Let’s hear it for Sir Keir Starmer

On 8 Jul 2022, I posted "On performance in this video, I would say that Starmer showed the nearest thing to a statesman that this Parliament has so far produced."

I still think it.

👍

Both Charles and Camilla have been very involved with a visit previously by DT.

Nothing either of them can’t handle.

I do worry though. Trump is so unpredictable and unstable, and he won’t take kindly if he thinks someone is upstaging him- albeit with quietness and non- showmanship.

Ilovedogs22

I'm so delighted that Sir Keir is proving (thus far anyway) all the doubters wrong.
He seems like a a very decent man, whose willing to stand-up &
do the right and honourable thing in his treatment of the very brave Presisdent Selinski.
Watching the debacle of Trump & Vance's treatment of the beleaguered President Selinski on the news was heartbreaking!
They acted like a couple of low-life school bullies towards him!
Truly awful.🤔

I completely agree.

Well done Sir Keir, please keep this up!

Let us wait and see what the outcome is and what concessions there are or have to be made.

Sir Keir I have always had faith in you, keep it up!

eazybee

Let us wait and see what the outcome is and what concessions there are or have to be made.

That is way down the line. Sir Keir is being praised for his skill in dealing with Trump, Zelenskyy and Europe. He is walking such a tightrope between the players and so far has proven an excellent diplomate

Well done so far Keir Starmer. His name rhymes with a lot of words, I’m sincerely hoping one of them is Snake Charmer.

I have been so impressed.

I was so impressed by him and so proud too. He's not exciting and visually unremarkable but he's doing the business and taking a calm lead.
Good on Charles too. The warm reception at his private home will be in marked contrast to the icy reception Trump can expect. Over the past year or so Charles has been visiting Ukrainian refugees up and down the country. It's easy to see whose side he's on.

He has played a blinder.

He's in such a difficult position, but he's kept calm and juggled so many opposing forces (and there will be others behind the scenes that we don't know about). I have no fears about a meeting with the King and Queen, as they are well used to entertaining tricky characters.

I can't think of anyone in the HoC (on any bench) that could have done as well, never mind better.

He has had a top-flight career before politics, and at times like this it shows. Even though he's not done it on the world stage before, still he's experienced in dealing with contentious issues on a public stage.
I thought Gordon Brown was v g when the global recession & banks bust happened in 2009 - he provided leadership & salvaged several economies when most of Europe were panicking - but it didn't translate to success at the polls. GB was quite awkward as a politician though - Kier is far more pragmatic & aware of how every word goes down . So I hope he doesn't share the same fate.

He has been spot on. Because he's remained positive "can do".

What a contrast in style - and substance.

Whitewavemark - I'm not sure Trump will recognise that he is being upstaged unless the other person is shouting and being outrageous!

eazybee

Let us wait and see what the outcome is and what concessions there are or have to be made.

Not really the issue. It's how he's handling it in the here and now. And he's handling it well.

At least there is one calm statesman, if Trump respects him so much the better, Starmer realistically is including US back up in any deal.
Make no mistake the deal will be to end the war, not continue fighting, the US will be steadfast on that.

The warm reception at his private home will be in marked contrast to the icy reception Trump can expect

No, Charles would never do that. The Royal family have had to meet many undesirables over the years. Charles wouldn't behave so childishly.

Rula

*The warm reception at his private home will be in marked contrast to the icy reception Trump can expect*

No, Charles would never do that. The Royal family have had to meet many undesirables over the years. Charles wouldn't behave so childishly.

I agree.

King Charles will be the very model of diplomacy and civility.

Trump will never know he is being tolerated for diplomatic reasons.

... and might likely announce after the meeting that the King is "a great man, a good man", "I like him a lot"... in the belief that we need his opinion, and that the sentiment is mutual.

Whitewavemark2

I do worry though. Trump is so unpredictable and unstable, and he won’t take kindly if he thinks someone is upstaging him- albeit with quietness and non- showmanship.

Oh I don't know, subtle behaviour will go right over Trump's head. He is so involved in his own vain world.

I too am very happy with Starmer. Calm, intelligent, dignified

I was so pleased to see that comforting hug between Kier Starmer and President Zelensky - politics aside, it was so needed.

So far Sir Kier has taken intelligent and constructive steps to bring people together, and one thing I think we can be sure of is that he will be able to easily out-think Trump and Vance.

From Wikipedia
“Starmer served as a human rights adviser to the Northern Ireland Policing Board and the Association of Chief Police Officers, and was also a member of the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office's Death Penalty Advisory Panel from 2002 to 2008.[2][11] The Northern Ireland Board was an important part of bringing communities together following the Good Friday Agreement, and Starmer later cited his work on policing in Northern Ireland as being a key influence on his decision to pursue a political career: "Some of the things I thought that needed to change in police services we achieved more quickly than we achieved in strategic litigation... I came better to understand how you can change by being inside and getting the trust of people".[30] Starmer represented Croatia at the genocide hearings before the International Court of Justice at The Hague in 2014, arguing that Serbia wanted to seize a third of Croatian territory during the 1990s war and eradicate the Croatian population.”
His experience in these things is standing him in good stead in these troubled times. Thank goodness we have someone like him as PM.

I rejoined the LP in order to vote for Starmer. Work meant I’d followed his career before Parliament and I was impressed.

The skills needed as a KC will be invaluable in leading the negotiations between Europe and the USA. He’s streets ahead of Trump or the awful Vance where intelligence and integrity go

It's impossible to imagine any of our recent PMs could be doing a better job than Starmer right now.

I also thought that the grouped European leaders (and Trudeau) seem sensible, dignified, intelligent, collaborative and credible. A far cry from Trump, Vance and the various senators in red caps/stetsons and the chain saw wielding tech bros we are seeing show ponying around in America.