Prime Minister Starmer's Betrayal of Canada - Cowardly, Craven and Pointless.
Although his subsequent leading of the charge on support to Ukraine is to be applauded.
At a White House Press Conference on 27 February with President Trump I saw something I hoped I would never see – a truly cowardly and craven response to two media questions from British Prime Minister Keir Starmer.
What were the questions? Very simple ones asking what the Prime Minister’s stance was on President Trump’s threats to make Canada the 51st state. In a display of swerving that any football or rugby player would be more than proud of he said … nothing of relevance. Nada. Zilch.
Really? I mean really?
Needless to say lots of Canadians are very upset about this. Justifiably so in my view. I spoke on Conversations with Ben O’Hara-Bryne from Global News about this on 28 February. I wasn’t complimentary about the Prime Minister. It is my view that the Prime Minister’s failure to come out strongly in support of Canada on this was cowardly, craven and pointless.
Let me explain why.
There seems to be a feeling in the Prime Minister’s inner circle that flattery, being nice and not calling out President Trump on his more egregious statements is more likely to lead to success on issues such as trade negotiations and getting support for Ukraine and NATO.
That approach failed spectacularly quickly after the Prime Minister’s trip to Washington - as we saw with that astonishing meeting between President Trump and President Zelenskyy in the White House on 28 February.
Instead we had the shocking spectacle of the leader of the country which has been seen as the ‘Leader of the Free World’ attacking the President of a country which is the victim of an unprovoked and illegal invasion by Putin’s Russia. Indeed the language used by the President and Vice-President Vance parroted that of Putin.
It really was the spectacle and a clear indication that the US is not in the same place as many of the rest of us. Indeed it cannot be relied upon to do the right thing – only apparently being willing to do so if there is something in it for the US.
So being nice was pointless it seems.
The Prime Minister’s failure to address the question was also cowardly and craven.
The reality is tough men and tough businessmen (and President Trump is no doubt one of those), like Soviet/Russian leaders, respect strength and people who stand up to them. I’m not suggesting the Prime Minister should have engaged in a shouting match with President Trump. But I am saying that taking this opportunity to show support for Canada and explain there are red lines is important.
As I have often said Canada needs to do more on e.g. defence and free trade (and intra-provincial trade no less). But things like this transcend those disagreements – friends often differ, but when the chips are down they stand together.
Canada is a close ally. We have fought and died together in Europe and Afghanistan (and elsewhere). We have upheld the values of the rules-based international system and equality through thick and thin – in some of the most difficult environments in the world.
And we are family. Lots of Canadians have links to the UK and lots of Brits have family in Canada. For goodness sake large parts of the British population love Canada so much they would jump at the chance to move there! This is not just any old country, this is Canada! It deserves our public support.
And I know parts of the British population are upset at the failure of the Prime Minister to say something.
Many in Canada have also been critical of His Majesty The King’s failure to say something. As I explained to Ben O’Hara-Bryne we need to be careful here.
The bottom line is that The King is a Constitutional Monarch. Yes he could technically withhold Royal Assent to laws and such like but the reaction to that would be spectacular. We also need to be careful what we wish for.
So let’s say he said something on this. Fantastic, lots of people would be happy. But what if he subsequently said something on an issue which people didn’t agree with? He would, no doubt, be told to stay out of matters which shouldn’t concern a Constitutional Monarch. You can’t expect him to just speak on things which you think he should. So, in my view, it is best for The King to stay, publicly, out of political discourse. What he might say in person behind closed doors is, of course, a different thing.
The good thing to come from all of this is the staunch UK, Canadian and European support for Ukraine (although the Prime Minister’s comments on 02 March that the US is not an ‘unreliable ally’ are a little hard to take in the current situation).
Having said that I must give credit where credit is due. The Prime Minister’s Lancaster House Summit on 02 March 2025 laid out a clear road path of support for Ukraine – if necessary without the involvement of the US. It showed the best of the Prime Minister – helping pull together a ‘coalition of the willing’. It was, no doubt, a success for the Prime Minister and for British diplomacy.
So maybe the Prime Minister has got the memo. But will he now say something about Canada?