We knew the world was in for a rough ride, now that the school bully had retaken the White House, holding the levers of power of the most powerful nation on Earth.

That the United States’ crop of the wealthiest tech and media giants, and other super rich, flocked to kiss his ring, merely reinforces that the US now has an exclusive government of billionaires for billionaires. Yet, in a country riven by extremes of inequality, his power base disproportionately emanates from the poorest and those who are most excluded.

Not only can the US president make the political weather, but he now has the power to decide what is true, and what is false. Befitting his spoilt child persona, Mr Trump seems most happy when the centre of attention, and enjoys picking fights and settling scores. His latest decision to engage in trade wars seem dependent on the mood he wakes up in on any particular day. He’s not only spooked markets, but will it probably prove counter-productive for his own country, as there’s a risk of rising inflation, and interest rates will be difficult to bring down.

Strangely, after a decade when the UK economy has been weakened, those weaknesses could prove to be the United Kingdom’s strengths, as we present less of a threat to the US than do other countries. We arguably have a trade deficit with the US, Brexit has weakened our economy and we’ve de-industrialised more than most. For these reasons Trump may take pity on us. But that of course all depends on how the mood takes him.

I can be plain speaking about the US President, but national leaders must be circumspect, cautious and diplomatic. But we all know, we have a rough ride ahead…

Meanwhile last week the government defeated our attempt to restore pensions for WASPI women. The campaign goes on of course, but the government has decided to dig its heels in.

However, we welcomed the government’s bill to clean up the Water industry. Private water companies have exploited their monopoly status as relatively risk-free money making emporiums which have rewarded their top Execs and shareholders to the detriment of our environment, coastal waters and rivers. It’s a welcome first step, but there’s much more to do.

This week I’ve tried again to push housing and planning ministers to wake up to the delusion that handing development control to private developers will magically deliver the affordable homes we need. And I’m trying to encourage energy ministers to stop some home insulation contractors from miss-selling shoddy services under the guise of government schemes. Many local people have been left rueing the decision to take up too-good to be true offers from the unscrupulous. More on that to follow.

Andrew George

Liberal Democrat MP for St Ives