There is general agreement that, whatever his problems with domestic politics, Sir Keir Starmer has handled his international diplomatic duties as prime minister with aplomb. He joined with all other European leaders in rejecting the Donald Trump-Benjamin Netanyahu war on Iran. He stood with Canada against Trump's Anschluss politics of saying it should be joined with the US, and with Denmark against Trump's attempted grab of Greenland.
Starmer's Foreign Policy Success
After years of Tory governments' neglect of defence, Britain is sending a clear message to Vladimir Putin that his 1930s-style invasion and takeover of Ukraine will be resisted. Starmer has good relations with social democratic and socialist leaders in Europe, and Labour is again playing a role in the Party of European Socialists and the Socialist International following years of neglect after Labour left office in 2010.
Historical Precedents
There are plenty of examples in political history of a prime minister or party leader no longer in office working as foreign secretary, including, in living memory, Sir Alec Douglas Home and William Hague, both much happier and more productive as foreign secretaries than when failing to master the intricacies of domestic national political sagas. Starmer as foreign secretary would add weight to a revived Labour government, in sharp contrast to the foreign affairs spokespersons of Reform UK, the Greens and the isolationist Tories, whose names escape me.
Dr Denis MacShane
Former Europe minister
A New Leader and Potential Merger
A new leader is likely to end Labour's current 'existential threat', but it is doubtful whether someone like Angela Rayner or Andy Burnham will be able to prevent a Reform UK victory at the next election. So with the Greens, as Andrea Egan says, 'defending the progressive values that Starmer has abandoned', it's surprising that this simple solution has not been suggested: a merger of the two parties.
With both parties polling at under 20% and Reform just under 30%, the figures speak for themselves. Both parties are fighting for the votes of the same people – environmentally concerned supporters of a fairer and less divisive society – and if their votes are split, Farage is a shoo-in.
Green Labour could provide the root-and-branch reforms the country desperately needs, as well as the strong political alliance of the left essential to stop Reform.
Bernie Evans
Liverpool
Grassroots Concerns
Aditya Chakrabortty is right to draw attention to the cocoon of Westminster politics, oblivious to the pressures of life in communities and workplaces. Looking outside, Wes Streeting won Ilford North in 2024 by 528 votes over the independent candidate Leanne Mohamad, who campaigned on Labour's position on genocide in Gaza. Is there any reason to think, on present trends, that Streeting will still be an MP after the next election?
Keith Flett
Tottenham, London
Lessons from Biden
The Democrats went on insisting Joe Biden was an excellent president long after voters knew he was not. His stubborn insistence on carrying on was not heroic or principled. It was the tidal wave on which Trump rode to victory. Mr Starmer, the longer you stay, the bigger the Farage triumph will be. Think on.
Alec Hamilton
Cheltenham, Gloucestershire
A Monty Python Moment
Watching Keir Starmer's defiance as his government disintegrates conjures up the image of the knight in Monty Python railing at his opponent as he loses limb after limb.
Douglas Currie
Edinburgh
