Going against Trump is a big move by Starmer, but this Government’s plans could be unravelled by war in Iran, writes Andrew Marr

There are two really big things in British politics: Our relations with the rest of the world, in particular with the United States. And second, of course, the economy.

And yesterday, both have been transformed by the Iran war.

Now, it may be hyped, it may be encouraged by the government's media enemies, but there's no doubt, really, that Donald Trump is mightily 'peed off' with Keir Starmer.

As he said on Tuesday, ‘it's not Winston Churchill we're dealing with here’.

Ouch.

Explaining that Britain was against trying to bomb Iran into democracy was a big and ballsy choice by Starmer.

It made him more popular with Labour MPs. Some are even calling it his Love Actually moment.

That will have consequences, however, even though Trump changes his mind all the time.

Meanwhile, with the Chancellor, Rachel Reeves, giving her largely non-event spring statement, almost everything she told us this afternoon on borrowing down lower now than the G7 average, debt down.

But growth anaemic and unemployment peaking at 5.3% later this year.

All of that is instantly out of date because of fast-rising energy prices caused by the war and falling markets all around the world

Now, I want to be absolutely clear, there are still economic choices made by the government which are freely chosen and open to fair criticism.

In particular, the vast rise in welfare costs seems deeply worrying.

But in general, expecting any British Chancellor to maintain a calm and predictable course during a Middle East war is like pushing a balsa wood yacht into a pond in a storm and then being surprised when it doesn't go in a straight line.

Those people in the treasury know lots of things, but they don't know what's coming.

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