Joe Biden called Donald Trump a 'loser' at a fundraiser last night. It was a blunt, personal attack. The kind that sets Westminster teeth on edge. Here, such language is almost taboo. Why?
The answer lies in the lobby, the bars, the private members clubs. British politics is a small world. A vicious personal attack today closes doors tomorrow. You might need that MP's vote, that minister's ear. The game is long. Insults linger.
But there is more. Corbyn's reign taught a lesson. Personal attacks can backfire. They muddy the message. Keir Starmer knows this. He sticks to policy, to competence. Rishi Sunak tries the same. 'Stop the boats' is a slogan, not a slur.
Yet the pressure is building. Backbenchers whisper. They want blood. Sunak's poll numbers are dire. Starmer's lead feels unshakeable. Some Labour MPs fret. They want killer blows. But the leadership holds firm. Personal attacks are a luxury of the losing side.
Biden can afford it. He has a lead. Trump's name is the attack. But in Britain, the culture resists. The lobby still values a quiet word over a public punch. For now.
