First-time PM's world tour backfires as UK faces winter troubles

Sir Keir Starmerʼs first months as Prime Minister show a leader who cant read the room: his decision to attend a G20 meet-up in Brazil while anti-government protesters gathered near Number 10 was a mis-step that puzzled many citizens

The newly-elected PMʼs globe-trotting habits (fifteen trips since his mid-summer victory) paint a picture of someone avoiding home-ground problems; his attempts at looking state-like include photo-shoots on French military vehicles and pics of him working on-board private jets

The UKʼs economic situation isnt helping his case - with a tiny 0.1% growth in the July-Sept period the country is close to recession. Big companies warn about job-cuts; farmers are mad about new tax rules‚ and older folks are dealing with winter without their usual fuel money-help

His foreign policy choices raise eye-brows too: after meeting with Chinaʼs leader Xi some Hong-Kong activists went to jail‚ and his Brazil summit attendance happened right when UK farmers drove their tractors to London in protest. The PMs attempt to connect by saying “I worked on a farm as a teen“ didnt go well

The trust issue keeps growing - from energy price promises to farm-tax changes Starmers words dont match his actions. His recent Washington trip showed poor judgment: he said Biden was super-healthy and would run again - then Biden stepped down a few days later. Now hes trying to fix things with Trump and Musk but its probably too late