'Sociopath with Neo-Nazi Sympathy': How will Labor deal with Trump's return?

David Lammy, the man hoping to become the next foreign secretary, once described Donald Trump as a «misogynistic, neo-Nazi-sympathizing sociopath » and «a serious threat to international order.»

Sir Keir Starmer has wisely taken a more restrained approach than his Shadow Cabinet colleague, but the Labor Party's negative stance towards the former US president is hardly the best. a prelude to warm relations overseas, both should come to power this year.

Lammy's outburst came as another fellow Labor member, London Mayor Sadiq Khan, gave permission for anti-Trump activists to fly on the so-called leader of the free world's protest blimp in the form of a crying baby in a nappy. over the capital in 2018.

The Trump blimp was allowed to fly over Parliament Square during Trump's 2018 visit. Photo: Peter Nicholls/Reuters

It followed a transatlantic war of words, with Khan expressing his desire for Trump to lose the 2016 election.” «bad» and Trump suggested Khan was satisfied with the attacks on Borough Market and London Bridge a year later.

After repeatedly calling on the government to cancel Trump's 2019 state visit to the UK, Khan then compared the language used by Trump to rally his supporters to that of «20th century fascists». Trump responded by describing Khan, a former Labor MP for Tooting, as a «cold loser» and «very stupid», questioning his handling of knife crime in London.

However, although there is clearly no love. Between a man hoping for a second term in the White House and his nemesis hoping for a third in City Hall, how could Starmer negotiate a «special relationship» with Trump 2.0?

Trump, pictured at a campaign event in Georgia last month, was once described as a «grave threat to the international order.» David Lammy Photo: Eric S. Lesser/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock

He has already admitted that a second Trump victory would not be his «desired outcome» and that there is «great concern» that Trump could change America's position on Russia's war in Ukraine is already raising the specter of possible consequences between the two world leaders who want to be leaders.

In the words of one shadow minister who knows Starmer well: «He won't get along with Trump — he'll find him downright unpleasant,» which may not be the best start.

Describing the prime ministerial hopeful as a “feminist” with a “strong wife” in Lady Victoria, to whom he has been married for almost 17 years, the close ally added: “His misogynistic ways alone will be enough to make Keir hate him. He has a strong wife and a strong daughter. Of course, he would deal with him if he had to deal with him — but he would do it with clenched teeth.»

Sir Keir Starmer with his 'strong wife' Lady Victoria Photo: Paul Ellis/AFP

Starmer was typically lawyerly when asked how he would cope with the Trump Renaissance. He once insisted that in the “adult world” this relationship had to work. That doesn't mean… we'll agree on everything, but we have to make it work.»

Another time he said with typical diplomacy: “Who is elected president depends on the people of the United States. When it comes to working with our allies, there is more to them than just individuals. This is about protecting our interests and ensuring the world is a safer and more prosperous place. The special relationship with the US is vital. I will work with whoever becomes president.»

However, as his biographer Tom Baldwin notes: “None of this should mean that Starmer intends to abandon repeated statements by himself and Lammy that they will strive to embrace progressive liberal values ​​and strengthen human rights around the world if Labor the party will form the government.»

Starmer with shadow foreign secretary David Lammy Photo: David Rose

Baldwin adds: “Not only is this consistent with the views that the Labor leader has held throughout his adult life, he also believes that increased accountability will end what former Foreign Secretary David Miliband — a man with whom he speaks regularly — called 'the era of impunity' » is a way to expand Britain's influence and soft power.

“When he traveled to Kyiv to meet Volodymyr Zelensky in February 2023 to reaffirm support for Ukraine’s Labor Party in its war with Russia, much of their conversation is understood to have consisted of the country’s president asking his guest who, How did he know he was an outstanding person? human rights lawyer talks about the prospects of prosecuting war crimes by the Kremlin.

“And rather than offer Benjamin Netanyahu unconditional support for his war on Gaza, Starmer has publicly backed the Israeli prime minister's political opponents and warned that any breach of international law will mean there will be consequences for him when this is over.”

Starmer's dilemma was evident at the Munich security conference last month, where he met several world leaders, including US Secretary of State Antony Blinken. While he described the US-UK relationship as «so valuable to mutual economic and national security», he could not resist a thinly veiled dig at Trump, promising to «rebuild, renew and resource» the NATO alliance rather than «divide and threaten «.

It comes after the former US president warned that he «will not defend» countries that cannot «pay [their] bills.» Starmer later told the BBC: «Now obviously, as you would expect, if we are elected to government we will be dealing with whoever the American people choose as their president. But of course we are redoubling our commitment to NATO.”

While the rebuke of Trump would be welcomed by European leaders, including Jens Stoltenberg, the head of NATO, it would be unlikely to please the Republicans with whom Starmer may soon have to deal work.

While Anglo-American opposites may attract each other — just look at Blair and Bush or Cameron and Obama — the truth is that neither the Conservatives nor Labor have done enough in recent years to connect closely enough with Trump or the people around him.

As Niall Gardiner of the Conservative think tank The Heritage Foundation points out: “The harsh reality is that neither the Cogs nor Labor have made any serious efforts to engage with US Republicans over the past few years. As for Labour, Starmer is almost completely unknown in Washington, and Conservatives who closely follow political events in the UK have an extremely negative opinion of the Labor leader. The relationship between Trump and Starmer will be extremely tense and difficult.”

Can the right UK Ambassador to the US provide the answer? Reports that Rishi Sunak is set to appoint a replacement for the outgoing Karen Pierce as early as this summer are likely to worry Starmer, who will no doubt prefer his own choice for such a strategically important role. Current runners and racers are believed to include David Cameron's former chief of staff Ed Llewellyn, now the British ambassador to Italy, as well as permanent foreign secretary Philip Barton and his Home Office counterpart Matthew Rycroft.

Former Defense Secretary Sir Liam Fox has also expressed interest, and Nigel Farage has even thrown his hat into the ring, arguing that his close relationship with Trump would be «ideal» for the role if both Labor and Republicans will come to power this year. But with Blair loyalists, including the former prime minister himself, and Lord Mandelson advising Starmer behind the scenes, it is likely that some of the New Labor old guard will want to be rewarded for their loyalty.

p>Can Ambassador Blair reveal the secret to Labor's improved relationship with Trump? Of course, stranger things have happened.