Donald Trump’s style of diplomacy is typically financially transactional and frequently bullying. In negotiating a trade agreement with the UK, the President is not going to change his spots. His tone may be friendly and his words soft, but he’ll want Donald Trump to win. The balance of any deal must favour Trump. For him, there’s no point in negotiating unless he comes out top dog and is seen globally to be top dog.

In the short time the American President has been back in the White House, his way of doing business has been all about “what’s in it for America”.

Not only has he destabilised the global economy, but his habit of almost daily shifting the ground – the terms of engagement – has added to the chaos. Stock markets have tumbled, governments rocked, and business confidence slumped.

Trump’s way of politics sees Chancellor Rachel Reeves’ efforts to spark a UK recovery dealt a substantial blow. Brexit made us poorer. Trump makes us poorer still.

Labour ministers say the UK is in the best possible position to win trade deal concessions from Trump because there is an almost equal balance of trade between the UK and the US. That did not stop him last week putting 10% tariffs on all UK goods imported by the US.

Will the UK be the first G7 nation to embrace the new US way of doing business with a trade deal, or economic prosperity deal as it’s now named?

Will Sir Keir Starmer stand smiling with Trump in front of........

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