Standing by Our Allies: The Risks of Trump’s Re-election for UK Security and Stability
We have just commemorated Remembrance Day and honoured those who made the ultimate sacrifice to preserve our freedom and our democratic way of life. In 2024, the stability that they fought to secure is in peril. The re-election of Donald Trump as US President has the potential to bring significant risks, particularly for the UK and Europe. Trump’s endorsement of Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine, suggests a willingness to overlook Russian aggression. Worse still, his equivocal attitude to NATO threatens the very core of our security alliances that protected us through the dark years of the Cold War.
Trump’s stance on trade is equally concerning. The threat of import tariffs on British goods to the USA leaves the UK economy exposed. Our businesses and consumers are already grappling with high costs, and a trade war with the USA would only increase pressures on supply chains, raising prices on everyday goods and services.
During Prime Minister’s questions on Wednesday 6 November, I listened with concern to Kemi Badenoch in her first outing as Conservative Party Leader. What I heard was someone who was prepared to undermine our government’s standing with our closest ally in pursuit of scoring cheap political points. The country needs opposition, but it must always be constructive.
Some readers will be pleased to see Mr Trump return to the Whitehouse, others will be aghast. Regardless of which camp you are in, I hope that everyone agrees that Donald Trump has been democratically elected, and a peaceful handover of power shows the strength of the USA’s democratic systems just as was the case for our own change of government back in July.
We must never forget those who gave so much to secure peace, and we must uphold their legacy by safeguarding it in our own time. It falls to us to stand firmly with our allies and protect our economy, regardless of shifts in American leadership. Only by leading decisively on the global stage can we ensure that we honour our veterans’ sacrifices and secure a safer, more stable future.