mother who is a Scot – and the Scottish never forget their heritage.
Trump is busting a gut for the U.K. and so is Musk, do you think he does not know who invented computers? Do you think he does not know that Seymour Cray built the supercomputer and was so excited to know whether it worked that he toggled the operating system in? Do you not know that everything that Trump and Musk have achieved is because they stand on the shoulders of British Giants?
If you knew more about your own country, your own tribe you would have more faith and courage.
February 26, 2025
‘If you knew more about your own country, your own tribe you would have more faith and courage.’
– You make Trump out to be a wimp.
Yes, to patriotism but you don’t need your ‘tribe’ to make you feel like a man and on top of the world!
February 26, 2025
If you understood more about the historical process you wouldn’t post such deluded fantasies.By the way,the paternal side of Trump’s family was German.
PS AMERICA FIRST!
February 25, 2025
The PM would be foolish not to accept these excellent recommendations. They would be very beneficial for the UK and for him as well.
February 25, 2025
He will prove just how foolish he is shortly.
February 25, 2025
@Lynn +1
February 25, 2025
I agree. Small problem though. Starmer won’t do any of this.
February 25, 2025
small or BIG problem?
Do want an angry, inconsiderate, ignorant President making daft decisions to spite us?
February 26, 2025
Obama and Biden have gone. Do keep up.
February 25, 2025
We should sweeten any deal by giving the changos islands to the USA …they’ve manned and had sole use of the islands since the 1970s
February 25, 2025
@glen cullen – to true, to sensible. The problem is it will save the Taxpayer money, 2TK couldn’t then claim it is defence spending
February 26, 2025
Sensible idea
February 25, 2025
Starmer should realise that Trump is right on just two sexes, right on ditching DEI, right on Climate alarmism, right on drill baby drill, right on cutting the size of the state and deregulation, right on free speech, right that the UK now has political prisoners⊠and listen to him. Starmer, Miliband, Lammy, Cooper Balls, Reeves, Rt Hon Bridget Phillipson⊠are all wrong on virtually everything.
February 25, 2025
Excellent advice JR particularly on Chagos. Basically this UK government has everything about 180 degrees out, rather like Sunak but even worse.
February 25, 2025
“rather like Sunak but even worse” – that might well be the epitaph for this Starmer government.
February 25, 2025
Also tell trump new advice has come to light from many sensible, rational physicists like Prof. William Happer showing that even a doubling of CO2 would cause very minor heating and would actually be a net good for the planet the other scientists seem to have been motivated by research grants or daft religions. Also that you intend to fire Ed Miliband, Lammy, Reeves, Cooper Balls, Bridget PhillipsonâŠand resign and call an election now before any you do any more vandalism!
February 25, 2025
Prof Happer is retired scientist and has no formal training on this topic.
I’m happy to listen to people such as yourself and be persuaded. But not if you produce witnesses like this. You’ve just pushed me further away from your argument (although don’t worry, I don’t want anything to do with Greta Thunberg and what she is arguing for)
February 25, 2025
“From 1991 to 1993, Will served in President George H. W. Bushâs administration as the director of energy research in the Department of Energy, where he oversaw a basic research budget of roughly $3 billion. His responsibilities included directing much of the federal funding for high energy and nuclear physics, materials science, magnetic confinement fusion, environmental science, the human genome project, and other areas. More recently, he chaired the National Academy of Sciencesâ Panel on Nuclear and Radiological Issues and the National Research Councilâs standing committee on improvised explosive devices”
And how does Professor Happer’s CV compare to Ed Millibands Ed? I’ve watched some of his interviews and he knows a lot more about atmospheric physics than any others i’ve listened to. The key thing about the small (but very well qualified) critics of the Climate Change “Armagedon” school of thought, is that they tend to be either retired or have secure tenure – in other words, they can’t be fired for voicing their views! I don’t think any of them deny that the climate changes. What they do argue, is how big a threat any change is to us it is and what (if anything) we should do about it.
Frankly, I’m much more concerned about Nuclear Armageddon right now than any Climate threat. Let’s get our priorities right! I speak as someone who remembers thinking whether he should build a bunker under his new home extension in the early seventies.
February 25, 2025
Ed M, The book âUnsettled: What climate science tells us, what it doesnât, and why it mattersâ by Steven E. Koonin might be of interest to you. He was Chief Scientist at BP for five years, then served for three years as Under Secretary for Science, Dept.of Energy. He also served on bodies like the National Science Foundation, the DoD, DoE, and (I might not be fair here) he has better credentials in atmospheric physics/environmental science than Prof. Happer whose active career was not on these topics.
Kooninâs book discusses the climate science (Ch 3 Emissions explained and extrapolated, Ch 4 Many muddled models), points out the discrepancies (Ch 5 Hyping the heat) and the exaggerations (Ch 6 Tempest terrors). Two other chapters (Ch 10 Who broke the science, and why? Ch 11 Fixing the broken science) are really interesting. His conclusions (ch. 14 Plans B, and 15 Closing thoughts) are, to me at least, the most intelligent things I read on the topic.
It is a big book, 380+ p, the second (Updated and Extended) edition (2024, BenBella, Ed.) has the answers he provided to various comments/critics he had got on the original 2021 one.
February 25, 2025
or the advice to shelter under the stairs like in WW2, typically where older houses had the gas meter. *smile*
February 26, 2025
+1
February 26, 2025
@hefner
BP seems more pro Renewables than people such as Lifelogic! (Even though BP are ditching some of their investment on Renewables).
At end of day, I think the Greenies greatly exaggerate. At end of day, we don’t know exactly why things are heating up. And even if man-made, we don’t know exactly in what way, and what’s the best way to reduce it without screwing up our economy.
I think the best approach is to have a healthy MIX of energy – petrol / gas / coal / nuclear / renewables – and that we’re very careful about renewables in lean times but can be more generous towards it during times of more abundance.
Right now, we’re in lean times and need to focus on building up our defence.
And we also need to focus on how quantum engineering / technology could possibly help us – not just economy (and possibly batteries) but also computing, defence, health and possibly climate change too.
I’m an optimist.
February 25, 2025
And the biggest one of all – but you lit are too far behind to see it – Trump is right on Russia/Ukraine.
You can all do an about turn again (like the CV19 jabs) and apologise later.
February 25, 2025
That is a well thought-out letter, full of common sense. Of course Starmer – being Starmer – will have his own reasons for letting the appalling Macron get in to see Trump first.
To which I would add the best advice to Starmer would be to avoid any mention of the Steele dossier. Nor the 2013 FSB Moscow hotel honeytrap incident – or the tapes that many believe exist. Heaven forbid that Starmer present him with a copy.
February 25, 2025
I doubt Starmer would mention such absurd conspiracy theories which have been thoroughly debunked. He would do better to praise Trump on his ditching of Net Zero madness and his return to oil and gas drilling which has delivered consumers in the USA electricity at 30% of the UK price and GDP per capita in even their poorest state (Mississippi) which is higher than UK’s.
February 25, 2025
If only Starmer could be persuaded, but it’s likelier that pigs will fly before that happens.
Yesterday’s German elections and the continuation of the firewall to keep out the AfD will continue the instability at the heart of Europe, and the rightwards drift of its population because it is denied effective representation. I think this latter process will happen here too, partly in our case due to the influence of the USA, too.
Labour should be thrown out at the next election, but our election system and Party politics may get us stuck in a rut similar to the Germans, with another term of a destructive government few people want. I hope I’m mistaken and they just get thrown out!
February 25, 2025
Apple is to remove certain data protection from UK iPhones after our Government apparently demanded access to user data ?
Maybe Starmer has tried to give himself a negotiating position with Trump ?
February 25, 2025
Just to clarify, it is a Conservative Government bill that has prompted Apple to remove UK user’s access to strong encryption.
February 25, 2025
@Roy Grainger
I understand that the legislation was enacted by the Conservative Government and has very recently been used by the Home Office under Labour, which has prompted the response from Apple.
February 25, 2025
Oldwoolf :
Does this data protection app still work if signed up to a US supplier?
February 25, 2025
I am afraid supplier is not enough, the iPhone, iPad, MacBook must all have relevant info not related to the UK, eg the Trusted Phone Number in AppleID, the Account Recovery Info, the credot/debit card(s) registered for Payment & Shipping, Shipping Address, Location Services (used by many apps even if one doesnât allow âPrecise locationâ), the subscriptions to various apps not being in sterling, other Apple devices to be found by FindMy and their equivalent info, âŠ
Finally there is the basic info, IMEI contains in a hidden form the code of the country where the device was (originally) purchased.
I tried to check on my devices and there is an awful lot of info that can be related to the UK.
February 25, 2025
The possibility of using end-to-end encryption of data stored on iCloud (Advanced Data Protection) was turned OFF three days ago. People previously had to explicitly set it up if they wanted it. Most people use iCloud with the basic protection that is still there.
If one wants to check: >Settings >iCloud near the bottom ADP is now Off.
Data stored from Drive, Notes, Photos are still encrypted but with a lower level of protection.
Maybe people should realise that was done thanks to the Investigatory Powers Act of 2016.
February 25, 2025
Oh, and donât think your not-Apple system is safer. It is likely that the Government made the same request to other companies (Google, Meta in particular). Simply the details havenât (yet) leaked out. In a way Apple has been more open, it refused to give a backdoor to the userâs heavily encrypted data, and âsimplyâ decided that no one in the UK could get ADP anymore. Users in other countries are still likely to have it (Not in Russia obviously đ).
February 25, 2025
Good morning.
I am sure he will treat you and your letter and its advice much like all the other PM’s did before.
10 out of 10 for effort though.
February 25, 2025
@ Mark B – you meant not including Thatcher surely. And she was the only truly worthy recipient.
February 26, 2025
Correct.
February 25, 2025
Good points. If only we had a deal maker somewhere in the ranks.
I just can’t see him diverging from narrow legal niceties and detail, boring Trump rigid and being shown the door.
Macron also got into details and Trump just ain’t interested.
Starmer needs a/ stories of daring does, entrepreneurial and big money making/money saving activities and b/ big deal offers. Johnson could do it. Even dare I say it, Cameron could do it. With Starmer sadly the cupboard is bare.
February 25, 2025
Macron came out singing Trumps song – did you not notice?
1. EUROPE will step up defence.
2. We want rare earths tooâŠ.
Putin has offered to sell the USA rare earths – Russia has more than there are in Ukraine of course.
February 25, 2025
Good try Sir JR. Unfortunately that lette will now be screwed up and in the waste paper bin.
February 25, 2025
Or be hastened electonically from the U.S. Ambassador here to the White House to be used as an agenda, if the Americans are as smart as they like to portray.
February 25, 2025
A simple and sensible enough letter to hand to Starmer.
I wonder if it’s still too complicated though for him to grasp.
I saw a clip of his speech regarding Ukraine, given to a collection of I presume EU and military dignitaries.
My word, I had to switch off, not just because of his Dalek monotone ( I could forgive that if he was a PM with passion for the nation and people) but the slap in the face realisation of just how out of his depths he is.
That was what was coming through to me loud and clear.
He read from a script, not a crime in itself, but he couldn’t even deliver that with any sense of aplomb.
An overall air of shakiness and rabbit in the headlights.
Please may he not enter any negotiations on Ukraine, that is truly terrifying.
February 25, 2025
Dear Prime Minister
Sitting on Donald Trumpâs lap will not demonstrate you as being closer to him than Emmanuel Macron tried, so donât do that for the cameras.
Take the sensible advice Sir John Redwood gave you. Otherwise, you might as well give Trump a signed photo of David Lammy smiling with a MAGA hat, or stay at No 10 and do something useful for the UK instead.
February 25, 2025
Absolutely agree Starmer should opt out of that news conference if he can – Macron was OK with it because he kept his speech in the French language which irritated Trump an eventually threw him – a smart move by Macron. Instead Starmer should get himself over to Fox News to give his side of things – at least he’ll be talking to the known knowns
February 25, 2025
Macron was very rude. He spoke in English then changed to French, demonstrating what a boor he is.
February 26, 2025
I favour Trump in many ways and feel Macron is often wrong; yet leaders are free to speak in their own language, especially if mainly addressing their home reporter audience and fellow country folk at home in France.
Translators are readily available at such events, so Trump could have been only a few seconds behind in understanding.
Maybe Macron intended ambiguity. Some phrases in French donât have a properly-understood translation, such as âJe tâaime mois non plusâ, although the background sound effects may give a clue.
February 25, 2025
But do the Americans know Starmer and admirers have changed the meaning of many English words, rather like they did a few generations ago?
February 25, 2025
Now that the US has sided with Russia, North Korea and Beloruiss at the UN I wonder what Senator Joe Mccarthy of McCarthyism fame 1960’s would have to say were he still around?
Great to see Macron correcting Trump on some points hope that Starmer can do the same.
February 25, 2025
Macron was wrong, as Trump pointed out. Being caught lying on the world stage is hardly smart.
February 25, 2025
Since Two-Tier seems incapable of “making a simple statement” without having it written in large print on a piece of paper for him, I rather hope he takes this statement with him and doesn’t deviate from it.
I’m sure the POTUS will have been well-briefed about the proposed Chagos Surrender and yesterday, at the Reform Rally in Cornwall, the real Leader of the Opposition indicated that the Chagos Deal would be vetoed. Let’s hope he’s right and Two-Tier is forced to back down.
February 25, 2025
From Guido: “Ofgem has this morning announced a rise in the energy price cap of 6.4% from ÂŁ1,738 to ÂŁ1,849. More than the 5% expectedâŠThatâs the third consecutive hike in the cap, which is reviewed every three months. Analysts blame low winter wind levels. The UK grid was reporting a 0.1% wind power share last month⊔
I thought windmills and solar panels were going to provide cheap energy? We have the most expensive energy in the industrialised world and the trajectory is only one way ….. UP.
Net Zero is bankrupting this country … and will do nothing to affect the climate.
February 25, 2025
Wind farms earn more money from not producing energy than they do from producing it. Work out the numbers.
February 25, 2025
Excellent constructive letter
I thought President Macron did a very good diplomatic press conference with Trump
under difficult circumstances
It is time now for the EU countries to pay
February 25, 2025
Over 75 years we’ve paid ÂŁbillions into NATO & the UN to keep the peace ….what have they achieved ?
February 25, 2025
Being diplomatic is possibly the biggest mistake, will anybody try just the truth.?
February 25, 2025
Starmer should approach Trump on his own terms in a way that he can understand. As Trump wants to be paid back for USA support to Ukraine via a multi-billion dollar minerals deal Starmer should demand a piece of that action to pay back UK support too. Also if he is determined to give away the Chagos islands he should ask Trump to pay the entire annual rent for the naval base or tell him the USA can no longer use it.
February 25, 2025
Am afraid Trump is living in his own world but Starmer should be aware of that special handshake he reserves for his guests palm up or palm down he brings it from his career in deal-making and it seems to be important to himself.
Next thing we shouldn’t put too much store about some european countries being slow to offer troops for Ukraine it has always been the same but when push comes shove they will be there.
Lastly now that Macron has softened trump up Starmer shouldn’t be shy about putting the boot in – strict fact checking will do and then rub his nose in it.
February 25, 2025
As we have already seen it is not possible to predict the next move of our reverse Midas PM other than it will be a reverse win for our coffers and security. The Chagos Islands deal being the perfect example.
I read that our electricity bills will be decreasing in April as promised, just negatively.
Socialism depends upon people remaining poor.
February 25, 2025
You must have it wrong ….Miliband promised at the election that domestic energy bills would be reduced by ÂŁ300 ….Miliband wouldn’t have told lies to just to gain votes, surely not !
February 26, 2025
he probably believes it!
February 25, 2025
Looks like bad transatlantic relations then!
February 25, 2025
Being an international lawyer our PM will expect Trump to see his viewpoint, after all, that is what he lives for. In many instances Trump will have reverse opinions to Starmer, but it won’t help anyone if Starmer is overtly aggressive on the subjects that separate them.
Trump is a deal maker and will not be impressed by anyone trying to impose their ideas, especially when we in the UK have already defined them as illogical.
I suspect that Trump will not give an inch on any of the areas that Starmer wants to discuss, certainly this visit will leave our PM on the back foot, and as much as he wants to lead the UK/European view, he will still be known as a socialist dictator rather than anything like a diplomat.
February 25, 2025
Pearls before swine again Sir John.
Macron made the point yesterday to Trump that Russian State assets forzen in Western financial institutions ought to be used to reimburse those nations that had given aid to Ukraine. Trump did not evince enthusiasm for such idea: perhaps Starmer might mention it.
February 25, 2025
Even van der Leyen has given up on that idea. Stealing is seen around the world for what it is and money is removed to a safer location.
February 25, 2025
That is excellent advice, but the PM will just ignore it. I doubt whether our PM has ever had to deal with a character like President Trump. Trump has principles, whether you like them or not. Our PM does not but clings to every bad idea like a limpet.
Being Prime Minister is a heavy responsibility, and it exposes the character of the man or woman in the office, for good or bad. Some people grow into the office, some shrink, and their weakness is exposed.
I leave others to decide whether our current PM has grown or shrunk.
February 25, 2025
Hope Starmer can persuade Trump and the other two China and Russia that if there is any falling out between them that they will keep it to the pacific side and not bother us here atlantic side by shooting over our heads.
February 25, 2025
The advice I’d give Starmer? You’re wasting your time, get your tickets refunded. One less trip to bill the taxpayer for.
February 25, 2025
It’s cruel really,like someone pulling the legs or wings off a helpless insect.Trump should just have sent,simultaneously, a text to Macron and Starmer:
“YOU’RE DUMPED !!!!!!!!!!”
February 25, 2025
Has he not done that? – Iâm happy to step in!
February 25, 2025
and all that CO2 saved!
February 25, 2025
Whoever the the leaders, whatever their strengths and weaknesses, may the God of all mercy overrule the warmongery, and bring an end to the senseless slaughter and destruction.
Paul to Timothy (1 Tim 2:1-6): “I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; for kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour; who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth. For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.”
The day will come when that ‘due time’ will arrive, and it will happen, as per the old hymn: ‘Sing we the King who is coming to reign…’ Look it up – marvellous words that will lift weary spirits.
February 25, 2025
Maybe all Starmer’s woe’s will disappear if we paid more tax …..like climate change
February 25, 2025
It has suddenly dawned on woke Europe and Starmer that (as Trump warned years ago) ignoring him would be a foolish, fatal and very expensive mistake.
They assumed he would not survive after being dragged through the US Courts and cave in, confident in sending 100 activists to get Kamala Harris in.
They gambled against him and now the boot is on the other foot and not theirs.
Whilst Starmer now tries to show he took the brave decision to increase Defence spending he knows deep down Donald is no duck and is controlling the agenda, not weak and woke Biden who desperately protected his family, especially Hunter Biden from the obvious and inevitable…..
February 25, 2025
before he stepped down as potus.
February 26, 2025
“Germany and the UK have led the provision of money and weapons this side of the Atlantic , with France, Italy and Spain far less generous.”
Obviously in the case of France, which has nuclear power, whereas Germany’s objective when it changed its mind and decided to send arms to Ukraine was to gain EU control of Ukraine’s critical minerals, of which lithium and rare earths alone were valued at the time (27 Feb 2022) at up to US$13 trillion, to support its Green Energy and avoid dependence on China. Since confirmed by Von Der Leyen. Before then The EU had only a supply arrangement as part of its 2017 Critical Minerals Alliance and its aid packege for Ukraine. It hoped that control would enable it to make money from them rather than paying for them.
February 26, 2025
Apologies, sir, for ranting about Mr Trump. Rant over. Thank you!