DAVID CAMERON gets to play the world statesman over the next few days and leave his troubles over UKIP and Nigel Farage far behind. He will meet Russian President Vladimir Putin in the Black Sea resort of Sochi, before travelling to the States for talks with President Barack Obama.
He has been given the global platform because Britain holds the current presidency of the G8 of the world's top industrialised countries and he is using it for a spot of high-flying diplomacy over Syria. It couldn't come at a better moment for Cameron, who is beginning to look more like John Major embattled by his own eurosceptics.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
John Major was never able to leave his troubles over Europe at home. It was during a trip to Japan that the former PM, frustrated by the Tory eurosceptics, coined the phrase "the flapping of white coats" to describe one of his own maverick MPs and confessed in an unguarded moment that the eurosceptics were "barmy".
Cameron can lord it all he likes on the world stage, but the travelling press pack will soon grow bored with asking him about his ideas for bringing peace to Syria (fat chance).
They will want to ask him about Nadine 'Mad Nad' Dorries who, having got back the Tory whip as predicted here, is ready to join the rebels on Wednesday night. They intend to vote for an amendment to the Queen's Speech to register their protest that the legislative programme contained not a word on a referendum on pulling out of the EU.
Like Major, Cameron risks seeing his party split down the middle over Europe - unless he shows firm leadership. As he trots across the world stage, the press will be looking carefully to see whether – like Major – he's started wearing his underpants over his shirt.
-
Washington grapples with ICE’s growing footprint — and futureTALKING POINTS The deadly provocations of federal officers in Minnesota have put ICE back in the national spotlight
-
‘One day fentanyl will come back — and there will be little anyone can do’Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
-
15 years after Fukushima, is Japan right to restart its reactors?Today’s Big Question Balancing safety fears against energy needs
-
The high street: Britain’s next political battleground?In the Spotlight Mass closure of shops and influx of organised crime are fuelling voter anger, and offer an opening for Reform UK
-
What is the Donroe Doctrine?The Explainer Donald Trump has taken a 19th century US foreign policy and turbocharged it
-
Trump considers giving Ukraine a security guaranteeTalking Points Zelenskyy says it is a requirement for peace. Will Putin go along?
-
What have Trump’s Mar-a-Lago summits achieved?Today’s big question Zelenskyy and Netanyahu meet the president in his Palm Beach ‘Winter White House’
-
Why, really, is Trump going after Venezuela?Talking Points It might be oil, rare minerals or Putin
-
Moscow cheers Trump’s new ‘America First’ strategyspeed read The president’s national security strategy seeks ‘strategic stability’ with Russia
-
Is a Putin-Modi love-in a worry for the West?Today’s Big Question The Indian leader is walking a ‘tightrope’ between Russia and the United States
-
Is a Reform-Tory pact becoming more likely?Today’s Big Question Nigel Farage’s party is ahead in the polls but still falls well short of a Commons majority, while Conservatives are still losing MPs to Reform
