Britain is beset by problems, but if the Labour Party swallowed its pride and cast its collective eye westward it could learn something incredibly important.

Donald Trump has appointed a leading critic of the UK’s Chagos Islands deal with Mauritius as his national security adviser, in the clearest indication yet that the president-elect will oppose the plan.

Keir Starmer has no plans to visit Donald Trump in Mar-a-Lago on his way to a meeting of the G20 group of world leaders next week, despite at least one ally making the trip. Argentina’s libertarian President Javier Milei has been invited to see the US president-elect at his Florida club, amid speculation others will follow.

Donald Trump has been hailed as a “beacon of hope” for the Chagos Islands as Sir Keir Starmer’s “sneaky agreement” could be blocked by the President-elect, co-head of the British Indian Ocean Territory Citizens platform has said.