Donald Trump has predicted a difficult premiership for Sir Keir Starmer, warning the Prime Minister will struggle to stay in office unless he addresses the twin issues of immigration and energy policy. Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One as he returned from a three-day visit to China, the US president said it would be “tough” for Sir Keir to survive.
Trump’s reasoning: immigration and energy at the fore
Mr Trump was categorical in his criticism, stating that the UK needs to get “tough on immigration” and that Europe is being “very, very hurt by immigration all over Europe.” He argued that Sir Keir’s approach to border control is too lenient, a stance that echoes the president’s own hardline policies in the United States.
On energy, Mr Trump renewed his long-running call for the UK to expand North Sea drilling. He has repeatedly used the slogan “drill, baby, drill” on his Truth Social platform and during a state visit to Britain last year, where he reportedly harassed the Prime Minister about cutting oil regulations for three consecutive days. “I told him from day one, you’re getting killed on energy,” Mr Trump said this week, asking whether Sir Keir should quit or fight on. “That’s up to him,” the president added, before describing Sir Keir as “windmilling the country to death” – a reference to the government’s reliance on wind turbines, which Mr Trump has called “unsightly,” “expensive jokes” that “kill the birds” and “put you out of business.”
The president’s intervention comes as the Starmer government pursues a ban on new licences for oil and gas fields in the North Sea as part of its net‑zero commitments. The UK’s energy secretary, Ed Miliband, has insisted that “the era of fossil fuel security is over, and the era of clean energy security must come of age,” arguing the country needs to “get off the fossil fuel rollercoaster.” The government’s “Energy Independence Bill,” outlined in the King’s Speech, aims to scale up homegrown renewable generation and nuclear power to deliver at least 95% clean electricity by 2030. Economists, however, note that the North Sea is a “declining basin” with about 93% of its potential oil and gas already extracted, and that maximising what remains would save households only between £16 and £82 a year if tax revenues were redistributed – or nothing at all if they were not, because prices are set by international markets. By contrast, a fully renewable-powered UK could cut household bills by up to £441 a year, according to analysts.
Starmer under siege from within his own party
Sir Keir is already facing a mounting leadership challenge that threatens to cut his premiership short. Labour suffered disastrous losses in recent local and regional elections, haemorrhaging votes to Reform UK and the Green Party, and more than 80 Labour MPs have called on the Prime Minister to resign or set a timetable for his departure. Key figures have broken ranks: Health Secretary Wes Streeting resigned from the Cabinet, Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham is seeking a route back to Parliament to mount a challenge, and Deputy Leader Angela Rayner has indicated she could consider a contest.
The internal civil war has been fuelled by broader political and economic pressures. The government is grappling with a £20 billion hole in public finances, stubborn inflation, modest GDP growth, and a controversy over the vetting of Peter Mandelson’s appointment as ambassador to the United States due to his association with Jeffrey Epstein. The UK has also seen a revolving door of prime ministers since the Brexit vote, with Sir Keir becoming the fourth occupant of Downing Street in five years at one point.
Mr Trump, meanwhile, has widened his criticism beyond immigration and energy. He expressed disappointment with the UK’s stance on the Middle East, particularly its initial reluctance to allow use of British military bases, and declared the special relationship “not like it used to be.” He also warned that the UK-US trade deal “can always be changed.” Sir Keir, for his part, has vowed to “get on with governing” and insists he has no intention of standing down, but the pressure from his own party shows no sign of abating.
