DAILY MAIL COMMENT: We must strike our own deal with Donald Trump

Sir Keir Starmer’s presence at Armistice Day commemorations in Paris was his third visit to France since he became PM.

Unsurprising, one might say, for him to want to maintain close relations with our near neighbour and key Nato ally.

But beyond the ceremonials, subjects for discussion between Sir Keir and President Macron included how to respond to Donald Trump’s threat to impose trade tariffs.

Given Labour’s obvious contempt for Mr Trump, it could seem to some across the Atlantic that Britain and the EU are plotting to form a united front against America’s new President-elect. These are dangerous optics.

We don’t yet know exactly what Mr Trump intends. He has talked tough, but Sir Keir should know better than most that promises made in election campaigns are often hot air.

French President Emmanuel Macron, second left, and Britain’s Prime Minister Keir Starmer look on upon their arrival on the Arc de Triomphe to attend commemorations marking the 106th anniversary of the November 11, 1918, Armistice, ending World War I, in Paris

Beyond the ceremonials, subjects for discussion between Sir Keir and President Macron included how to respond to Donald Trump ’s threat to impose trade tariffs

And if tariffs are imposed, there may be a difference between those placed on British and EU goods. 

Should that happen, we must respond in our own national interest, not hang on the coat-tails of Brussels.

Challenged as it has sometimes been in recent years, the US/UK special relationship still exists. We are the biggest foreign provider of services to America and US corporates are huge investors here.

If the EU wants to engage in a tit-for-tat trade war with our most important partner, that’s their business. We should not be sucked in just so the PM can curry favour with Brussels.

One of the main advantages of Brexit is that we can make major trade decisions on our own behalf. In the coming turbulent months, that may prove a godsend.

Questions for Welby

The Church of England has not flourished under Justin Welby. Congregations are in precipitous decline and some 3,500 churches have closed since he became Archbishop of Canterbury in 2013.

His liberal approach on such issues as same-sex blessings has alienated many conservative Anglicans and setting aside £100million ‘to address the legacy of slavery’ while parish priests live in penury is seen by many as putting Leftist virtue-signalling before the welfare of the clergy.

Now, members of the General Synod have launched a petition calling on him to resign over his failure to stop a notorious paedophile preying on young boys despite, according to an official report, having had ‘some knowledge’ of concerns around his activities.

But whether the Archbishop goes or stays, the Church remains in an existential struggle for relevance. If it is to survive, its leaders must focus on the spiritual and pastoral needs of parishioners, instead of constantly wading into the shark pool of secular politics.

Members of the General Synod have launched a petition calling on Justin Welby to resign over his failure to stop a notorious paedophile preying on young boys

Is Cop just hot air?

Has the Cop climate conference outlived its usefulness? The leaders of the three biggest polluters, China, the US, and India, will not attend Cop 29 in Baku, suggesting its importance may be waning.

A ludicrous demand from developing countries that wealthy nations contribute £1trillion a year to help them cope with climate change just adds to the sense of unreality.

Sir Keir will no doubt make some grandiose statement about the UK’s ‘ambitious’ Net Zero target. But as we contribute just 0.9 per cent of the world’s emissions, it’s just a sideshow.

Labour could abandon fossil fuels and carpet Britain with wind turbines, solar farms and hideous pylons without having any discernible effect on climate change. The only real consequence would be power cuts and a horribly blighted landscape.