Sir Keir Starmer is using Donald Trump’s charisma and star power in an attempt to ditch his “stiff and technocratic” image, an expert says. The Prime Minister hopes to improve his terrible poll ratings by “latching on” to Mr Trump when the pair meet during the President’s visit to Scotland later this month, said former Republican strategist Alan Goodman.
President Trump will be in Aberdeen for a visit to his Turnberry golf course. Speaking to GB News, Mr Goodman said about Sir Keir: “The latest opinion polls in the United Kingdom about his leadership… I think they’re at all-time lows. I saw him down to like 23 per cent approval. I think on most scorecards, he’s had – at best – a stumbling first year in office.
“He’s now facing increasing inflation, dissatisfaction with some of the other programmes that he’s put into play. I think he’s got to go outside his normal party comfort zone.”
Mr Goodman told GB News: “The President of the United States and Keir Starmer have developed a union of common interest, right where both of them can profit from doing things together.
“If Starmer becomes the gateway for Donald Trump in terms of a conversation into the rest of western Europe, that’s a big score for Starmer.
“If the trade and tariff situation ends up being somewhat resolved between Great Britain and the United States, that’s a big deal, because Trump is looking for early wins on the tariff front.
“Our view from America is Starmer is relatively technocratic and stiff.
“Yet, by latching on to Donald Trump, who has a lot of those things, he inherits something he doesn’t have naturally, and that’s something he can use.”
The police trade union in Scotland has threatened to take legal action over the Trump visit. Officers are weighing up legal action against Police Scotland over its plans for Donald Trump’s visit to the country this month. The Scottish Police Federation (SPF), which represents 98% of all police officers in Scotland, said the force has already breached health and safety standards in the run up to the visit by the US president.
Thousands of officers are expected to be involved in what Police Scotland has described as a “significant policing operation”. The White House confirmed Mr Trump will visit his golf courses in Aberdeenshire and Ayrshire between July 25 and 29.
He will meet the Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and the First Minister John Swinney during his private trip. The visit is likely to result in widespread protests, following similar demonstrations during his last visit to Scotland.
David Kennedy, general secretary of the SPF, suggested planning for the visit has already put officers at risk. He said: “We currently have workforce agreements in place to protect police officers and provide minimum standards of Health and Safety at work.
“Sadly, we have seen these agreements breached in the days leading to the arrival of Potus (President of the United States) and as such we are seeking legal advice regarding potential legal action against the service.”
Speaking to STV News, Mr Kennedy said he had “major concerns” about the plans to police Mr Trump’s trip.
He told the broadcaster: “We do not have enough police officers in Scotland. Anyone that says we do, I don’t know where they get those figures from.
“We know what police officers have to do day in, day out and we need more officers in Scotland. When these events come along that puts those officers that are here under so much pressure.”
Police Scotland said earlier this month it would seek help from the Scottish and UK Governments over the “considerable” cost of policing the visit.
It has also asked for support from Northern Ireland’s police force, the PSNI.