Kowtowing to Trump

Well said. It’s rather like the advice not to ruffle feathers when going up the ladder as you never know who you might meet on the way down.

The Royal invite is and was the U.K.’s trump card (please excuse the pun)

I think DT being reelected should be a warning to our politicians that slating politicians of other countries is not a good look as you never know when you will be asked to suck up to them

All in a days work, as the saying goes.

I don’t understand what was so good about Starmer’s performance. He was polite, and the ace up his sleeve was of course the invitation from the King. He knew that. He had a much easier task than Macron because of that. He did his job. Without that invitation does anyone seriously think that things would have gone smoothly?

Even the most expensive fountain pen can unexpectedly leak right at the wrong moment and I guess that is why people tend not to use them anymore. Yes, there was the other pen which Camilla handled with the minimum of fuss while soothing the new Kings irritation. I felt very sorry for him and admiration for her for saving the day.
Yes, I'd be interested to hear how others would have handled, or would have preferred to see K.S handle D.T? He is so unpredictable that one wrong word could have caused a major upset. All in all, K.S did very reasonable job.

LizzieDrip

Primrose and Barleyfields, how do you suggest KS should have handled the meeting?

Exactly. I would like to hear how the critics would have dealt with that situation. I think Starmer did a good job with someone as volatile Trump.

Jaberwok - of course that was the second leaky pen issue in a week- and Camilla had to use it after him (and she commented on it too).

I expect everyone would have said somethingabout it.
I would have done.

No idea why it became a "thing".

Primrose and Barleyfields, how do you suggest KS should have handled the meeting?

The earlier comments from Downing Street about Farage’s posturing about the Chagos Islands being codswallop (their words) look to have been right too. All’s fair in love and politics, I bet he is smarting today.

Starmer would have been a fool to have done anything but try to cosy up to Trump but at the end of the day, it will mean little. Trump's promises mean very little and even the agreements he made in his first term have now been ripped up.
I think Trump will find out that his efforts with Putin will be just as reliable and the world is very much in trouble.

Well said Primrose.

There were so many unpleasant comments about the pen, that this sounded more.of the same. It wasn't funny then, and it isn't now.

Thanks for that info, J52, I wasn’t aware of that. 🪑 🛋️

Oh, I assumed the state visit was this year - so this summer’s visit is just a warm up act? In 2028 Trump might be well into his campaign for a third term. 🤔

It was a great example of brown-nosing. 🤣. Starmer is such a creep especially after all the stuff he has said about Trump. Lammy is even worse.

So, the visit is to be in 2028. That's plenty of time for Mr Trump to be deposed( fingers crossed)
A game plan for '28 perhaps, if required- all streets around which Mr Trump parades to be conspicuously empty.

I think the term "keep your enemies closer" was made for Starmers US visit - until there is a plan B in place for European defence we and others will need to keep DT onside despite him being the most horrible indivdual on the planet! Good luck to Ukraine - hopefully they will get the reassurance they need and compromise from Putin.

Starmer did much better than expected. Thank goodness. Those criticising, what do you wish he had done?
But, jings, don't think it's a good idea to have Trump anywhere near Scotland.

As lots have said, Trump (or 'Agent Orange', as he's known in Moscow) is indeed a shallow narcissist, a basically nasty, racist, sexist, fraud, liar and conman, who has got to his favoured position, having media and world leaders seeking his approval.

His attention span is excessively poor, even by American standards, as he's used to watching their TV (for those unaware, ad breaks every couple of minutes!). And he is NOT any 'business genius', as his MAGA fans claim, he's been bankrupt at least 4 times, despite starting with some $200mill from daddy.

One phrase he HAS mastered is "trade tariffs", even though it's no secret that their increased use actually HURT USA consumers in his first 4 year spell as PoTUS.

As one pundit said y'day, he'll be denying soon that the 8 year limit on Presidents should apply to him, as he had 4 years out of the job with sleepy Joe in the chair.

He'd probably think being described as a mere 'hypocrite' is a compliment, as anyone who called Zelensky a "dictator" while snuggling up to Putin is actually delusional.

It’s great diplomacy in action. I can’t imagine for one minute that the king is looking forward to another Trump state visit, but it’s very useful leverage don’t you think?

RosieandherMaw

I know it’s called Diplomacy but I could not bring myself to see Starmer cosying up to —that duplicitous git— Trump on the News last night.
Yes, I cringed too.

Yes, but Starmer had a job to do, and he was intelligent enough to channel his best Boris Johnson, jovial, jokey, touch-freely, recognising it would go down well with Trump. It must have gone against his own instincts, but I think he did well.

I've pinched this from someone on a Radio 4 site - Charles should send Andrew instead... and they should go to a Pizza Hut.

Meant to add, good for him for going against the grain and trying so hard. Fingers crossed for a job well done.

Starmer's chumming up to Trump was a means to an end, nothing more.

I thought he did very well & I love the extra funding for GP's so we don't have to do 8am appointments anymore.

I think he is settling into his new job a bit more, I always did used to think it took around 6 months

I thought Starmer looked really out of his comfort zone dealing with Trump. Plain embarrassing to see him trying to copy Macron by patting Trump on the arm. He also seemed very ill at ease just delivering the invitation from the King and trying to make a big deal out of it for the cameras - just not his way I think.

Wow. Andrew’s time has come

Perhaps not.

And the last state visit was labelled a resounding/outstanding success.

That was the one where DT stepped out ahead of the late Queen when inspecting the troops, meaning HM had to dodge round him.

Jaberwok
Oh dear merlotgran, why the cheap jibe? Surely you're better than that?

That’s a rather pompous response to a joke, Jaberwork
Surely you’re better than that?

Thank you, Boz