Starmer tiptoeing or barging his way into the White House?

Going to pay a call on Donald Trump at any time is a risky business. What sort of mood will he be in? Will he be friendly? Will he just say no to everything? But for Keir Starmer, there will be much more at stake when he visits Trump next Thursday. Trump knows what Starmer is going to say about Ukraine and his cosy chat with Putin last week. Trump will expect Starmer to be full of advice and warnings and appeals. But if Starmer has the right stuff in his head and heart, he should take a much tougher line and stand up for what's right and go for it. Namby pamby appeals for poor old Britain to be involved in the peace negoatiations or overstated admiration for Zelensky will not impress Trump. He hates whiners. But if Starmer walks in 6ft tall and strong handshake and no-nonsense presentation of the facts, and Trump might listen. He will already have heard the same story from President Macron who is due in the White House on Monday. Trump likes Macron, ever since he was invited to attend the Bastille Day military parade in Paris during his first term as president. That parade seriously impressed Trump and he returned to Washington demanding a similar parade. He didn't get it. So, Macron will lay out the worries of the Europeans about Trump's rapprochement with Putin and the deal-in-the-making to end the war in Ukraine. Trump will listen because Macron is of equal status although only in the sense that they are both presidents. Starmer is just a humble prime minister with a king as head of state, although Trump has said before he likes him. But if Starmer whinges he will get nowhere. It will have to be tough talk all the way. But he mustn't forget the importance of his opening line which has to be something along these lines: "Mr President, I want to say, thank God for your leadership. Here we are with the real possibility that you, with us behind you, can end this terrible war in Ukraine. Brilliant, wonmderful, a breath of fresh air. Bye bye Biden, hello King Trump." Then Starmer can say what he really wants to say while Trump is glowing with the praise from the Man from Blighty.