Elon Musk, Mark Zuckerberg and Nigel Farage are some of the famous faces set to attend President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration on January 20, where stars including Carrie Underwood and Nelly are set to perform as Mr Trump becomes the 47th President of the United States.
Despite world leaders being invited to the inauguration for the first time, it appears as though British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has been missed off the invitation list, alongside the UK’s incoming ambassador to the US, Peter Mandelson.
Alongside former PM Liz Truss and ex-home secretary Priti Patel, another name in British politics is set to attend: Labour’s Lord Maurice Glasman. But who is Lord Glasman, and why has he been invited?
Who is Lord Maurice Glasman?
Lord Maurice Glasman is a political theorist, social commentator and author. He joined the Labour Party in the 1970s and is known for coining the term ‘Blue Labour’, an opposition to New Labour, which promotes conservative values within the party, specifically regarding immigration and crime.
A pro-Brexit figure known for his dedication to community work (particularly among working-class communities), Lord Glasman is also known for being a senior lecturer in Political Theory at London Metropolitan University.
In 2011, Lord Glasman was introduced into the House of Lords and became a Labour life peer.
Why is Lord Glasman attending the inauguration?
According to The Spectator, Lord Glasman is the only figure from the Labour Party to receive an invitation to Inauguration Day from Mr Trump’s team.
Speaking on Times Radio last week, Lord Glasman said that “there’s a huge energy and a sense of almost resurrection, restoration, you know they want to make America great again” among America’s working-class communities as they prepare for Mr Trump to become President again.
With a career-long focus on the livelihoods of working-class people (his argument against New Labour was that it caters too much to the middle class), Lord Glasman’s perspective matches that of Vice President-elect JD Vance, which could be a reason why he’s been invited to Donald Trump’s swearing-in ceremony.
