At the G7 summit in Kananaskis, Alberta, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer bent down to pick up a UK‑US trade deal that had slipped from President Donald Trump’s folder. The moment, captured by Press Association chief political photographer Stefan Rousseau, has been described as the defining political photograph of 2025.
The image that captured a diplomatic slip
Rousseau, who has photographed every British prime minister since John Major, said his first picture of the summit was taken in June. He recalled that a bilateral meeting between President Trump and Prime Minister Starmer had been scheduled, but the encounter took place outdoors, making it more visually striking than a typical conference‑room setting.
After about half an hour of waiting, the two leaders appeared, with Trump brandishing the recently agreed trade deal. When he opened his folder, the papers fell to the ground. Starmer knelt to retrieve them, and Rousseau recognised instantly that the scene – a British prime minister kneeling at the feet of a US president – would become iconic. A Downing Street official half‑jokingly said, "You're not going to file that are you?" The photograph quickly entered the global news cycle, underscoring Canada’s role as the venue for a high‑stakes exchange between two close allies.
Other striking moments from Rousseau’s lens
Rousseau also captured Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch during a weapons demonstration. While viewing high‑tech military equipment, she held a rifle and, without realising, pointed it directly at a serviceman standing only a few feet away. Rousseau noted that safety protocols were later observed, allowing her to handle the weapon safely inside an armoured vehicle.
During Sir Keir Starmer’s two‑day visit to India in October, the photographer documented the prime minister taking part in a Diwali ceremony. After lighting candles, local dancers coaxed him onto the stage. Though initially reluctant, Starmer joined the performance for a brief three‑second interlude, providing a rare glimpse of the leader outside Westminster.
At the Labour conference in Liverpool, Rousseau observed the prime minister rehearsing his keynote address. He arrived with his wife, and the pair appeared relaxed, enjoying a moment of levity on an otherwise empty stage. Rousseau described the resulting images as natural and pleasant.
These varied snapshots illustrate the unpredictable nature of political life, from diplomatic mishaps to unexpected cultural engagements, all recorded by a photographer who has chronicled British leadership for decades.