This week Nick Cohen @NickCohen4 talks with Steve Richards @steverichards14, political commentator, author, broadcaster & historian about the threat posed to the Labour government by in-coming U.S. president Donald Trump & the menagerie of far-right weirdos like Elon Musk who has been launching a barrage of inflammatory tweets at the government since last Summer.

Steve and Nick explore the post-war history of the U.S. - UK relationship which hit a severe low during the 1956 Suez crisis. But Steve says the threat posed by Trump & his gang was "much more dangerous." Eisenhower's administration was recognisably stolid & solid; Trump's government of MAGA nutjobs & fanatics looks set to be even worse than his first administration. The inauguration is only days away and already Trump has threatened to annex Canada, Greenland and the Panama canal! Brexit and Trump have made UK isolated from Europe & the U.S. "The British electorate has changed dramatically," says Steve. So, Starmer must be bold in dealing with the UK's isolation and continue rebuilding the country's relationship with Europe. Starmer's caution "isn't working", says Steve, adding, "it's risky being cautious, but they haven't realised that."

Steve says it's clear the Tories, particularly Kemi Badenoch & Robert Jenrick, have decided to throw their lot in with Trump/Musk & help them attack the government. "They have made a decision & they are going to ride these bonkers wild waves as much as possible," says Steve in relation to the the latest Musk X assaults including his deranged libels against Starmer over grooming gangs. Steve says of today's Tories: "they're a revolutionary party now...they're not the party of one nation kind of moderates."

Steve is an accomplished political commentator, author & podcaster. His latest book Turning Points: Crisis and Change in Modern Britain, from 1945 to Truss is published by Macmillan & his regular podcast Rock and Roll Politics is a must listen.

Read Nick Cohen's regular and compelling Substack column Writing from London

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.