At Chequers, the British prime minister's country residence, Keir Starmer hoped to persuade the US president on Ukraine and a deal over tariffs. His efforts were in vain. The two leaders sidestepped any direct or difficult questions.

Visit comes at sensitive time for UK government, which is laying on display of royal and military pageantry

Labour had feared that the president could use the visit, which starts tonight, to lambast the PM over freedom of speech in the UK.