Keir Starmer was on a secret mission when he flew off to Norway for the Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF) meeting with heads of government of European Nato allies.
Yes, he was there to press the case for the “coalition of the willing” to protect Ukraine in a post peace settlement reality before heading to Kyiv.
But he had other important business linked to his government’s economic growth and defence cooperation agendas – selling frigates.
The Norwegian government is about to make a decision on buying new frigates for their navy, but who to buy from? The choice (as often seems to be the case) is Britain or France.
It certainly helped that when Sir Keir had his bilateral meeting about a Norwegian ship with Norway’s PM, Jonas Gahr Støre warmly described him as “our best friend.”
As the sun shone down on the two men standing on the ship’s deck in the idyllic setting of Oslo’s harbour, it seemed like a match made in heaven.
Sir Keir battled with his inner robot to give an equally effusive response: “The relationship between our two countries has been historically close, particularly on defence and is in the strongest position it has been probably ever.”
Code for: “Buy our frigates please, we are your best friends.”
But after a week where he did what none of his predecessors had achieved and unveiled trade deals with both India and the US in three days, this was a prime minister who was brimming with confidence over his ability to pull off a deal.
For all the bad results in the local elections last week, the rise of Farage, the complaining about welfare and winter fuel cuts from his backbenchers, the lack of economic growth and the bile on social media, Sir Keir looks remarkably relaxed, comfortable and confident in his own skin.
It is noticeable that while he has not been in Downing Street for a year yet, other international leaders gravitate towards him at events, respect his competence and advice.
That was with the possible exception of Danish prime minister Mette Frederiksen who gave Starmer a disgruntled look at the JEF summit – probably because she is still fighting Trump over Greenland and the British prime minister is instead signing trade deals with him.
It may help the UK’s case for selling frigates to Norway that HMS St Albans the youngest of the type 23 frigates was sitting in Oslo harbour where it has helped patrol the northern passes tracking Russian submarines.
Commissioned in 2001 it has recently had a £100 million upgrade and is likely to be in service for at least another decade maybe more. However, the UK also has the new type 26 and type 31 frigates coming through which have also been bought by Australia and Canada.
Given that French President Emmanuel Macron has, at least for now, locked the UK out of EU defence procurement, this Norway deal is very important.
Starmer strode up the gangway with a spring in his step looking like a leader as he was piped on with a “side”, the long whistle usually reserved for royalty or very senior officers.
As he was given the tour of the ship you could see how some of the stereotypes of an awkward man who cannot emote with people are not true.
Whether it was small talk in the mess with some slightly nervous sailors of taking selfies with crew on deck by the Merlin helicopter, Starmer seemed at ease and actually enjoying himself.
It may have helped that the officer who initiated the round of selfies told him his father was a former Labour councillor – we never got the opportunity to find out if he had lost his seat last week.
But it was on board where Sir Keir sat down to talk with The Independent and it was noticeable how much his confidence as a leader had grown since previous encounters. But when you have eyeballed Trump and Modi, on course to undoing much of the harms of Brexit, and led the international efforts to get a better solution for Ukraine, it breeds confidence.
And the PM summed up his approach – “calm pragmatic and serious.”
He said: “We’re calm, pragmatic, seriously getting on with negotiations, not getting out the megaphones, but just doing the serious diplomacy.
“It’s central to what we want to do, which is to grow the economy, create wealth, make people feel better off, and when you’re protecting jobs, creating more opportunities, that is a really good way of creating wealth in that way.”
In a time of turmoil there is a need for serious, calm and pragmatic leaders – and that is maybe why Starmer is finding so much success on the international stage. From the body language of those interacting with him at the conference, those qualities certainly seem to be appreciated by his fellow government leaders.
So maybe Norway will buy British frigates.
