When Sir Keir Starmer holds lunchtime talks with Donald Trump in the White House he must play his ace card - Brexit. Britain’s course for the rest of this decade and beyond is on the line in this high stakes showdown with the US President. Tariffs, a trade deal, global defence, Nato, Russia and China are all on the table.

The prime minister wants to keep everyone happy. He has been loath to criticize Trump, has warmed up Britain’s post-Brexit partnership with the European Union, avowedly backed Kyiv and thawed ties with China. At a time of geopolitical upheaval, he is attempting to squeeze Britain into an impossibly tight Venn diagram.

President Donald Trump said he would restart long-stalled negotiations on trade with the UK, as British Prime Minister Keir Starmer heralded a “new economic deal” between the two countries.