Sir Keir Starmer is pinning his hopes of political revival on the long-awaited state visit by Donald Trump as the two leaders unveiled a multibillion-pound tech investment deal to kick off the historic two-day affair.
The under-fire prime minister will be hoping to make progress on the international stage after coming through his worst fortnight since entering office. The past two weeks have seen the sacking of Peter Mandelson and the resignation of two of Sir Keir’s key allies, events that have prompted speculation that he may not remain in post until the next election.
As President Trump touched down in the UK, the two leaders announced a “tech prosperity deal” that will see Britain and the US cooperate on AI, nuclear power, and quantum computing. As part of £31bn worth of backing from America’s top tech companies, Microsoft will make its largest ever investment in the UK, of £22bn.
As a buoyant Mr Trump departed the White House, he made clear that he is open to helping Britain when it comes to trade, but reserved his praise for “my friend” King Charles, whom he described as an “elegant gentleman”.
He told reporters: “They want to see if they can refine the trade deal … and I’m into helping them.”
Asked about his feelings towards the UK after arriving on Tuesday evening, Mr Trump said: “I love it. I love Turnberry, I love Aberdeen.
“I have a lot of things here that warm my heart. I want to tell you. It’s a very special place.”
Talking about his relationship with the King, he said: “He’s been a friend of mine for a long time, and everybody respects him, and they love him.”
For Mr Trump, the historic visit takes place against a backdrop of rising domestic tensions, with the assassination of Charlie Kirk and a row over free speech dominating headlines in the US, and, on the global front, Israel’s bombardment of Gaza reaching a new intensity.
Security will be at its highest throughout the two-day visit as Mr Trump fulfils a busy schedule. This will include a visit to Windsor Castle, where he will be hosted by the King, before a visit to Chequers, the prime minister’s country home, on Thursday.
Police have said they are ready to respond to potential incidents given the “very high threat level”, with armed officers patrolling the streets of Windsor throughout the president’s stay, in what is believed to be the biggest policing operation since the King’s coronation.
Protests are planned in Windsor and central London in response to Mr Trump’s visit.
The occasion presents a brief moment of respite for Sir Keir, who on Monday faced more criticism of his handling of the Mandelson scandal during an emergency debate in the Commons, in which the Tory leader, Kemi Badenoch, accused the PM and his chief adviser of “forcing through” the appointment of the now former US ambassador.
The bigger prize for the prime minister, however, was the technology deal to lock the UK and US together as a superpower on future technologies for decades to come.
According to the government, the new transatlantic pact will speed up world-leading AI research to help develop new drugs, faster lifesaving treatments, and improved cancer care. It also believes the alliance will usher in a golden age of nuclear technology, delivering clean, homegrown energy and unlocking highly paid jobs for Britain’s workforce.
The northeast of England is set to become a new AI growth zone – creating the potential for more than 5,000 jobs and billions in private investment – alongside a major deal struck between British firm Nscale and leading American firms Nvidia and OpenAI to deliver a Stargate UK.
Sir Keir said: “This tech prosperity deal marks a generational step-change in our relationship with the US, shaping the futures of millions of people on both sides of the Atlantic, and delivering growth, security and opportunity up and down the country.
“By teaming up with world-class companies from both the UK and the US, we’re laying the foundations for a future where together we are world leaders in the technology of tomorrow, creating highly skilled jobs, putting more money in people’s pockets, and ensuring this partnership benefits every corner of the United Kingdom.”
The build-up to Mr Trump’s second state visit has already seen London and Washington announce a deal in which they will cooperate to build new nuclear power stations, and a £5bn investment by Google in Britain’s AI sector.
It also follows the agreement of an economic deal in May this year that included a reduction in some tariffs imposed by Mr Trump in April, although plans to cut US tariffs on British steel have yet to be implemented.
