That promise is now under threat after Britain’s closest ally launched an operation in a sovereign state and arrested its leader, leaving the prime minister with an acute political dilemma, the Telegraph reports.
Donald TrumpThe seizure of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores threatens to become a serious problem for Sir Keir, who is trying to consolidate his leadership after a difficult year.
Having invested political capital in building a cautious but cordial relationship with the unpredictable US president, the Labor leader must now weigh that connection against his outspoken values and growing unrest in his own backbench, where some MPs have long defended the Venezuelan government.
Pressure from the Labor left
Richard Burgon, chairman of the Socialist Campaign Group, urged Sir Keir to “stand up to Trump’s gangster politics” and said he “should respond to an illegal bombing and kidnapping by Trump in exactly the same way as he would if Putin had carried it out.”
“Either Keir Starmer believes in international law – or he doesn’t,” he added.
As the international backlash continues, the prime minister is being pulled in multiple directions.
One source of pressure comes from the Labor left, which has already forced several policy changes and is now calling for a clear condemnation of Maduro’s detention.
Starmer must ‘take a firmer stand’ against Trump
Labor MPs Jon Trickett, Kim Johnson and Kate Osborne echoed Burgon’s comments and called on Sir Keir to take a stronger stand against Trump.
John McDonnell, the former shadow chancellor under Jeremy Corbyn, also questioned how US action differed from Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
The MP, a prominent figure within the Socialist Campaign Group, previously described the Venezuelan system as “socialism in action”, before later saying the country had taken a “wrong turn”.
He has faced criticism in the past, including claims that his support for a four-day working week in 2019 was an attempt to steer Britain towards Venezuela’s economic model.
Responding to early reports about the US operation, Mr McDonnell said: “If this is true, without legal sanctions, without UN decision, what difference is there in international law between Trump’s attack on Venezuela and Putin’s invasion of Ukraine?
“If the British government stands for the rule of law, Keir Starmer must condemn it.”
Increasing criticism from commentators
Left-wing writer Owen Jones expressed a similar view. Writing on X he said: “Keir Starmer knows the facts: the US has blatantly broken international law by attacking Venezuela.
“He won’t say it because he’s halfway up Donald Trump’s ass.”
These interventions point to a second consideration shaping Sir Keir’s response: his own legal views and the advice of Lord Hermer, his closest legal confidant.
The Prime Minister has consistently presented himself as a defender of the rule of law, regularly emphasizing the need for countries to follow international agreements.
Labour’s election manifesto pledged to “once again be a good partner for international development and a defender of the international rule of law.”
Lord Hermer, the attorney general and a long-time associate of Sir Keir, previously argued that compliance with international law benefits people across the UK.
Starmer fails to commit
He also said Britain intended to “lead the way in international law” on the world stage.
Despite this, Sir Keir has refused to say whether he believes Trump has broken international law. He says further details are needed.
Media figures have intensified the investigation.
Lewis Goodall said on the News Agents podcast: “The US has effectively invaded a sovereign nation without the consent of the United Nations.
“It has kidnapped a sitting head of state, and it has done so not on the basis of international law, but on the basis of its own domestic law, which has no jurisdiction.”
Rory Stewart, former Conservative MP and co-host of The Rest Is Politics podcast, argued that Europe needs to “wake up to the threat posed by the US”.
Veteran BBC journalist John Simpson warned that Trump’s push for “forced regime change” would weaken America’s position if China turned against Taiwan.
Balance between principles and diplomacy
A third factor weighing on Sir Keir is his determination to protect his carefully managed relationship with the US president.
The prime minister has made sustained efforts to engage Mr Trump in the hope of brokering trade deals, largely avoiding direct public criticism.
Sir Keir must now decide whether the intervention in Venezuela represents a breach serious enough to justify challenging Washington, or whether preserving diplomatic ties will take priority.
#Labor #tearing #civil #war #Maduros #capture