It may have been a mess of the Tories’ own making, but the Northern Ireland Protocol needed sorting, and Sunak has done that.

Grown up politics finally on show…

He corrects the mess left by Johnson with an attention to detail, thoroughness, transparency, and level of good faith, which has been all too rare in recent Prime Ministers.

It would be suicidal for Johnson and the extremities of the Tories’ ERG to oppose this new Windsor Framework. In particular, if the former PM cuts up rough, in the process putting himself before Party and before the country yet again, it will be the end of his political career once and for all and rightly so. In a way, though, this deal ends Johnson’s ambitions to be PM again anyway since it simply reminds everyone what a dishonest hash he made of his rushed Brexit deal in the first place to win the 2019 election.

The DUP surely can’t resist either. The relative high level of poverty in Northern Ireland exacerbated by the lack of home rule and Johnson’s protocol cannot continue. It would be electoral suicide and gift Sinn Fein further electoral success, potentially leading to an even more insurmountable border in the North Sea… They have reacted cautiously so far but, for this dour grouping, that is positive!

In Sunak, you saw a grown-up politician yesterday, free of Tory factionalism, pragmatically building relationships with our largest single market and powerful ally in an uncertain world.

Oh, to witness Sunak’s attention to detail without theatrics. Oh, to see the long overdue mutual respect between two key allies, UK and the EU, on show again. Oh, to witness a prime minister caring about international law and the long-term reputation and future of the UK unhampered by divisive, self-destructive ideology.

If the last seven years of post-Brexit misrule weren’t solely the fault of the Conservative Party, it would almost be enough to bring former moderate Tory voters back into the fold again…

We know what today’s Labour Party is not. It is not anti-Semitic. It is not in favour of Jeremy Corbyn standing as a Labour candidate. It is mostly not unpatriotic. It is mostly not in favour of public sector strikes but negotiated settlements. The list of tepid stances goes on.

More policy specifics needed…

We know what it is for. A series of missionary positions were announced today; growth, making the UK a green energy superpower, safer streets, an improved NHS, raising education standards. Laudable aims with a long-term approach advocated, but details to follow.

After today’s speech by Starmer, are voters any clearer where Labour really stands on tax and spend, poorly delivered public services including the NHS, business friendly policies, levelling up, immigration, a renewed relationship with Europe? Are they for the individual versus the State or vice versa?

Labour’s lack of definition is ok for now, but not as we get closer to the election. The Tories will raise their game and, with plenty of money to back them, will uncover the discrepancies at the heart of Starmer’s Labour Party, not least a focus on his backing of Corbyn for 4 years.

You will know what the Tories stand for; Brexit, public sector reform, ultimately the goal of lower taxes, and some element of social conservatism. And an unforgettable reputation for general economic incompetence, which Sunak will struggle to overcome. They really can’t get away with the goal of halving inflation by the way which, statistically, will happen anyway!

None of this may matter, of course. The public is heartedly sick of the Tories currently, Starmer’s dull competence is rightly in vogue, and luck seems to be with him. Not just the Tories’ implosion but Nicola Sturgeon’s imminent departure must surely be worth a few extra Labour seats in Scotland.

Is this enough? Probably, but if I were Labour, I wouldn’t take the risk. Time to listen to that old master, Tony Blair, one feels and deliver some memorable specifics now.

He may be approaching 80 and looking and sounding his age, but President Biden has barely put a foot wrong since taking office in January 2021.

His presidency did not have an auspicious start with a rushed exit from Afghanistan without consultation with allies. Biden was meant to signal a new approach to international relations, but it felt very much ‘Trumpite’ business as usual at the time. Still, he always advocated a withdrawal from Afghanistan, never supporting additional resources in the region under Obama, so perhaps we should have been less surprised.

Since then, however, Biden’s unsung presidency has been hugely successful with a string of legislative successes at home. He passed a $1.9 trillion post-Covid rescue plan which has contributed to the creation of over 6 million jobs. He re-joined the Paris Climate Accords and passed the Inflation Reduction Act driving aggressive action on climate change with the aim of cutting US emissions to half of 2005 levels by 2030.

He passed a long overdue Bi-Partisan Infrastructure Law, upgrading rickety infrastructure across America. If that was not enough, a Bi-Partisan Safer Communities Act requiring those under 21 to undergo enhanced background checks was the first, albeit modest, gun control law victory in three decades. He has cut medical costs for ordinary Americans and appointed more moderate federal judges at this stage of his presidency than any president since JFK.

All this against a tiny minority in the Senate which has grown by one since the better than expected mid-terms. By focusing on the Republican Party’s extremism, the Democrats gained in the Senate and restricted losses to only a small number in the House of Representatives.

Biden’s approval ratings languish but inflation needs to continue to come down and many of his legislative achievements will take time to bear fruit. He is certainly well placed to stand again if his health holds up and the Republican’s addiction to Trump and extremism generally continues.

Biden’s response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has been outstanding…

But it is Biden’s response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine that really stands out. Leaking Russian actions in advance has brilliantly helped President Zelenskyy and the West generally win the propaganda war. He has ensured America leads a united West against Russia both morally and with a huge commitment to delivering arms to Ukraine, understanding that a Putin victory is a long-term global threat to all democracies. His visit to Ukraine today was masterly in its timing and substance.

Could you imagine the state of the world if Trump was still President or indeed another extreme Republican? Whatever your politics in the UK, we should applaud this elderly incumbent and sincerely hope he stays around to guide America on its current path.