‘Standing up to power is not optional when politically uncomfortable. It’s essential’

Air strikes in Nigeria. Escalating threats against Iran. And now, following months of military build-up in the Caribbean, the Trump administration has bombed Caracas and detained Nicolás Maduro, Venezuela’s President, an action that may be illegal. Once again, the United States is acting as though international law does not apply to it.

It is not difficult to see why Trump is now escalating conflicts abroad. For weeks, his Presidency has been rocked by renewed scrutiny of his longstanding links to the convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein, alongside his refusal to release the “Epstein files” in full. As pressure mounts, the old playbook has been dusted off: manufacture crisis abroad to distract from scandal at home.

The consequences of this are severe. Fire and fury will have real and dire impacts for millions of people across the world, with countries from Iran to Greenland now forced to calculate the risks of potentially being next. As always, ordinary people will bear the brunt.

Our already fragile international order has once again been pushed towards crisis. This is a moment that demands a serious political response from our government, one that reflects our party’s values. Sadly, Keir Starmer’s initial response falls short.

The Prime Minister has spoken repeatedly about restoring our standing in the world and recommitting to international law. He has sought to define his leadership through his foreign policy, presenting Labour as a party of responsibility and principle after years of Conservative chaos. The credibility of those claims now rests on how this government responds when those principles are put under pressure.

A rules-based order cannot be something that only applies to our enemies. If we are serious about a values-based foreign policy then those values must be applied consistently to friends and foes alike.

There is no shortage of precedent for how the UK could respond. When Russia invaded Ukraine, the government moved quickly to impose sweeping sanctions. Assets were frozen. Travel bans were introduced. Arms exports were halted. Diplomatic and cultural ties were reduced. These actions were supported across the Commons because illegal invasions demand consequences.

That reasoning still stands. Accountability should not depend on power, proximity or alliances. International law is meaningless if it is only enforced against those we oppose.

Some will argue that confronting the United States risks damaging the special relationship. But a relationship that demands silence in the face of illegality is not special – it is submissive. Our foreign policy cannot be based on deference, particularly when doing so undermines the very rules we claim to support. We know only too well what happens when principle is sacrificed for alliance. In 2003, our unquestioning support for the US invasion of Iraq caused catastrophic human suffering and left a lasting moral stain on the previous Labour government. Standing up to power is not optional, even when it is politically uncomfortable. It is essential.

Robin Cook showed us that Labour can do foreign policy differently. He stood up for international law, challenged unchecked power, and put justice first. His example reminds us that acting on principle requires persistence and courage. We must honour that legacy by acting on these values today.

The Prime Minister now has an opportunity to show that his commitment to international law is more than rhetorical and to defend a rules-based international order at a moment when global leadership is sorely lacking. Failure to act would signal that our principles can be abandoned the moment they become inconvenient.

If the United States is prepared to violate international law, overthrow governments or abduct foreign leaders, then it should face a political response. That means targeted sanctions against Trump and those in his administration responsible for authorising illegal strikes. It means suspending military co-operation and freezing assets. It also means raising our voice at the United Nations to demand genuine accountability.

Trump now talks of the US running Venezuela and exploiting its oil. Regime change would inevitably bring sham elections and oligarchal rule. The UK must defend the Venezuelan people’s right to determine their own future and oppose any foreign interference.

Our party was founded in an internationalist tradition, shaped by the belief that working class people everywhere suffer when power goes unchecked. If that tradition is to mean anything today, we must fight for international law to be upheld.

Now is the time for principles to become practice. We must stand up to Trump.

Subscribe here to our daily newsletter roundup of Labour news, analysis and comment– and follow us on Bluesky, WhatsApp, X and Facebook.

Share your thoughts. Contribute on this story or tell your own by writing to our Editor. The best letters every week will be published on the site. Find out how to get your letter published.

• • SHARE: If you have anything to share that we should be looking into or publishing about this story – or any other topic involving Labour– contact us (strictly anonymously if you wish) at [email protected].
  • SUBSCRIBE: Sign up to LabourList’s morning email here for the best briefing on everything Labour, every weekday morning.
  • DONATE: If you value our work, please chip in a few pounds a week and become one of our supporters, helping sustain and expand our coverage.
  • PARTNER: If you or your organisation might be interested in partnering with us on sponsored events or projects, email [email protected].
  • ADVERTISE: If your organisation would like to advertise or run sponsored pieces on LabourList‘s daily newsletter or website, contact our exclusive ad partners Total Politics at [email protected].