This should have been clear to leaders much sooner, but the spectre of watching Trump jerk other elected leader’s chains not only makes economic planning impossible, but it erodes the population of that country’s confidence in the abilities of its leadership to lead.

It is deeply corrosive to democracy, to the rule of law, to a sense of community.

Perhaps the reason why the Japanese population’s confidence in the capabilities of its leaders is so much higher than in Western countries.

Not because Japanese leaders are more capable, of course, but because they have limits to how weak they are willing to appear on the world stage.

Perhaps Starmer could learn a lesson.