Starmer's Delicate Dance Over US Raid On Venezuela

Keir Starmer has been forced into a diplomatic balancing act after a dramatic US operation in Venezuela that removed its leader overnight. The prime minister’s cautious, measured response has exposed the tension between principle and geopolitics at the heart of his government. The operation followed US moves that included authorising covert CIA activity and choking off oil shipments. Washington says it seized Venezuela’s president on narco-terrorism allegations after a late-night raid. The UK waited more than half a day before speaking publicly, and when it did, Starmer made clear he saw Maduro as illegitimate while also stressing the importance of legal norms. Downing Street’s playbook has been restraint: avoid language that might alienate the US, leave the legal explanation to American officials, and treat the episode as something Britain will not rush into militarily. One government aide put it bluntly: this is not a fight the UK is choosing to join. That stance has provoked criticism from across the political spectrum. Liberal Democrats and Greens have urged a firmer rebuke of the US action. Even voices usually sceptical of transatlantic institutions have been uneasy; the Reform UK leader suggested the raid breached international law, though he accepted it could have a deterrent effect on rivals such as Russia and China. Within government there are frictions. Some Foreign Office figures privately warn that abducting a head of state to force regime change could set a worrying precedent. Other ministers fear a slippery slope: if such action is left unchallenged, what stops similar operations against neighbours or other states of strategic interest? Practical considerations appear to carry weight in the calculation. Officials point to major trade talks and co-operation over Ukraine — ties the UK is not keen to jeopardise. Starmer has backed Denmark’s objection to threats around Greenland and ministers have insisted that the island’s future is a matter for the Danes and Greenlanders alone, signalling selective firmness when European partners are involved. Starmer has been trying to reach President Trump since the raid and is due to speak after a Paris meeting of allied nations. Insiders expect a conciliatory tone. The prime minister has told colleagues that a harder line might become necessary at some point, but for now he is weighing the diplomatic and economic costs of confronting America. The episode highlights a modern dilemma for the UK: how to uphold international law and moral standing without sacrificing security and commercial ties to a powerful, unpredictable partner. For voters, it is a reminder that foreign policy often boils down to choosing which principles to defend loudly and which ones to handle quietly. --- Managing your business finances? TaxAce provides smart online accountancy services for UK businesses with flexible monthly plans. Image and reporting: https://www.theguardian.com | Read original article