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Starmer must be 'tough as Churchill' in Trump summit
The Independent
|February 24, 2025
Political biographer says US talks could be PM's 'finest hour'
Sir Keir Starmer can make history at his meeting with Donald Trump this week - but only if he shows Churchillian strength and stands up for Britain and Europe. That is the message of the UK's leading political biographer Sir Anthony Seldon on the eve of the prime minister's trip to Washington on Thursday.
Sir Anthony said Sir Keir’s visit could be his “finest hour”, a reference to Winston Churchill’s famous speech in 1940 when he rallied the nation to defy Adolf Hitler. Sir Keir must pledge to go even further than he has already in ordering a major increase in Britain’s defence spending – as demanded by President Trump.
But he must also promise to end the “feebleness” of Europe and show it is powerful enough to be a “challenge and threat” to both America and Russia.
Writing in The Independent, Sir Anthony said: “Trump understands strength. He despises supplicants and weakness. The United States and Russia have been feeding off the feebleness of Europe.” 
This story is from the February 24, 2025 edition of The Independent.
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