The PM is widely criticised for travelling too much and doing too little to tackle the problems at home that anger and worry voters. He and friends claim he isa good diplomat or UK representative, yet his trips usually result in the UK giving money, powers, islands away in pursuit of friendship that he does not naturally command. The Chagos deal means losing crucial islands and £35 bn over 99 years. The EU took 12 years of our very valuable fish just to get into talks. France takes more than £500 m but fails to stop the boats for this border money.
The PM follows the Chancellor who announced a measly £600 m of deals for a 3,000,000 million economy, or O.02% of our GDP! He thinks he will generate some growth from more business. The UK runs a big deficit with China and is busy shutting down our energy and fuel based businesses in order to import more Chinese solar panels and wind turbines.
A weak PM has given in and approved a mega Embassy to China despite obvious security risks. The Chagos islands are being given away to a friend of China. How long before China is spying on the most important air and naval base the US and UK has outside home territory? How long before they have fishing rights to wreck an important protected marine area?
This trip is bad news for the PM and for UK taxpayers. The PM will not stand up for UK interests, will be out manoeuvred by China and will spend more time away from our pressing problems at home. Why?
January 27, 2026
Not only is this trip a waste of time, more importantly why was the results of Millibrains trip kept secret. Just what did this useless oxygen thief sign up to which even parliament is denied access.
2TK is away because he’s making hay while the sun is shining. He knows soon he will be swept away to be replaced by goodness knows who. I think it’s time to stock up on popcorn.
January 27, 2026
He’s visiting the PRC while they’re going through a political and military purge! He’ll be lucky to get a 5 minute cup of tea with Xi.
Every foreign trip seems to cost us dearly, what will be given away this time?
January 27, 2026
Today with high winds we are producing 60% of our electricity and for once we are actually exporting a few gigawatt. Puzzling thing is we continue to import from France when it is wholly unnecessary and not even cheap. £96 per mwh. Is there some unwritten agreement that we continue to subsidise French consumers at all times even when we are self sufficient (which isn’t very often).
January 27, 2026
@Ian Wragg – the French have a different arrangement, not only on incoming but also internally(in the UK) produced – the French Taxpayer is subsidised at all times by the hardworking UK Taxpayer
January 27, 2026
Why go to China?
1. To avoid his problems at home.
2. To pretend he is a statesman rather than just an unpopular politician.
3. To line up a career for when he departs British politics.
January 27, 2026
Unfortunately, electricity only makes up 20% of our total energy needs.
January 27, 2026
I think you are right about making the most of the perks of the job whilst he still can Ian. His days are numbered and he must know it. I’d be happy about that fact if I thought soneone better would replace him but I can’t really see that happening…
What a mess!
January 27, 2026
Your comment begs the question as to why the UK’s approach to practising democracy produces Prime Ministers who are useless at fostering the nation’s progress. If a company is appointing a CEO, it develops a specification for the role and then seeks to find a candidate who fits the specification. I wonder why we don’t apply a similar process for both Prime Ministers and also MPs – the latter comprise the pool from which Prime Ministers get selected.
Reply Selection of MP candidates rests with party members. They could do as you suggest if they wanted to.
January 27, 2026
Maybe Starmer is going to view the 175 new coal-fired power plants currently under construction in China?
Must be state-of-the-art stuff.
January 27, 2026
+1
January 27, 2026
Why? Because of a huge ego, that’s why.
Starmer loves playing the Global Stage but does not realise that he is a mere irrelevant bit part player, being played by those with a far greater political intellect than he. He loves throwing British Taxpayers money around like confetti to foreign causes get is forever denying causes at home any financial support. If he is the best that Britain can promote as a ‘Leader’, then we truly are a 3rd World Country.
January 27, 2026
+1
January 27, 2026
When you look at all the alternatives, you have to conclude there is no escaping 3rd world status.
We must sweep this political class aside en masse.
January 27, 2026
Yes, “why?”. He knows things are terrible at home, and he’s the person most of the population blame. Going overseas is an ego trip and an escape.
As long as you are bringing gifts the chinese hosts treat you nicely, no risk of anybody on the streets recognising you, you are seen with (maybe) a genuine world leader, your entourage keeps any hostile press away (the Chinese are good at that, too). It’s a respite from home, free trip, and giveaways cost you nothing personally. Maybe a future career on some international body can be mentioned…
January 27, 2026
Perhaps he’s going to offer an apology for the opium wars, and offer tens of billions in compensation.
January 27, 2026
Perhaps he’s going to offer them a belacted £35 billion or so to take Hong Kong back?
January 27, 2026
The Chancellor is never going to deliver meaningful economic growth. Like you highlight Sir John, the announced China trade deals so far amount to about two decimal places on GDP growth rates yet we need it to increase from 1.3% to +3%.
I think most of us know what needs to be done to achieve decent economic growth but socialists won’t do any of it due to their ideology.
It’s worth noting Starmer has repeated a couple of times we will see decent economic growth in 2026. I say not a chance.
January 27, 2026
The purpose of Starmers trip to China was to receive his orders on how to tackle the increasing popularity of the far-right parties in the UK. Have anybody seen or heard a partliamentary statement on his visit?
January 27, 2026
Good morning.
It is no more than what has gone on before. Remember, Huawei ?
The UK has been very poorly run for decades with the, New Labour / Blair Reforms locking in a system similar to the US but without the proper checks and balances. ie The US President is far more constrained than a UK PM and so has to work more closely with Congress and the Senate to get things done. For example, he cannot sell or give back Hawaii and the navel base at Pearl Harbour, even if he wanted to because, both houses would stop him. No such luck here.
January 27, 2026
King Charles and Queen Camilla arrive to Sunday church in Sandringham in a £160,000 electric sports car, the Lotus Eletre he decribes it as a “silent but deadly” well he might well be right on this but it is surely is not remotely green nor even CO2 saving in any sense! Perhaps better than a helicopter I suppose!
Also The King’s £12million supercar collection: Charles adds £160K electric Lotus Eletre to his fleet – joining three Rolls Royce Phantoms and an Aston Martin with a holder for his horses’ sugar cubes. Videos from the Daily Mail
Do as I say not as I do you daft ple** he did not say as far as I know!
January 27, 2026
@Lifelogic – more frightening ‘The Lotus Eletre is manufactured at a dedicated, state-of-the-art facility in Wuhan, China,’ yes that lovely town of Wuhan. While is a 100% Chinese car its development was heavily influenced by British engineering, just influenced.
Even the King of England etc puts China above the indigenous workforce
January 27, 2026
MI5 or MI6 said it beneficial to us to have the Chinese all in one embassy rather than the 7 location’s they have now .
January 27, 2026
Probably the same reason as Cameron ushered in a Golden period in Anglo/Chinese relations.
Short memory?
January 27, 2026
Ah you mean when they tapped every conversation he had?
A golden era indeed – for the Chinese.
January 27, 2026
Afraid he is not alone, most of our past Prime Ministers have done exactly the same, it’s just that Starmer likes it more, and gives away more.
We may not like Trump, may not like some of his policies, or the way he presents them, but he does not give away his taxpayers $ billions, simply because he has lived in the commercial World of hard knocks, and is aware of how hard it is.
I see it is reported in todays press that China has been eaves dropping on Number 10, and whilst I am sure it goes on in the rest of the World, with most security services attempting the same or similar, you are extra stupid if you make it easy for them to either tap in, or disrupt sensitive infrastructure.
January 27, 2026
Good to hear you just now on Talk Radio and Last night on GBNews Jacob Rees-Mogg.
Good discussion on the continued mad wars on road users with more mugging cameras and 15 minute prisons areas planned. I assume Stephen Pound is just there to remind us just how mad lefties plans can be on this and nearly all topics. Perhaps that boxing he did in the Navy has not helped?
He seems to want his some (son? ed)to have his van and tools in the back but not be held up in endless traffic jams by others who probably equally valid reasons for driving. Typical one rule for you another for us socialism. Stop blocking the roads, stop giving most of the road space to bike and buses and build more road space, under passes, bridges and the likes and get rid of all the largely unneeded red anti car traffic lights.
With self driving cars and taxis coming to public transport will become even less competitive than door to door road transport which pays taxes and needs no subsidies. Even for non drivers.
Reply You send me too many contributions. I delete those that repeat your well known criticisms of the previous government which we have discussed exhaustively or which attack MPs for having the wrong degree based your odd notion that no one learns anything after 21. This site is to analyse, criticise and seek to influence government policy and public sector management. Other sites run by political parties do political soundbites as part of the day to day party exchanges.
January 27, 2026
“…. yet his trips usually result in the UK giving money, powers islands away in pursuit of friendship that he does not naturally command.”
Because he’s a nincompoop that knows no better? Either that, or he’s a traitor?
January 27, 2026
Spot on Sharon
January 28, 2026
Both.
January 27, 2026
The PM will not stand up for UK interests, will be out manoeuvred. by China and will spend more time away from our pressing problems at home
Because there are many in Labour and the other left parties who still feel guilty for our Empire, which was a gift to the world and our colonies. Symbiosis lifting all.
January 27, 2026
Perhaps his Orders need updating.
January 27, 2026
It’s what he does – what his training has demanded of him. His history as director of the CPS, where he was known as a firebrand leftwinger who had defended Greenpeace activists. In the 1980s, he helped set up the radical leftwing journal Socialist Alternatives. Not prosecuting Jimmy Savile in 2009 is high on that list of queries.
After Starmer left the CPS, the Metropolitan police investigated several high-profile people on the basis of claims made by the fantasist Carl Beech. Some of those falsely accused believe Starmer’s changes helped foster an atmosphere in which investigators failed to test victims’ claims properly.
So is it any wonder he doesn’t know which side he is on. He has flip-flopped before and done great harm, now that flip-flopping borders on treachery.
January 27, 2026
Starmer and Mad Ed are also wrecking the British car industry by welcoming cheap Chinese electric car, which are gaining a large share of the market. They are happy to do this because it exports CO2 and fits in with Net Zero zealotry.
January 27, 2026
I don’t mind Starmer going to China, as long as he stays there.
January 27, 2026
@Old Albion – we can hope and wish
January 27, 2026
I suppose because all he ever wanted were the trappings of office, the job title, mingling with other heads of state, deference from officials on foreign visits, the private jets and so on – he’s plainly not there as a means of implementing any actual policies that he believes in (beyond submission to his idea of international law), the exact opposite of a conviction politician. What a very strange person he is, surprising that the Labour Party as a whole and their MPs in particular would elect him.
January 27, 2026
To receive intructions.
January 27, 2026
Absolutely nothing in Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood speech yesterday, announcing significant changes to policing, about a Labour strategy to reduce the appalling incidence of miscarriages of justice. Far from it.
Her announcement included the further roll-out of the police “all seeing eye” facial recognition technology, which is racially profiling the British public going about their lawful business on the streets
Apparently the implementation of AI technology for filling out forms, analysing CCTV, doorbell and mobile phone footage, detecting deepfakes, carrying out digital forensics etc is going to free up 6 million hours of police who are currently wfh, policing tweets on X.
So will we get to see bobbies back on the beat, attempting to restore the public’s lost confidence in policing? Certainly not. They will all be too busy filling out their application forms to join the new British FBI
January 27, 2026
Because he is a little man with a little mind. Starmer is like a child who needs constant praise, and the Chinese will make a big show so he feels important.
In reality, he is a traitor to the UK, as the approval of the Chinese Embassy shows, the Chagos Islands deal and allowing unlimited immigration, both legal and illegal. Plus, overtaxing the UK, in both business and personal taxes, and the disgraceful treatment of soldiers who served in Northern Ireland.
A little man who grows smaller by the day!
January 27, 2026
Starmer is an extreme waster.
He should be dumped with the rest of the rubbish.
January 27, 2026
The short answer to the question in your final paragraph is that he cannot face up to the pressing problems at home, and when he tries to do so it is not to the liking of his party and he backs down.
January 27, 2026
To avoid reality, the ‘job’. To get orders…
January 27, 2026
In other observations, the Green Party, the one about to overtake the Conservatives in the daily polls. Their Deputy Leader when asked the question about defence spending, responded with “I think we need to spend more on diplomatic relationships across Europe, across working out who our allies really are.” Does that mean defence is about who will come to our aid? Not whether you can defend your Citizens. She has been mocked recently for suggesting, that incoming asylum seekers are “doctors, engineers, and surgeons.”
In a similar vein and related the so-called British Missile the ‘Storm Shadow’ that is required in numbers in the Ukraine, our EU allies, France are blocking the sale – the UK has no say. The missile for all the hype is French made and under French control – that is how the ‘Greens’ diplomacy works!
As it is with Chagos, the deal with the giveaway and lease back to Mauritius requires that the Mauritius Government approves all out-bound missions by US Forces. Did anyone tell the USA that’s what 2TK had agreed to ‘that’ and that US Forces will only be operate if first given permission by the Mauritius Government?
January 27, 2026
Of course politically I am being sarcastic, these none entity groups appear to get more air time than those that ‘could’ if they tried to find positive messages, if only they stopped fighting the people and went back to basics.
Yesterday we saw the inception of a new political grouping with the obtuse title of ‘Prosper’, then when you looked at what they call ‘the team’ and then their sponsors you got a clear picture as to what has gone wrong with a once ‘great political party’ and movement. As commentators on seeing ‘the team’ and ‘the names’, the names that own wreaking the party ‘that’s it, they are done’. They talk centre ground but by their personal records that means between Labour and the Liberal Democrats. A team to finish the job off!
The comment that really sums the situation up “Like a soggy stale sandwich from the old British Rail
All the (name removed) Wets who screwed up the UK over last 15 yrs have got together to remind each other how they messed it up”
How can a once ‘Great Party’ get so screwed from the inside? Put the troops, the guys on the ground back in charge not the ‘limp wristed’ excuses for failure.
January 27, 2026
Vanity and ego tripping showing how important he thinks he is yet
China see him as their Branch Manager in London and he’s going to HQ for his Annual Appraisal along with clown Rachel, official business in expenses of course.
Red carpet for the cameras and world press to record how Xi humiliated Britain after 99yrs and Hong Kong.
January 27, 2026
I fear that China is a new North Star for the EU leaders and other authoritarians (Canadians) who have tired of western values – like market capitalism (French government developing tech platforms) or free speech (much of the EU and UK). Many people admire China’s combination of a rich oligarchy, suppression of the ‘deplorables’ and a regime unencumbered by the messiness of democracy.
January 27, 2026
China also has no politicians, just a bureaucracy.
January 27, 2026
Alternative Question? Why would you stay in a Country amongst the people you hate and despise?
Not forgetting this is the man that told the media he prefers the WEF for getting things done in preference to the UK Parliament
January 27, 2026
He might be house hunting. There is Order in China and a pretty homogeneous population.
When you see that Trump has had to withdraw ICE from Minneapolis because what they call ‘liberals’ are out in -20 degrees attacking those whose job is to deport criminal ‘undocumented’ people, you can see what the issues in the U.K. really are, and it’s enough to make anybody run.
Braverman ran to Reform rather than China, but equally pointless.
January 27, 2026
The King needs to be asked to withdraw Starmer’s Passport to stop him making these expensive give away trips.
The other alternative is to simply replace the globe trotter with someone that appreciates being the PM requires decision making presence here in the UK.
When a foreign leader is making a trip to the UK it is heralded as a big event. The flags are .raised the troops are mustered and paraded, full pomp and ceremony. Dinner with the King is automatically arranged to endorse the importance of the occasion.
When Starmer trips abroad (every week) the contrast could not be more stark. He is viewed as a nuisance at best and a pain more generally by the Foreign Office and diplomats. Those in far flung places who are interrupted from their usual rounds of socialising are ticked off having to present the walking disgrace we call the UK Prime Minister.
How much longer must this fiasco of a PM carry on, before the immortal words come out of the King’s mouth? “Will no one spare me this pathetic shambles of a man”?
January 27, 2026
At least the Labour and Conservative Parties can replace their leader – the PM when they are in office. This is the power that stops the PM becoming even worse than they already are.
No Reform PM could be replaced so he could attack and sack rebel MPs with impunity.
May as well just hand over to Xi.
January 27, 2026
”U.S. President Donald Trump threatened to slap a 100% tariff on Canadian exports if Ottawa “makes a deal” with China” https://www.cnbc.com/2026/01/26/canada-china-trade-deal-tariffs-trump.html
What’s tariffs is Trump going to put on the UK if Starmer get a UK/China trade deal ?
January 27, 2026
Canada caved.
January 27, 2026
He’s doing it because of Trump. To build new relationships – away from the USA.
Trump has drawn Europe and the EU closer together. And made a likelihood of UK returning to the EU, greater. I want the UK to remain sovereign. But Trump is helping to ruin this. At end of day, he doesn’t care so much. All he cares about is the thrill of the moment. When he leaves office, he will already have forgotten about the UK and the EU. He’ll just be focused on his next deal in business.
January 27, 2026
The EU is imploding Ed.
The Foreign Minister has taken to drink she tells us.
Mertz attacked the Commission publicly.
France is on the brink of the abyss.
The only leader in the west attempting to save his country is Trump.
What do you think you are doing parroting the idiocy of the bad, mad left who hate him for showing them up?
January 27, 2026
Lynn,
What planet are you on (on this issue – not saying in general)?!
The UK is a fantastic country to live in. The best.
The USA has sooo many problems including political and economic. But that’s just the beginning of it. So many problems, too, also social and cultural.
The UK as it stands now is a GREAT country (sure, with problems). The USA has way, way to go before even beginning to catch up with us. How is Trump even beginning to make the USA nearly as great as the UK. Please explain!
Whilst he is also an economic threat to the UK. As well as a cultural threat too.
So if I had to grade countries where I would want to live now:
UK: 10/10
Spain (Mallorca say) 8/10
Italy (Tuscany say) 8/10
Germany (Berlin say) 8/10
California: 4/10
New York: 3/10
Florida: 2/10 (being generous)
Get the picture. The UK overall is still a GREAT country: 10/10
USA struggling in every sense. Overall, I’d give it 4/10.
And Russia 2/10 (corrupt) and China (3/10 pollution / Communist)
Reply What a bizarre ranking, with Florida the same as Russia whilst being below China.
January 28, 2026
Ed you would have LOVED the U.K., indeed Britain, 40 years ago when it was all you claim for it today.
Of course the structure of the cities remains, the countryside our forebears built, BUT there are 480 schools in England where not one British child is a student. We have whole areas denied to us ‘because the land belongs to foreign people’. They denied Jack Straw access to parts of his own Constituency!
If you REFUSE to fight for Britain, which we are losing at an ever increasing rate, don’t you dare pretend you are the patriot. You are the useful idiot – the collaborator.
I will not even address your ranking – have you ever been to any of these places? Why do you cite US states in a list of countries?
Don’t you even know that the United States is our successor state? We founded it. Our people went from Washington, Tyne and Wear and became famous in our colony. Look at the names of all the places in the USA, people went from Boston and named the land they settled Boston, Philadelphia, the original New York is close to North Shields,
Get a map of the USA and see how many place names are from the U.K., our own people took them and called them the same name so they felt at home.
Listen to old recordings of American people in the 19the century (online) – they had ENGLISH accents, almost cut glass!
It’s fundamentals are BRITISH and so are Trump’s, he’s half Scottish, he loves Britain, he has more invested here than either you or I (even more than that rich man Lifelogic).
January 28, 2026
Lynn,
Your argument here is completely irrelevant / straw man.
I agree with you about the EU. But my point is:
1. Trump is causing people in the UK to become more pro EU which makes the UK returning to the EU more likely
2. Trump is harming the UK’s economy (and also represents American grey-squirrel culture destroying our red-squirrel British culture).
So it’s madness to support Trump if you’re British. If you were American then I couldn’t really care less. I’m not here to defend the interests of the USA but of the UK.
(And we shouldn’t go out of our way to be rude to Trump but we shouldn’t go out of our way to suck up to him either). Best.
January 28, 2026
Ed PEOPLE IN THE U.K. REMAIN ANTI-EU.
The Brexit vote repeated would see a bigger majority AGAINST the EU.
Who tells you these stupid Remain lies?
The US and U.K. have the SAME culture. The differences are no more than say those between Kent and Kendal. We are BOTH Democratic, Christian, capitalist.
January 28, 2026
Agree
January 28, 2026
Lynn,
You remind me a bit of those who supported USA during war in Afghanistan and Iraq 2 (I agreed with the first war against Iraq). I was arguing before the wars began, that wars here were madness. But no, our Parliament blind to objective reality joined President Bush in his dumb wars (and have proven to be dumb. You appear here blind to objective reality regarding Trump (ironically, Trump might have opposed the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq 2.
There’s a time for going to war – and going to war hard – and for supporting the USA but not mindless support of (that’s just ideology). Our support or opposition to the USA, Europe, Russia, China should ultimately be in what is in our country’s best interests – not ideological love or hatred of another country.
January 27, 2026
Why go to China?
Take further instructions with no UK records of the discussions?
Place the orders for all the infrastructure required for Net Zero by 2050 and to plan for the complete de-industrialisation of the UK?
Give the Chinese money to increase the number of their “students” in our universities and research centres from the current 150,000?
Discuss how the new Chinese mega embassy will be employed?
Ask the Chinese for their assistance to achieve the Chagos give-away and ask them to organise further such ICJ rulings?
Lessons on how to use Ofcom?
Give the Chinese the OK to implant kill switches and listening devices in all Chinese supplied equipment?
We simply don’t know and we’re not going to be told. Anything is possible.
January 27, 2026
He does not need to give China authority to do any of these things.
They are all done – and more.
Power is taken, not given.
We the people need to remember that, we have a system where we give our power for 5 years.
Something is going to give.
January 27, 2026
PS : I expect if the Chagos give-away fails the PM will negotiate that we pay Mauritius compensation for their loss of the Islands in addition to the promised £35bn.
January 27, 2026
I see the National Highways agency dropped the speed limit on every single motorway in the country down to 50 mph on last Saturday evening. Seemingly for no reason other than social engineering.
Revealed by whistle blower but not in the press for some reason.
This country really has become a nightmare to live in.
January 27, 2026
all through the night, one of the quietest nights
January 27, 2026
the official reason is apparently to do software updates to the overhead gantries remotely from their HQ, so no road workers in dangers at all. they slowed the entire motorway network down to do software updates.
madness.
January 27, 2026
Clive Lewis, the MP for Norwich South, added: “Members of a party that calls itself democratic are asking for something very simple – democracy.”
Said in a different context, but reflect… Parliament will now fight those that pay and elect them to stop democracy, to disenfranchise a nation and its people. They are frightened that in seeking approval of the direction they are taking the response will show what they know in their hearts they have it wrong. Or looked at it another way they know they have been rumbled and need another 3 years of wreaking and destruction to aid a point of no return.
January 27, 2026
2TK will keep leaving the country so as to avoid more U turns – they are hampering ‘The Plan’ and ‘The Plan’ is the only point, its his ego, his self esteem.