Keir Starmer is about to face his worst nightmare in what is being described as the Prime Minister's 'last big event'. The embattled leader has flown overseas for the G7 summit but cannot escape his problems at home.
A Challenging Summit
Sir Keir Starmer and his wife Victoria arrived in Geneva en route to the G7 summit on Monday, but the trip is far from a respite. Travelling with a press pack of more than 25 reporters is hardly the ideal backdrop for a Prime Minister facing the prospect of an Andy Burnham leadership challenge within days.
The Prime Minister would much rather the gathering of the world's major economies focused on the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, support for Ukraine, and strengthening global trade. However, with Donald Trump in attendance, events are unlikely to stick to the script.
Trump's Expected Attacks
The US president is expected to renew his attacks on European leaders over immigration, with Sir Keir firmly in the firing line. Mr Trump reportedly views many of America's allies as weak for allowing mass migration from countries whose citizens are hostile to the West.
Sir Keir may also find himself defending Labour's newly unveiled social media ban for under-16s against criticism from a White House increasingly aligned with Silicon Valley's free-speech agenda.
Security Concerns
Security will be another uncomfortable topic for the Prime Minister. Just days before the summit, defence secretary John Healey dramatically quit amid a row over funding for Britain's defence investment plans. This leaves Sir Keir with awkward questions to answer in a potential clash with Mr Trump, who has repeatedly demanded that European nations spend more on their own security rather than relying on Washington to pick up the tab.
Optimistic Backdrop
The summit does at least begin against a more optimistic backdrop, with reports that a tentative US-Iran deal to end the conflict has been reached. However, the question hanging over the conference is not what deals world leaders can strike – it is whether Sir Keir will still be around long enough to see them through.
Leadership Challenge at Home
While the Prime Minister is posing for family photos and shaking hands with fellow leaders, Andy Burnham will be on the ground in Makerfield ahead of Thursday's crucial by-election. Fellow Labour leadership hopeful Wes Streeting is also expected to make an intervention this week.
Sir Keir may be representing Britain on the world stage, but back home, the race to replace him has well and truly begun.
