From ‘brilliant ally’ to ‘weak and stupid’ within the same paragraph, it’s hard to know how to handle the impulsive outbursts from America’s 47th President. And yet, this is the position in which the British prime minister found himself this week as he stood firm in the face of Donald Trump’s threats to Greenland.
Some back channel diplomacy in Davos helped put US European relations back on an even keel but it’s clear the so-called ‘special relationship’ is under strain. So where does Keir Starmer turn now? Does he stick with the decades-old transatlantic alliance, does he push for more European integration, or does he look further afield to China?
To discuss this and more, political editor George Parker is joined by Whitehall editor Lucy Fisher, columnist and writer of the ‘Inside Politics’ newsletter Stephen Bush, and the FT’s foreign editor Alec Russell.
And sign up here for Stephen's morning newsletter, Inside Politics, for straight-talking insight into the stories that matter, plus puns and tongue-(mostly)-in-cheek analysis. Get 30 days free
Political Fix was presented by George Parker and produced by Clare Williamson. Flo Phillips is the executive producer. Sound engineering by Breen Turner. Cheryl Brumley is the FT’s global head of audio.
Clip from Channel 4
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