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Louise Thomas
Editor
Keir Starmer’s first gift to a world leader since he became prime minister last week reflects a subject close to his heart.
The obsessive Arsenal fan has given Joe Biden a shirt from his favourite team as the US president hosts the Nato conference in Washington DC.
Sir Keir is an Arsenal season ticket holder who still loves to play five-a-side at weekends.
He made a point of visiting lower league and non-league sides during the election campaign.
The shirt for Biden has the president’s name on and number 46 to reflect he is the 46th president of the USA.
Former holders of the 46 shirt for Arsenal FC include goalkeeper Dejan Iliev, German attacking midfielder Thomas Eisfeld and English midfielder Henri Lansbury.
However, president Biden is now joining a growing number of senior US politicians who are in possession of an Arsenal shirt incluing his most bitter political rival.
Television personality and former newspaper editor Piers Morgan, also an Arsenal fan, gave Donald Trump a shirt from the team with his name on and the number 45 on it.
Trump’s youngest son Baron is underwood to be an avid Arsenal fan.
Added to that Starmer also gave French president Emmanuel Macron an Arsenal shirt previously.
Biden is not even the first member of his administration to get an Arsenal shirt.
When he was foreign secretary James Cleverly gave US secretary of state Antony Blinken an Arsenal shirt.with the number 71 on it to reflect he is the 71st person to hold that senior position.
Meanwhile, around his meetings Sir Keir is desperately trying to ensure he can see Arsenal stars Declan Rice and Bukayo Saka lead England’’s efforts in getting to the Euro 24 final.
While part of the game will be played during the Nato council meeting on Ukraine, Sir Keir may need to rely on notes from officials for updates.
But the UK prime minister is hoping to watch part of the game with his Dutch counterpart Dick Schoof, according to a senior Downing Street official.
The winner will be playing Spain in the final whose prime minister Pedro Sánchez is also present.
