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Lucas's avatar

We find ourselves in a rather bizarre situation where the American administration has more love for our country than those in Downing Street.

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Thomas Jones's avatar

To be fair, I've got more love for the American administration than for those in Downing Street.

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Joe C's avatar

This is a great read. Not to mention - all Trump wants is for you to be nice to him. It’s that simple!

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Ed West's avatar

thanks!

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Nicholas's avatar

A very level-headed post, and I see that even Biden has issued a call to "lower the temperature" (pity his handlers didn't think of that earlier....). Remarkably, the reaction from many traditional quarters of foam flecked TDS has been quite muted: even the FT seems steamrollered by the popular vote result, although needless to say, there is no apology for its pre-election full throttle dismissal of the legitimacy of someone it does not like participating in the democratic process.

As an aid to lowering the temperature within the US, a raising of the temperature of UK-Trump relations from the Lammy Low would be very beneficial, and could easily begin by making Lammy Governor General of the Chagos Islands. Given Trump's resolutely benign disposition towards the UK, a failure to do this would be little short of economic sabotage, but I fear that Starmer would rather participate in an EU programme for extracting moonbeams out of cucumbers than do a trade deal with Trump's US. Sad.

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Greg's avatar

Governor General of the Chagos Archipelago! Inspired! Or Pitcairn.

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CynthiaW's avatar

** Expect lots more of the ‘disappointed emigrant’ genre of articles in the coming years, along the lines of ‘I didn’t realise this small egalitarian social democracy was so racist!’ **

Although I think it's fine if people who aren't happy with Country A try to find Country B a happier place, I will laugh.

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Back40er's avatar

Great article and reasonable observation about the elite tories and labour both rejecting us conservative Americans. Not too different than our East and West Coast blue comrades that reject our ilk. Great time to be alive, hope we can influence some mollification of attitudes.

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Aidan Barrett's avatar

The big question now is whether as a head of government with two non-consecutive terms, he will be like Grover Cleveland or Emperor Justinian II!

https://books.google.ca/books?id=d-NEEAAAQBAJ&printsec=frontcover&dq=justinian+ii&hl=en&newbks=1&newbks_redir=0&source=gb_mobile_search&sa=X&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q=justinian%20ii&f=false

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Ed West's avatar

I seem to recall that didn't end well...

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Aidan Barrett's avatar

Justinian II was the last emperor of the Heraclian Dynasty (basically a whole dynasty of tragic heroes). His reign had some triumphs, splitting Cyprus with the Arabs, beating the Bulgars, etc, but he was also a bit of a megalomaniac and his reign was followed by a "Twenty Years Anarchy".

Still, at least he wasn't Phocas-tier quality.

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Aidan Barrett's avatar

"This is not the case in much of the world, where Trump’s boastful nature and gaudiness is not so offensive. He is popular in the Middle East for the same reason he repulses so many Nordics; similarly he doesn’t put off Latino voters in the US, but rather the opposite..."

The Donald's style resonates a lot I think with the Macho Hombre type that exists as an exemplar of leadership in a lot of Latin America.

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JonF311's avatar

I'm a fan of "Speak softly amd carry a big stick" Trump's bombast is the exact opposite.

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Thomas Jones's avatar

It's a nice contrast, but it's the "big stick" doing the work, and we've quickly seen e.g. Qatar kick out Hamas leadership. These wars are going to stop now that America has a president who isn't a pushover.

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JonF311's avatar

You vastly overestimate the power of an American president (any of them). Neither Putin nor Netanyahu will dance to Donald Trump's tune any more than they have to Biden's.

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Thomas Jones's avatar

he’s got the biggest of sticks. they’ll dance.

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JonF311's avatar

Nukes? Russia and Israel both have those too

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Neil C's avatar

As a Wolves fan, I'm slightly disappointed that it's a myth that he played for Wolves Youth Team; the dates don't add up and surely he'd have mentioned living in the UK at some point. The Hillary Clinton email scandal, however, does have a Wolves connection; one of the emails on her private server was about getting a Wolves player a visa for a pre-season tour https://www.thesun.co.uk/sport/football/1664737/wolves-and-sylvan-ebanks-blake-dragged-into-hilary-clinton-e-mails-storm/

Former Wolves owner Jack Hayward was also dragged into the Jeremy Thorpe/Norman Scott scandal; he successfully sued the Telegraph for libel when they said he was the paymaster for the killing of Rinka, because he'd supported Thorpe.

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Ed West's avatar

I didn't know that, about Clinton - bizarrre!

The Trump-Wolves things could be true, it's never been disproved!

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Ruairi's avatar

This is the content I am here for

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RomanCandle's avatar

This is a great idea.

You should scour social media and try to get JD Vance to read this.

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Ed West's avatar

he follows me on Twitter so touch wood!

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Oliver's avatar

Surely his mother isn't from our island unless your audience is predominantly the 18,500 people living on Skye.

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Ivan, a Patron of Letters's avatar

A lot of those "leave America" libs are threatening to move to Japan. They are going to HATE it there if they do.

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Tim in NZ (formerly Hoylake)'s avatar

Many are mentioning New Zealand, and we're putting out memes about our killer Kiwi birds who will peck you to death at night.

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Greg's avatar

Nigel Farage is getting a semi over the prospect of his being made the UK’s ambassador to Washington - at Trump’s insistence, people say.

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Tim in NZ (formerly Hoylake)'s avatar

The current British govt is so ideological as to be blind to both their duties and the opportunity situations present. Lamay and lame are next to each other in the dictionary for a reason.

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JonF311's avatar

Can you expand on the part about the Tories and social issues? It's my understanding that the SoCon faction in the UK is miniscule and the Tories are down with SSM and abortion rights.

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Ed West's avatar

Tories voters are way to the right of the Democrats on immigration and general 'woke' issues (gender/race)

they are cultural conservatives but generally not social conservatives.

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JonF311's avatar

Ok, thanks. I forget where I saw it said, but we should note the distinction between Cultural and Social Conservatism.

Many Democratic voters here are not on board with the "Woke" stuff and the sooner the party gets the message the better. It's a big reason Harris lost- turnout was way down compared to 2020. I've voted for Democrats for presidents more often than not. But this year I went with a third party as I could not stomach either Trump or Harris.

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Ed West's avatar

Matthew Walther wrote about the difference and then I wrote about him writing about it https://unherd.com/2021/02/are-you-a-basic-conservative/

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Tim in NZ (formerly Hoylake)'s avatar

2020 had an extra 20 million phantom votes; that number will never be achieved without cheating. Democrat numbers just resorted to their mean. But they're so mean about things...what a bunch of sore losers.

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JonF311's avatar

Tin foil hats are never an acceptable fashion accessory.

Here in the real world turnout was c. 66%-- which is still far short of 100%-- let alone some number over 100% which really would be indication there's some funny business happening.

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Aivlys's avatar

I also couldn't stomach voting for either, so I wrote in RDS. I think a lot of folks abstained.

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Ruairi's avatar

It is very simple- You need Trump to do a 2 minute commercial / webspot Mar de Largo - At a table with some Brits - Plates of Red Lobster, Whataburger, Chiplote, Crackerbarrel, Hooters Wings

Donald says You like this dig in..

Donald says he wants to sell this to the UK. RFK is working on the chemicals.

You can have a cheaper big shop every week

You can eat out more ...

Wait for someone in the PLP to stab Keir in the back

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Aidan Barrett's avatar

Vance might be a Borderer, but he seems to have been "civilized" by his "spirit guide" of an ancient civilization:

https://www.google.com/amp/s/m.economictimes.com/news/international/world-news/how-jd-vances-hindu-wife-shaped-his-personal-and-spiritual-path/amp_articleshow/111788682.cms

An interesting question would if many of Vance's other...more controversial guides will have a surprising amount of influence in the near future.

https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2024/07/18/jd-vance-world-view-sources-00168984

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