80 m. ago What can Keir Starmer say at the White House that Donald Trump might listen to? | Andrew Rawnsley

The stakes couldn’t be higher and the risks couldn’t be greater when the prime minister visits Washington this weekFor British prime ministers, with their ideas about the world shaped by the histories of Churchill and Roosevelt, Maggie and Ronnie, and the rest of the folklore about the transatlantic alliance, the prospect of a visit to the White House usually causes tingles of excitement. One of our senior diplomats once offered me an explanation of the allure: “The red carpet is laid out, the national anthems are played, all that stuff is very seductive.” This will be customarily accompanied by ritualistic words about the importance and invincibility of the “special relationship”.Number 10 lobbied hard to get Sir Keir Starmer across the Atlantic early in the second term of Donald Trump and, until recently, Downing Street people were telling themselves that an encounter between the two men needn’t be a disaster and might even turn out to be a success. In the weeks since Trump’s re-e...

Politics

2 h. ago Why world needs Keir Starmer to play role of 'Trump whisperer', however distasteful it is

The challenge for Keir Starmer and other democratic world leaders is to keep the US within the global family of liberal democracies until Donald Trump leaves office

Politics

2 h. ago Voices: Why I support The Independent’s campaign to oppose Donald Trump’s assault on democracy and liberty

Keir Starmer must stand up on behalf of Britain in the face of Trump’s attempt to dismantle the post-Second World War security architecture of our continent, writes Sir Ed Davey

Politics

7 h. ago Starmer pledges ‘ironclad support for Ukraine’ while Trump claims deal ‘close’

Sir Keir Starmer will meet Donald Trump in Washington later this week.

Politics

7 h. ago Britain will 'turn the screws' on Putin with new sanctions on Russia, No10 assures Zelensky as Trump demands return on Ukraine aid money

Sir Keir Starmer is set to fly out for meeting with Donald Trump, while Washington and Kyiv haggle over demands President Zelensky hand over mineral reserves for US military support.

Politics

8 h. ago UK hits Russia with fresh sanctions as part of ‘triple whammy’ to tighten the screws on Putin

Sir Keir Starmer is planning a ‘triple whammy’ of measures to support Kyiv, including the fresh sanctions as well as military aid and a crackdown on Russian dirty money in the UK

Politics

8 h. ago Trump expected to invite Prince William to visit Washington during Starmer meet later this week

President Trump is expected to officially invite Prince William to visit Washington when he meets Sir Keir Starmer later this week, The Mail on Sunday can reveal.

Politics

10 h. ago Keir Starmer: Do not vote for 'dangerous' politics of Nigel Farage

The Prime Minister will urge voters to back a Labour government in Holyrood when he comes to Glasgow.

Politics

10 h. ago LORD ASHCROFT: Starmer is so out of touch with ordinary people... they think he'll holiday on a super

When asked where Sir Keir Starmer would holiday, a recent focus group said Mauritius or the Maldives, or a yacht in the Caribbean as Labour already feels out of touch to many voters.

Politics

11 h. ago Donald Trump wants 'to throw Ukraine to the wolves' and Starmer must charm 'angry old man'

President Donald Trump looks hellbent on turning his back on Ukraine and Europe, but is still keeping the UK and France on side - with Sir Keir Starmer set to touch down in Washington on Thursday for talks on Ukraine

Politics

12 h. ago Keir Starmer says Ukraine must be at heart of peace negotiations ahead of Trump talks

The Prime Minister insisted Kyiv’s voice must be at the heart of any peace negotiations in a call on Saturday

Politics

13 h. ago Keir Starmer lays down Ukraine peace demand ahead of Trump talks

Kyiv ‘must be at the heart of negotiations’ says PM as US threat to block Elon Musk’s Starlink satellites fuels wave of alarmKeir Starmer has raised the stakes before a crucial meeting in Washington with the US president, Donald Trump this week, by insisting that Ukraine must be “at the heart of any negotiations” on a peace deal with Russia.The prime minister made the remarks – which run directly contrary to comments by the US president last week – in a phone call on Saturdaywith Ukraine’s president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, in which he also said that “safeguarding Ukraine’s sovereignty was essential to deter future aggression from Russia”. Continue reading...

Politics

13 h. ago Fatboy Slim: ‘I was in the same class as Keir Starmer – he’s one up on me now’

The electronic producer and DJ Norman Cook talks about learning the violin with Keir Starmer, his love for his label maker and crossing swords with MobyGet our weekend culture and lifestyle emailYou did violin lessons with Keir Starmer when you were a child. Who was better at violin?I can’t actually remember the violin lessons. But I was in the same class at school as Keir for five years, so I remember him well. He must have been better at the violin than me, because I did it for about one term. My parents could take no more noise, so I would say Keir was better. It is quite weird when one day you see someone on the telly and go, “Oh look, it is Keir Starmer from 4B.” I think he’s one up on me by becoming prime minister.Sign up for the fun stuff with our rundown of must-reads, pop culture and tips for the weekend, every Saturday morning Continue reading...

Politics

16 h. ago Starmer vows to push for Ukraine’s sovereignty in Trump talks next week

The Prime Minister insisted Kyiv’s voice must be at the heart of any peace negotiations in a call on Saturday.

Politics

16 h. ago Keir Starmer reveals what he told Zelensky on call before flying to meet Trump

The PM spoke on the phone to Ukraine's president yesterday, before also speaking to European Commission President Ursula Von Der Lyon today

Politics

17 h. ago Keir Starmer's 'ironclad support' for Ukraine: Prime Minister vows to back Zelensky and discuss safeguarding Kyiv's sovereignty with Trump amid tensions

Keir Starmer today vowed to back Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and promised to discuss safeguarding the nation's sovereignty when he meets with US president Donald Trump,

Politics

17 h. ago Voices: Keir Starmer’s secret letter reveals that he sees Nigel Farage as the real leader of the opposition

The prime minister has set out a restrictive approach to immigration in a memo to cabinet ministers – making clear that he sees Reform, not the Conservatives, as the threat at the next election, writes John Rentoul

Politics

18 h. ago Starmer tells Zelensky he will press case for safeguards with Trump

The Prime Minister insisted Kyiv’s voice must be at the heart of any peace negotiations in a call on Saturday.

Politics

23 h. ago Unhinged Donald Trump's scathing three word verdict on Keir Starmer as row over Ukraine peace goes on

The US Commander in Chief has continued to rage against Europe in his latest interview, this time targeting nuclear leaders Sir Keir and President Emmanuel Macron

Politics

25 h. ago Extremists would not need to create an authoritarian state in Britain: Starmer is doing that for them | George Monbiot

The PM and his ministers are supporting illiberal laws that hard-right authoritarians could apply with zealIf the Trump project implodes, it might take with it the extreme and far-right European parties to which it is umbilically connected. Like all such parties, the hard-right Reform UK poses as patriotic while grovelling to foreign interests, and this could be its undoing.But we cannot bank on it. The UK government must do all it can to prevent the disaster that has befallen several other European nations. If it fails to meet people’s needs and keeps echoing far-right talking points, we could go the same way as Italy, the Netherlands, Hungary, Finland, Sweden and Austria.George Monbiot is a Guardian columnist Continue reading...

Culture