KEVIN MAGUIRE: 'Starmer sends mixed messages by blasting far-right thugs but pandering to Trump'

Denouncing British Far Right violent thugs while gushing over poison-spewing American guest Donald Trump is Keir Starmer sending mixed messages.

The frighteningly large record 110,000 London crowd for career criminal Stephen Yaxley-Lennon aka Tommy Robinson’s disunite the kingdom hate-fest illustrated dangerous divisions in our country.

And the Prime Minister was spot on that we must “never surrender” our flags to the boots, fists and bottles of Far Right racist bullies assaulting whoever gets in their way.

But Starmer playing grovelling host to Trump, a White authoritarian nationalist and attempted coup leader inspiring our Far Right extremists as well as those in America, is stomach-churning.

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The strategy behind the demeaning bromance is to restrain Trump, to prevent him completely betraying Ukraine or smashing NATO and sparing Britain the worst of US economic sanctions.

Locking in Windsor Castle and Chequers for two days a loose cannon President who shells democratic old allies and slavers over dictators is evidence the PM knows this unprecedented second state visit is explosive.

No 10’s worry is Trump will break out from talking squirrels with scouts, ogling Kate Middleton and chatting to Charlie Windsor to go rogue to the delight of Nigel Farage and Kemi Badenoch feasting on rage.

After Angela Rayner’s resignation and Peter Mandelson’s sacking, Starmer needs Trump turning up like a hole in the head.

The Royal invitation’s backfired, a ruse to dig the PM out of an Oval Office ruse leaving him in a deeper hole.

Surely the moment has arrived for Starmer to tell Trump to cut the ignorance, bigotry and interference if the unhinged Pres starts shooting off his mouth about Britain.

Starmer is fortunate the Labour Party rule books was designed to repel attempts to unseat serving Prime Ministers, requiring 20% of MPs to nominate a potential successor before a conference rather than triggering confidence votes.

I’m hearing more and more frustrated Labour MPs and Ministers privately wanting a new leader, declaring the UK Government can’t keep lurching from crisis to crisis.

The list of absolutely crucial challenges for Starmer is lengthening rapidly.

One is to decouple those with legitimate concerns who feel ignored from Far Right organised mayhem and Reform political embrace.

Another is challenging Trump’s lies and myths about Britain, Europe and the world or we risk lurching into the violent, nasty, bitter, intolerant and split country the Far Right creates in America and craves in Britain.

Don't box her in!

Starmer's gagging and tying one of Bridget Phillipson’s arms behind her back unless he allows the Education Secretary to speak freely in Labour’s Deputy Leadership contest with sacked House of Commons leader Lucy Powell.

Let the best woman win and no unbridgeable ideological rifts exist in the quick race to acquire Angela Rayner’s old party role yet imposing numbing collective responsibility on Phillipson, insisting she parrots the Cabinet official line, is a gift for Powell.

The subplot is Phillipson has Starmer’s backing while Powell’s supported by Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham, Labour’s rival King of the North dreaming of returning to Parliament to be PM.

Elections are divisive but Starmer himself will be an issue - and potential loser - unless Phillipson’s able to openly and honestly discuss policies such as a wealth tax and scrapping the poverty-creating two-child poverty cap with a Powell free to speak her mind.

Statutes of limitations

In Budapest at the weekend I saw what Britain should do with unwanted statues of slave traders and assorted unsavoury tyrants.

The Hungarian capital’s Momento Park displays toppled Lenin, Marx and giant boots on a plinth that were all that was left of Stalin after crowds cut him down following the fall of Communism.

Let’s put ours in a grisly theme park and I’m nominating wicked Charles Stewart, 3rd Marquis of Londonderry, stuck on a horse in Durham City’ Market Place by his wife and chums in the 19th Century when few of us could vote.

The cruel ruler was one of the county’s worst pit owners and every Durham Miners’ Gala I want this armed Hussar replaced by men, women and children he exploited and abused.

US clamps down on free speech

Military personnel, firefighters, teachers, airline employees, a secret service agent, NFL worker and a veteran political analyst are among Americans fired or suspended in a US clampdown on free speech since Far Right agitator Charlie Kirk’s killing.

The Far Right over there, like mini-mes here in Britain, believe not in free speech but their own hate speech and launch witch hunts against opponents so let’s hear no more hypocritical lectures.

I won’t defend people Right, Centre or Left who incite or revel in violence and some may deserve to be sacked yet Democrats universally condemned Kirk’s shooting while Republicans are hypocritically selective.

Kirk himself joked an “amazing patriot” should bail an attacker who battered senior Democrat Nancy Pelosi’s elderly husband, Paul, while Republican Congressman Clay Higgins, now breathing fire against Kirk’s detractors, mocked the terrified Pelosis.

Nearly all political violence in the US as in Britain is from the Right not Left, including brutality inspired by Kirk’s hero: Donald Trump.