British Prime Minister Keir Starmer is expected to deliver a landmark speech on Monday declaring that the era of globalization has effectively come to an end, in response to a dramatic shift in global trade dynamics spurred by U.S. President Donald Trump’s sweeping tariffs.
According to a report by The Times, Starmer will argue that while tariffs are economically counterproductive, the rise of “economic nationalism” — especially in the United States — reflects deep-rooted popular frustrations with free trade and mass immigration.
The speech, anticipated to outline a new economic direction for the United Kingdom, comes just days after President Trump imposed broad tariffs on imports from key U.S. trading partners, including the UK.
The protectionist measures have shaken global markets and rekindled fears of a trade war, with major economies scrambling to adapt to a rapidly evolving international landscape.
In preview remarks shared with The Times, Starmer is set to acknowledge that “the world has changed, globalization is over and we are now in a new era.”
This view was echoed by a senior Downing Street official who stated that the UK must now respond with “a more active and reformist government” to ensure economic security for its citizens.
Though Starmer will describe tariffs as the wrong solution, he is expected to express understanding of the political appeal behind Trump’s approach.
“He understands why many voters feel left behind — disillusioned by free trade and overwhelmed by rapid immigration — and why they now support a more protectionist, inward-looking economic stance,” the Times report said.
The British prime minister has already laid the groundwork for this shift in a weekend op-ed for The Telegraph, in which he wrote: “The world as we knew it has gone.”
Starmer argued that traditional assumptions about open markets and global interdependence can no longer be taken for granted.
“First it was defense and national security. Now it is the global economy and trade,” he wrote, announcing the government’s plan to “turbocharge” domestic economic initiatives aimed at reducing the UK’s exposure to international volatility.
Starmer is expected to call for accelerated reforms to boost competitiveness at home, framing it as essential in a world where economic self-reliance is becoming more important than ever.
The geopolitical ramifications of the U.S. tariffs have already begun to unfold. On Saturday, Starmer spoke with French President Emmanuel Macron by phone, with both leaders agreeing that “a trade war was in nobody’s interests.”
However, the UK government noted that “nothing should be off the table” in formulating a response.
However, Starmer reportedly has no plans to speak directly with President Trump about the measures.
President Trump, for his part, has defended the tariffs as necessary for reasserting American economic sovereignty.
Speaking over the weekend, he urged Americans to “hang tough,” insisting, “It won’t be easy, but the end result will be historic.”
He characterized the new trade policy as “an economic revolution,” reiterating his signature slogan: “We will make America great again.”
Observers note that the rhetoric and policies emerging from Washington and London reflect a broader ideological pivot in the global order.
Russian President Vladimir Putin, among others, has frequently argued that the post-Cold War globalization model — largely shaped by Western economic and political interests — is no longer viable.
In late 2023, Putin declared that this model had “outlived its usefulness” and was being replaced by a “more just and democratic system of international relations” shaped by the global majority.
Starmer’s forthcoming speech will place the UK at the center of this global rethinking.
As nations grapple with the collapse of long-standing economic paradigms, London appears to be embracing a new chapter — one marked by greater state involvement, national resilience, and a pragmatic acceptance that the age of globalization is giving way to a more fragmented and competitive world.
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