Britain’s leader has found purpose abroad. He needs it at home too

Was this his finest hour? Crisis has certainly revealed a different—if not quite Churchillian—side to Sir Keir Starmer, one that is surprisingly deft and purposeful. In Washington the prime minister removed Britain from the cross-hairs of Donald Trump’s tariff onslaught, charming the president with a letter from King Charles. In London he sought to corral European colleagues around a plan for peace in Ukraine. In attempting to mediate the toxic relationship between Volodymyr Zelensky, the Ukrainian president, and Mr Trump, the stiff upper lip which has been a liability at home is suddenly an asset. Even Rachel Reeves, the chancellor, has been uncharacteristically agile in exploiting Russian assets to aid Ukraine.