Trump's visit is a huge opportunity for under fire PM

DONALD Trump made history this week by becoming the first US President to make a second state visit to the UK - a fact I'm sure pleases him greatly. Yes, this unprecedented honour is a huge ego boost and, as far as No10 goes, a stroke of diplomatic genius.

- Esther Krakue

But for Sir Keir Starmer, whose premiership is not long for this world, there's a lot at stake. He knows a betting man wouldn't put the house on his lasting past next summer.

Such is the comedy of errors his leadership has become that no one sees any good news for the Government he's (barely) running. The country is staring down the barrel of a deeply unpopular tax-busting Budget come November - alongside all the things that are going wrong: the economy, small boats, and creaking public services to name but a few.

And who can forget Starmer's increasingly shrinking band of loyalists, following the departures of Angela Rayner, Peter Mandelson and special adviser Paul Ovenden, forced to resign over mortifyingly offensive messages about Diane Abbott.

Yet, believe it or not, all is not lost. There is still much to play for - and this visit is a huge opportunity. If Starmer has any political sense, he will treat Trump's arrival as more than just a photo opportunity. The task is straightforward: keep the noisy student activists at bay, steer clear of sideshows like Epstein, and secure commitments from Washington that actually matter.