KEVIN MAGUIRE Donald Trump siding with soulmate tyrant Putin means UK cant rely on US

‘Brexit has proved catastrophic – an economic calamity – and the migration its backers falsely claimed would fall actually soared after EU freedom of movement ended’

Donald Trump siding with soulmate tyrant Vladimir Putin against Britain, France, Germany, Europe itself and particularly invaded Ukraine is the moment to stop pretending this US President is any kind of ally.

Because he’s an enemy of freedom-loving liberal democracies abroad, including our own – waging ruthless war on liberals back home in America and whipping up mobs against critics daring to challenge his unhinged monarchical rule. There is no art of the deal with a loopy loose cannon forever turning his guns on Nato fellow members yet behaving as if he’s a man we can do business with.

His denunciation of “decaying” Europe is the deep-seated racism of the white supremacist son of a Scottish migrant mother and German grandfather, who despises immigrants with darker skin than his orange.

His hostile 33-page National Security Strategy, welcomed by the Kremlin as “largely consistent with our vision”, is a declaration of war. Trump’s mad Maga movement scheming to rip Italy, Austria, Poland and Hungary out of the European Union after Britain’s self-defeating bad Brexit would be a free gift for Putin and grow Trump into a bigger bully.

The implications are enormous for a Britain sucking on the one-way “special relationship” dependency of a vassal. We can’t rely on Trump and we can’t rely on the US when, in November 2028, it could elect another foe in poisonous JD Vance. The prosperous, safer future is to rejoin our neighbours in the EU, which is the world’s third power force after China and the US.

Labour bound itself hand and foot to shunning the single market or customs union in this parliament. Brexit has proved catastrophic – an economic calamity – and the migration its backers falsely claimed would fall actually soared after EU freedom of movement ended.

The public mood has changed significantly as poll after poll shows rueful folk wishing to return. Labour must take the fight to Trump’s lickspittles Nigel Farage and Kemi Badenoch by promising in its next manifesto to reunite Britain with our nearest and dearest.

Hit the Brextremists where it hurts most by punching the bruise that is their 2016 referendum lies. Or Britain will forever be the trembling 51st state of abusive US maniacs.

Wes is streets ahead in race to replace Starmer

Listing which Labour senior figures don’t fancy their chances of succeeding Keir Starmer might be quicker than naming all those plotting to be Prime Minister as a shadow leadership contest gathers pace. I question whether King of the North Andy Burnham could, whatever fans claim, seize the crown after creating then winning a Parliamentary by-election. It is a fantasy obstacle race capable of tripping him up so that knocks him out.

Former Deputy PM Angela Rayner faces the taxing issue of an HMRC probe into £40,000 stamp duty, “Odd Ed” Miliband’s more popular with party members than voters while hardline Shabana Mahmood’s more popular with voters than party members. Which leaves out in front Wes Streeting, who found time from trying to avert another resident doctors strike in England to launch a “maintenance department” assault on Starmer so thinly veiled it was nakedly transparent.

Mystic Mag’s crystal ball is still cloudy but talking with MPs and ministers, the telegenic Health Secretary is the name most often heard as a potential successor in the back half of next year. I watched failed coups against Tony Blair and Gordon Brown so nothing is certain but besieged Starmer appears increasingly isolated. Is the PM even aware he could soon be made redundant?

That top apprentices earn more than half of graduates after working five years would be no surprise to anybody paying bills from electricians, plumbers and builders. And that’s only fair when skilled workers deserve a decent whack and the old pay gap between blue and white collar jobs was – to some extent still is – rooted in snobbery.

But a report from the Centre for Social Justice founded by Tory welfare slasher Iain Duncan Smith feels part of a Right-wing offensive to put working class kids off going to university.

Tony Blair’s 50% goal was ridiculed by those who wanted them to remain factory-fodder. Yet as a Sunderland Uni visiting professor I’ve witnessed life-changing opportunities and the pride of families in children graduating. Let’s not repeat past mistakes by rubbishing university education to promote vocational training. Another screeching U-turn from Kemi Badenoch following in Nigel Farage’s tracks, this time on petrol and diesel cars.

The Tory leader will be furious with herself when she remembers that as Business Secretary, she set tough electric sales targets enforced by heavy fines under the Zero Emissions Vehicle mandate. Suddenly reversing now, is Badenoch signalling another Right turn to chase a Reform leader in the driving seat? Better performances at Prime Minister’s Questions are no road map to Downing Street if she’s merely Farage’s back-seat passenger.

Going Up

Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood ordering all 43 England and Wales police forces to form specialist rape and sexual offence teams will better protect women but what a scandal to discover that many of them don’t have one already.

Going Down

I have huge respect for former Royal Marine and special forces colonel Al Carns as a Military Cross holder. But the defence minister’s dangerous war talk is alarmist and deserves to be challenged

Speaker’s corner

“How anybody in America can suggest the UK is violent is completely ridiculous. The homicide rate in London is lower than every single US state. It’s lower than all their big cities. The murder rate in New York last time I looked is three or four times higher than London per capita.” Met Police chief Mark Rowley said what the PM should say when Trump lies about Britain. Why does he hate Mayor Sadiq Khan? Any guesses?