Keir Starmer has insisted that the UK-US special relationship will “thrive” under Donald Trump, but the UK prime minister's Labor government has multiple reasons to be concerned about a return to the republican presidency.
The possibility of a trade war, the Labor Secretary's disrespectful comments about Trump, and the role of Starmer critic Elon Musk in the Trump administration will make for a rocky road between the allies.
Experts said Britain's “ironclad” support for Ukraine in its war against Russian aggression and its “unwavering commitment” to the NATO military alliance were also likely to be key issues. Ta.
Starmer made his first move late on Wednesday, calling President Trump to congratulate him and telling reporters at the European summit in Budapest on Thursday that the call had been “very positive, very positive. It was constructive.”
But Richard Whitman, a professor of international relations at the University of Kent, said London's centre-left government would be “nervous” about Trump's return to the White House.
“Most of the broad parameters of British foreign policy are set by responding to the main interests of the United States,” he told AFP, adding that Trump's response to Ukraine and NATO was He pointed out doubts about his involvement.
Britain has been one of Ukraine's biggest financial and military supporters since Russia's full-scale invasion in February 2022, and a change in policy by President Trump would put the country in an unenviable position.
“(Britain) has too much investment in Ukraine to make a 180 degree turn towards Ukraine,” Whitman said.
Simon Fraser, a former top civil servant in Britain's Foreign Office, added that Trump's approach to the European Union, and whether it included tariffs on allies, could complicate the UK-US relationship.
President Trump has threatened to impose tariffs of up to 20% on all U.S. imports and up to 60% on Chinese goods.
economic unpredictability
The UK could be caught in the middle of the trade war between President Trump and the EU.
Global economic instability will hamper Mr Starmer's pledge to revitalize Britain's struggling economy.
The National Institute of Economic and Social Research, a leading think tank, has warned that President Trump's tariff plans could cut Britain's economic growth in half over the next two years, causing prices and interest rates to rise.
Lindsey James, investment strategist at Quilter Investors, said Trump's inauguration is “unlikely to revive (UK-US) trade deal negotiations.”
“The UK has no clear bargaining chip,” she added.
The Labor Party has historically been close to the Democratic Party, and several leaders attended the Labor Party's convention in Chicago in July, when Kamala Harris was nominated as its presidential candidate.
Last month, President Trump accused Starmer's government of “blatant foreign interference” in the U.S. presidential election over Harris' visit and the campaigning of Labor Party officials.
Labor has spent recent months behind the scenes building bridges with the Trump campaign, with Mr Starmer having a two-hour dinner with Mr Trump in September.
Previous comments from Labor leaders could complicate the deal, with David calling Trump a “misogynist, neo-Nazi sympathizing sociopath” and “a wig-wearing tyrant” in 2018.・The situation could become even more complicated with Foreign Minister Lamy. ”.
Senior Minister Pat McFadden said on Thursday that Mr Trump was a “British fan” and that his direct talks with Mr Starmer had been “productive”.
“Ultimately, I think shared values and interests are more important than tweets from years ago,” he said. “You can get through these things.”
No plan B
Mr Starmer's political spokesman insisted on Wednesday that Mr Lamy would remain in the role for the entirety of his five-year parliamentary term.
But there could also be trouble from Musk, a Trump supporter and tech billionaire. Mr Musk was reprimanded by ministers this summer for claiming that far-right riots across the UK were leading to a “civil war”.
Britain and the United States are also likely to differ on climate change, with Trump a self-proclaimed climate change skeptic and Labor determined to make Britain a “clean energy superpower.”
Analysts say the special relationship forged during World War II has endured for 80 years despite governments of different persuasions on both sides of the Atlantic.
“Political differences at the top don't mean the relationship as a whole is weak. There are checks and balances,” Fraser said, citing “institutional structures.”
Mr Whitman agreed that the policy would endure, but added: “If it does not, a great pillar of British foreign and security policy will collapse.”
“And when you compare this with what has already happened with the EU (Brexit), the UK is really adrift.
“The UK has no hedging strategy. There is no plan B for its relationship with the US.”
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
