THE CRITIC: For now, the kingdom has bought off the monster
In the olden days, a kingdom threatened by a strangely-tinted, tiny-handed, fire-breathing beast might opt to attempt to buy it off with a princess or two. Obviously times have moved on since then. Now we offer them a night at Windsor Castle.
Nothing so emphasises our declining place in the world as our national abasement before Donald Trump. A hundred years ago, such a man turning up in Britain would have been horsewhipped. These days, nothing is too much trouble. So he gets a second state visit, and a banquet and the Red Arrows and the Red Devils and everything else we can give him.
Everyone knows why Keir Starmer is doing this, and however unpleasant it is to watch, most people seem to accept that he has to do it. He approaches Trump as one might a very rich but increasingly senile relative who is in the habit of changing their will on a daily basis. Yes, Mr President. So wise, Mr President. How interesting, Mr President. How unfair the Nobel Committee are to you, Mr President. » | Robert Hutton | Thursday, September 18, 2025
