3 awkward subjects that could come up as Donald Trump meets Keir Starmer for state visit

Donald Trump will visit Keir Starmer at Chequers today - but this meeting has the potential to provoke some awkward conversations between the two friendly leaders.

Trump will be fresh from the pomp and circumstance of a lavish visit to Windsor Castle with the King, where he was ferried around in a gold trimmed horse drawn carriage and greeted by bearskin hat-wearing honour guards.

But today, it's down to business.

The Government has already announced much of what has been agreed between the US and UK alongside the visit.

But there are a few subjects that could come up that would be slightly uncomfortable for both men.

Here's the potential awkward conversations that could take place at Chequers today.

It would be very odd if the subject of Lord Mandelson didn't come up. Especially since he was sacked over his long friendship with notorious dead paedophile Jeffrey Epstein. And double especially since Trump had a similarly lengthy friendship with the same notorious dead paedophile.

"So if you fired him," Trump might say, "how come you're OK with me?"

Protesters groups used a photo of Trump and Epstein together in a bid to embarrass the President during his visit to Windsor Castle, yesterday - with one group projecting it on the walls of the castle, and another unfurling a large banner of it in a nearby field.

Mr Starmer and President Trump are also at odds over Gaza, with the UK set to recognise Palestine as a state at the United Nations later this month.

Trump's approach to the conflict is somewhat more...relaxed. While he's been critical of Israel as far as allowing aid to get to people in Gaza, he's had little success in convincing Benjamin Netanyahu to ease up on the offensive.

In fact, cast your mind back, and you'll recall Trump has his own particular plan for the region - ousting all of the Palestinian people and turning it into a sort of Vegas-style casino resort.

Last month Nigel Farage met with Trump in Washington DC to complain about the UK's anti-hate speech and online safety laws, which he claimed were an assault on free speech.

He brought up the case of Lucy Connolly, who was jailed for calling for people to burn down buildings with refugees inside them, pleading guilty to inciting racial hatred.

Following the meeting, Trump said: "I will just say that in terms of UK strange things are happening over there. They are cracking down and surprisingly so.

"And I've spoken to the Prime Minister and, let's see what happens. But, it is a different a little bit different situation. I'm very surprised to see what's happening."

And during his speech to the Munich Security Conference in February, Vice President JD Vance accused Britain of "backsliding" on free speech.

He suggested safe zones that prevent people from harassing women outside abortion clinics were evidence of this.

When they were face to face in the Oval Office the same month, Keir Starmer hit back at Mr Vance for making similar claims.

Vance said: "We do have of course a special relationship with our friends in the UK and also our European allies, but we also know there have been infringements on free speech that affect not just the British - what the British do in their own country is up to them - but also affect American technology companies and by extension, American citizens.

Mr Starmer interjected, saying "we've had free speech for a very long time, it will last a long time, and we are very proud of that".