DAN HODGES: What DO Biden and Starmer have against each other? The story behind the President's 'snub' of Keir

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What have Joe Biden and Keir Starmer got against each other? I ask the question, because every year before a UK general election a highly choreographed and sacred ritual takes place. The UK opposition leader and sitting US President sit down for a face-to-face meeting, highlighting the unbreakable, eternal bond that is ‘The Special Relationship’.

In July 2014, Ed Miliband sat down with Barack Obama in the White House and – during a dialogue that underlined the depressing intractability of global geopolitics – discussed ‘the crisis in Ukraine and Gaza’. In 2009 David Cameron was treated to what the Guardian described as ‘the full works’ during a meeting at the US Ambassador’s residence at Winfield House. The red carpet was also rolled out to Samantha Cameron, who exchanged gifts including a Lara Bohinc bracelet with the President’s wife Michelle.

Every year before a UK general election, the opposition leader and sitting US President sit down for a face-to-face meeting - but Joe Biden appears to have snubbed this sacred ritual

Every year before a UK general election, the opposition leader and sitting US President sit down for a face-to-face meeting – but Joe Biden appears to have snubbed this sacred ritual

In April 1996, Tony Blair was granted the ultimate diplomatic accolade, a full televised meeting with Bill Clinton in front of the full Washington press corps in the Oval Office. Even Neil Kinnock was granted an Oval Office audience with Ronald Reagan in March 1987, though Kinnock was later forced to deny reports the President had fallen asleep.

But Biden and Starmer appear to have snubbed each other. No meeting. No ‘brush-by’, of the sort Gordon Brown had with Obama in a kitchen in the bowels of the UN in 2009. Not even a cheeky selfie during one of the President’s numerous UK visits.

As far as I can ascertain there is only one recent precedent for such an estrangement. In 2019 Donald Trump turned down a request to meet Jeremy Corbyn, describing the Labour leader as ‘a negative force’.

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Labour’s official line is that a series of diary clashes has prevented the meeting. But people inside the party, and others with connections to the diplomatic community, have suggested other theories.

‘Keir’s focus is just not on the United States,’ one Labour insider said. ‘He’s actually got a very narrow focus in terms of foreign affairs. He’s basically concentrating on Europe. If you look, since he became leader he’s made hardly any other trips outside Europe.’

Another explanation that several Labour sources floated – slightly mischievously – is that the failure to meet was as a result of cock-up by shadow foreign secretary David Lammy. ‘Lammy was supposed to be organising the meeting’, one shadow minister claimed to me, ‘and he was really talking it up to Keir: “I know Barack Obama, boss, you just leave it to me.” But in the end he couldn’t deliver.’

This has even lead to speculation that Lammy could actually be replaced as Foreign Secretary if Labour wins the election – with Bridget Phillipson, Hillary Benn and Yvette Cooper all touted as possible replacements.

But another senior Labour insider rejected the criticism of Lammy. ‘It’s true he likes to talk up his Washington contacts,’ he told me, ‘but this isn’t the sort of thing that you’d rely on him for. There are a lot of formal channels you have to go through. It involves the Embassy, the Foreign Office, the State Department, the White House. It’s not a question of David picking up the phone to his mates.’

A meeting with Sir Keir Starmer, pictured  at the election debate last night, may not be seen as a political priority for the White House, with one source saying 'The truth is no-one in the States knows who Keir Starmer is'

A meeting with Sir Keir Starmer, pictured  at the election debate last night, may not be seen as a political priority for the White House, with one source saying ‘The truth is no-one in the States knows who Keir Starmer is’ 

One diplomatic insider suggested one issue could be the President’s somewhat ‘relaxed’ work schedule. ‘The White House are trying to wrap him in cotton wool,’ he claimed to me, ‘Biden’s only doing about two hours of meetings every day. So it will have been hard to find a window.’

Another source suggested that a meeting with Starmer simply wasn’t a political priority for the White House. ‘The truth is no-one in the States knows who Keir Starmer is. It’s not like it was with Blair, where he had a bit of star appeal. Biden’s involved in a tough re-election campaign. Everything they do now is through the prism of “will this pick us up any votes in Michigan or Wisconsin?”’

According to a Labour source, there’s been a similar degree of political calculation at Team Starmer. ‘Let’s be honest, Biden isn’t Obama or Clinton. He doesn’t impress UK voters. And a lot of the thinking in Keir’s team is focused on how they maintain a relationship if Trump wins. Look at Lammy’s speech last month where he was saying Trump is often misunderstood. They don’t really see any great political up-side to meeting Biden at the moment. Especially with Gaza going on.’

There is one final window of opportunity. Tomorrow, Biden, Sunak, the King and other world leaders assemble for the D-Day commemorations. As Leader of the Opposition, Keir Starmer will also be in attendance.

‘I’d be surprised if they have a full meeting,’ one shadow minister revealed, ‘but it’s a chance for a greet and grab. With the Tories pushing on security I don’t think it would hurt us to have a few photos of Keir Shaking hands with the leader of the free world”.

If Starmer and Biden meet, it will maintain the sacred ritual. But if they don’t, it could begin to raise questions about whether the Special Relationship really is so special after all.




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