“We regarded Maduro as an illegitimate president and we shed no tears about the end of his regime,” Starmer said, but then – as might be expected from a former human rights lawyer – reiterated his support for international law.

The UK government has continued this approach since: say as little as possible that might offend Trump; leave it to the US to explain the legal justification for the move; and, in the words of one aide, “recognise that it’s not our fight”.

Labour’s political opponents on its progressive wing – the Lib Dems and the Greens – have piled pressure on the government to condemn the US action.

The Guardian report