Keir Starmer ‘can show America he means business’ with major move – after Tories made ‘worst decision’ with best ally

KEIR Starmer could send a serious message to the United States by starting talks on a US-UK free trade deal when he begins his term as prime minister, experts have told The US Sun.

Labor thundered to a landslide victory on Thursday General electionsdramatically bringing an end to 14 years of Conservative government.

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Starmer will succeed Rishi Sunak as Prime Minister and will rub shoulders with world leaders including US President Joe Biden and French President Emmanuel Macron in the coming days.

Despite the change of government, the geopolitical climate remains uncertain.

Wars continue to rage in the Middle East and Ukraine, autocrats are on the march, and the threat of Chinese aggression in the Pacific has not disappeared.

Starmer needs to make friends on the international stage.

Analysts, as well as former members of President Donald Trump’s administration, have called on the labor leader to embrace Atlanticism.

The Labor leader will not have time to get too comfortable in Downing Street, as he will join leaders at the NATO summit taking place from 9 to 11 July.

“The NATO summit is an excellent way for Keir Starmer to show himself on the world stage that he is willing to work with all his allies,” said Sarah Elliott, director of the UK-US Special Relationship Unit at the Legatum Institute.

“The free world today has many more adversaries than in previous years.”

Elliott urged Starmer to restart talks on a potential trade deal and believes a successful outcome can be achieved the next time Britons go to the polls in 2028 or 2029.

“If he can convey this to whoever is in the White House, he will show himself and the Labor Party be more competent than the Conservatives have ever been in 14 years,” she said.

“A trade deal is a symbolic demonstration that the US-UK relationship is not just a military alliance, it is an economic alliance.

“And it shows that America and Britain, the Anglosphere, are consolidating together to act against rivals like China.”

A trade deal between the UK and the US was praised by politicians who supported Brexit, but little progress was made after the referendum.

And throughout his presidency, Biden appears to have rejected the idea.

Elliott said such a deal would bring benefits not just for Starmer on a personal level, but for the Labor Party generally.

“It’s a great way to show the UK’s willingness to look across the Atlantic and say ‘The Labor Party hasn’t been in power for some time, but we deeply value the United States and see the opportunities to work even more closely together. . Let’s explore this, let’s lead and take a leadership role in the past,'” she said.

Starmer stormed Downing Street – just four and a half years after the Labor Party suffered its worst general election defeat since 1935.

Elliott talked about how the opportunities could be endless – especially if Donald Trump wins the November presidential election.

“The Labor Party will have the best Anglophile in office [if Trump wins],” Elliott added.

“O Conservative Party I never took advantage of it. They never took him seriously and that’s the worst thing to do to your best ally in the world.”

DON’T GO BACK

John Bolton, who served as national security adviser in the Trump administration, also echoed these sentiments.

“One of the tragedies Brexit is that after the referendum, Britain didn’t move quickly enough to get free trade deals with the US and many other countries,” he told The US Sun.

“I think this is still possible and should still be a goal.

“I don’t know why anyone would consider returning to the world European Union and re-impose the regulatory burden that Britain has managed to free itself from, but you cannot just sit there isolated from the prospect of really significant improvements in market access.

“If I were in the Labor Party and we came to power, I would certainly say that we need the most advantageous trade deal we can get with the United States, perhaps bringing Canada that and our prospects would improve dramatically.”

Starmer has repeatedly stressed that the UK will not return to the EU, the single market and the customs union.

Starmer voted to remain in the bloc and was one of the main cheerleaders for a second referendum on membership.

Labor officials spoke warmly of the special relationship and the party election manifesto described Washington as an indispensable ally.

“Our special relationship is crucial to security and prosperity and transcends whatever political parties and individuals are in power,” he said.

I don’t know why anyone would consider returning to the European Union

John Boltonformer national security advisor

Labor is also committed to AUKUS – a trilateral security pact that includes Australia and the United States.

Leading Labor politicians have prepared for more than a year for the prospect of potentially entering government.

David Lammy, who could be the British next Secretary of Foreign Affairs, traveled to the US and met with officials close to Trump’s team.

Starmer has repeatedly promised to work with whoever is the US president.

Claire Ainsley, director of the Progressive Policy Institute’s project on Center-Left Renewal, believes there will be a smooth transition as Britain ushers in a Labor government.

“Despite any partisan differences, both the UK government and the US administration continue to see each other as allies and partners in a dangerous world and this will continue to be the case regardless of who wins the presidential election,” she said.

“David Lammy has made sure to build those relationships and so their mutual interest is to understand where there are commonalities and resolve diplomatically where there may be differences.”

FORGING ALLIANCES

Democrats face a crisis as questions arise over whether Joe Biden will remain in power. race following his shambolic debate performance.

Current polls suggest that Trump will return to the White House in January.

But Ainsley, a former adviser to Starmer, is optimistic about how the US-UK alliance can be deepened, despite the partisan political differences that would naturally arise if Trump became commander in chief.

“There is an opportunity for the UK to redefine its international relations because the UK has gone through a phase where it has been dealing with its own problems post-Brexit,” she said.

She revealed that Starmer and whoever is in the White House can establish a relationship above common interests.

Labor will work with its counterparts in Washington, particularly on issues of national defense and cybersecurity, but alluded to the economic challenges that citizens of both countries could also bring some common ground.

U.S. government officials have not yet publicly congratulated Starmer on his stunning election victory, but it is tradition for Biden and Starmer to exchange warm words on Friday or in the coming days.

Biden and Starmer are expected to meet at the NATO summit.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau hailed Starmer’s historic victory.

“A lot of work ahead to build a more progressive and fair country future for people on both sides of the Atlantic,” he said.

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