From Twitter Warriors to Diplomatic Beggars: Labour’s Trump Problem

Have you ever watched someone try to un-swallow their own words? It’s happening right now in Westminster, and it’s not a pretty sight. Labour’s top brass are performing political gymnastics that would make a circus contortionist wince as they attempt to embrace a man they spent years painting as democracy’s greatest threat.

With Donald Trump returning to the White House, Britain’s political establishment faces a corner of its own making. The same Labour politicians who once branded Trump a “woman-hating, neo-Nazi-sympathising sociopath” are now desperately searching for diplomatic olive branches. This would be comedic if it weren’t so dangerously shortsighted, actively jeopardizing what soft power Britain has left on the world stage.

From Lammy to Khan, even Starmer himself, they’ve all taken their shot, lobbing deeply personal insults at Trump. Some of the criticism may have been warranted, but the true motives behind these attacks demand scrutiny. These aren’t passionate citizens venting; they’re politicians tasked with representing Britain on the world stage.

And there lies the problem Labour chose transatlantic name-calling over finding common ground. As the old saying goes, “You catch more flies with honey than with vinegar.” Effective diplomacy requires nuance and mutual respect, even with those we disagree with.

Let’s be honest—Trump will likely provide ample fodder for valid criticism in the years to come. As a private citizen call him from a ‘pig to a dog’, and I often do! But the damage here goes beyond words. Larger forces are at play, and they’re not always obvious and they are definitely not in the public interest…

But the fact that both Starmer and Lammy have gone full MEGA after being caught out should tell us all a little something…about the transatlantic war they just lost.

How Labour’s Corporate Allies Are Quietly Steering UK Foreign Policy on Trump and Ukraine

You see companies very close to the heart of Labour didn’t just criticise Trump—they actively worked to prevent his return to power. This wasn’t due to a principled opposition to Trump; rather, it appears driven by the interests of Labour’s powerful lobbying allies and sustaining the ‘forever war’ in Ukraine.

The frontal attack came from British lobbyist Jim Murphy, a former Labour minister still closely connected to the Labour Party. Murphy’s firm facilitated a nearly $1 million transfer to a U.S. nonprofit running a major pro-Ukraine ad campaign. There is no suggestion of wrongdoing by either the company or campaign, which has stressed its compliance with the U.S. Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA) as far as the laws concerned, it’s just politics.

However, this effort aggressively targeted Republican figures like Senator Rand Paul and Rep. Lauren Boebert, even comparing the then VP candidate J.D. Vance to a “Russian doll” in a jab at his perceived pro-Kremlin leanings.

This wasn’t an accident. Vance and Trump have both openly criticised U.S. support for Ukraine, a stance counter to Labour’s pro-interventionist leanings. As Trump’s former chief strategist Steve Bannon once said, “I don’t really care what happens to Ukraine one way or the other.”

Vance has since called for an end to all U.S. aid to Ukraine, describing the country as “corrupt.” More recently, he’s advocated for a “negotiated” end to the conflict and opposed using frozen Russian assets to fund Ukraine, which he calls “perilous” for American interests.

The British-based company — named Campaign for Freedom Ltd — was set up in June 2023 by George McGregor, an associate director at the Westminster-based lobbying outfit Arden Strategies. It was established as a separate entity to Arden, but included key figures from the well-connected British firm.

Arden claims: “It is one of only two UK agencies led by a former Labour Cabinet Minister. Our unparalleled Labour Directorate brings together a wealth of experience of former Labour politicians, advisors and senior parliamentary staffers with real-life knowledge and understanding of the new Labour government”.

“We support UK and global corporate clients to navigate and engage with Labour’s policies and politics. We also combine our in-depth knowledge of corporate advisory work with our team’s detailed understanding of how the Labour government operates and thinks”.  Powerful stuff…

However, these Labour “neocons”—the Party’s hawkish interventionists—appear to have put U.K.-U.S. diplomacy at risk in their zeal to ensure the Ukrainian war continues and is backed across the Atlantic.

The campaign also sought to pile pressure on the Biden administration to supply Ukraine with more U.S. weapons. 

One social media advert paid for by the group promoted a petition calling on President Biden to authorize the sending of F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine.

A FARA transparency filing shows the group called for the provision of “American-made” ATACMS long-range missile systems, adding: “ATACMS mean jobs for American workers and freedom for Ukraine.” It suggested “weakness” from U.S lawmakers would embolden China.

“China’s communist party has a plan — they want to spread Chinese government-style control across the globe,” the campaign stated in an advertorial placed with the right-wing outlet Newsmax. “The first battles are happening in Ukraine right now.”

‘Months in the making’

Documents from Companies House show the Campaign for Freedom Ltd was closed in June 2024, less than a year after it was created. Politico broke a great story on the subject, unfortunately, it didn’t make the British press.

Freedom at Home and Abroad’s social media accounts have since either been deleted or closed. Its website is now password protected.

It seemed like a British invasion, in practice, it looked like what we all like to point the blame at Russia for… foreign interference.

Trump’s team has even filed a lawsuit over alleged foreign interference by Labour, citing Labour volunteers who supported the Harris campaign, underscoring the deep animosity MAGA Republicans feel for Starmer’s Labour government.

The New Neocons: Labour’s War-Hawks Risking Diplomatic Ties

But who are these “New Neocons”? Murphy’s Arden Strategies is a top lobbyist for the new Labour government, with a client list that includes defence giants, oil companies, and energy firms. Arden Strategies, required to declare its clients in the U.K. lobbying register, is now confirmed as one of the biggest players behind Labour’s policy machine.

In the past year alone, Arden has spent tens of thousands sponsoring Labour Party conferences and events. Arden provided support to more than 30 prospective Labour MPs in the run-up to the general election, according to social media posts reported by the BBC.

The total amount Arden spent is not known because the individual sums appear to have fallen below the threshold for sponsorship to be declared by MPs.

Two newly elected Labour MPs, Anna Turley and Blair McDougall, used to work for the lobbying firm.

Arden Strategies spent £1,200 sponsoring a fundraising event for four candidates who went on to become Labour MPs. Budweiser contributed £9,000 towards the event.

One of those who benefited, Sarah Hall, the new Labour MP for Warrington South, said she did not anticipate receiving further support from Arden this year.

Arden also spent £2,320 on a fundraising dinner for three candidates fighting seats on the South Coast.

The firm’s clients include Northrop Grumman, a defence contractor for militaries worldwide, including Israel’s. Arden even hosted a Northrop Grumman event at the recent Labour conference in Liverpool, highlighting a rarely-discussed tie between Labour and the defence sector.

Labour’s “softened” stance on foreign involvement now seems murky when Northrop Grumman and Labour MPs mingle at Party events. How independent is Labour’s foreign policy when it’s sponsored by a defence contractor?

Football, Politics, and Premier League Perks

The Premier League, another Arden client, also cosies up to Labour despite its opposition to the Party’s proposed football regulator. While Labour pitches regulation as “giving the game back to the people,” the Premier League’s lobbying says otherwise. Clubs and the league have spent over £100,000 on gifts for Labour politicians, including £4,000 in Taylor Swift tickets for Starmer.

In the face of such perks, Labour’s claim to regulate the Premier League for public interest may start to lose credibility.

Oil, Energy, and Climate Contradictions

Arden’s roster includes oil and gas heavyweights like NEO Energy, Equinor, and Serica Energy. While Labour champions green policies, several Arden clients view Labour’s proposed fossil fuel taxes as “punitive.” Labour’s climate credibility hinges on its independence from fossil fuel interests. But with Arden’s close connections, how seriously can voters take Labour’s promises to regulate the industries that fund its events?

Corporate Cronyism in Labour’s New Era

Beyond energy and defence, Arden’s clients include Centrica, INEOS, and Universities UK. I guess fees will go up, oh, wait…Each client has stakes in shaping policies on transport, education, and health. Arden’s financial support of Labour raises questions: Is Labour representing the people, or corporate allies?

Labour’s balancing act with Arden Strategies brings private interests uncomfortably close to the party’s policy decisions. Labour’s acceptance of support from companies opposing its core policies could be seen as an abandonment of its progressive stance. He who pays the piper.

The Trump Farage Act

Of course, I hear you say wat about Farage. No one’s forgetting Nigel Farage — a constant when it comes to Trump. But let’s face it: he’s not in government, doesn’t represent the U.K., and at this stage, he’s more of a novelty in the U.S. Farage may grab headlines, but his role is limited; he’s a political commodity with a short shelf life.

Labour’s manoeuvring, on the other hand, involves serious players and real diplomatic stakes. So while Farage may cheer from the sidelines, Labour’s “new neocons” are playing on the field, and they’re betting big on risky policies that could redefine U.K.-U.S. relations. Risks that have failed big time.

The addition of Elon Musk, a Trump ally, to the new administration only complicates matters further. Musk has publicly feuded with Starmer and painted a bleak picture of Britain’s future, warning of impending “civil war.” His potential influence over policymaking could prove a major headache for Labour.

The uncomfortable truth is as stark as it is simple: Trump’s victory isn’t some political anomaly—it’s a deliberate choice by an American electorate fed up with the status quo.

After four years of Biden’s presidency marked by escalating global conflicts, staggering inflation, and the kind of establishment corruption that would make a Tory WhatsApp group with a VIP line look innocent, Americans have opted for their disruptor-in-chief. Harris, forever tethered to Biden’s legacy of foreign policy misadventures and domestic mishaps, offered nothing but more of the same.

For all the pearl-clutching in Westminster’s corridors, Trump is exactly what millions of Americans want—a bull in the china shop of international relations. While British politicians spent years wielding their moral hashtags like digital pitchforks, American voters were counting the cost of endless wars and watching their supermarket bills soar. They’ve chosen their path, and the rest of the world—Britain included—will have to swallow this reality whole, whether it suits our delicate diplomatic palates or not.

Trump may be a nightmare for the international order’s architects, but he’s the nightmare America has consciously chosen. Perhaps instead of clutching our pearls and firing off sanctimonious tweets, Britain’s political class might consider why their preferred brand of global politics has become so deeply unpopular with our closest ally’s voters.

The implications cut deeper than mere diplomatic friction—this isn’t about defending democracy or upholding values. It’s about protecting Labour’s web of allies in defence, energy, and other sectors profiting from perpetual conflicts and artificially high prices. While the “special relationship” teeters, it’s ordinary Britons who bear the cost of this political theatre.

What’s most galling is Labour’s schoolyard approach to statecraft. International relations aren’t conducted through viral tweets and Instagram dunks. Yet they treated Trump’s presidency like a Twitter beef, only to discover that diplomatic shit-posting carries real-world consequences. Now they’re learning that you can’t unring a bell, especially one that’s been rung through a global megaphone.

Let’s be brutally honest about this “special relationship”—it’s a diplomatic fiction that has cost Britain dearly. We’ve sacrificed our armed forces killed hundreds of thousands of innocents while destabilising entire regions fighting in these American forever wars, compromised our moral standing for their foreign policy, and watched our democracy erode as corporate lobbyists channel profits to an ever-shrinking circle of super-rich so called elites.

But here’s the bitter pill: a Britain with no industrial base, soaring living costs, and dwindling global influence can’t afford to play moral crusader. We’re trapped in a toxic marriage where divorce isn’t an option—at least not until we rebuild our national strength and true independence. Until then, we need adults in the room who can navigate this reality without reducing it to social media fodder or lobby groups whispering in our elected representative’s ears.

“If Labour truly wants to govern rather than just rule, it must break this cycle of cronyism and show the lobbyists the door”.

Sorry, that was a waste of a sentence – Starmer promised a different kind of government—instead, we’re watching the same old play with fresh faces reading from a dog-eared script. The British people deserve better than this diplomatic amateur hour – better?

Paul Knaggs

Editor, founder, Labour Heartlands, Citizen journalist. LeFT wing political refugee. Fighting a constant struggle with dyslexia that’s overcome with a burning desire to speak out against the corrupt political system and the social injustices it creates. Advocate for Free speech and open, accountable, democracy. #GTTO