‘They all think Keir is done’: how push to protect Starmer’s job backfired spectacularly

If there’s one thing the Labour party can agree on this week, it is that efforts by Keir Starmer’s allies to shore up his position backfired spectacularly.By briefing journalists that he would face down any challenge and accusing Wes Streeting of leading an advanced plot to overthrow him, figures around the prime minister managed only to expose the weakness of his position.The sharks were already circling – there is no shortage of senior Labour politicians convinced they can do a better job of running the country. And the botched briefing operation on Tuesday night was proof to many MPs that Starmer is leading an ineffectual No 10 operation careering towards a crushing defeat in Scotland, Wales and English local councils next May.This impression solidified on Friday when Downing Street ripped up its carefully trailed plans to increase income tax in the budget – a move seen by others in government as the latest “panicked” attempt to protect Starmer’s position

Britons living abroad: tell us your views on UK politics today

The last decade in British politics has been marked by instability and fragmentation, with six prime ministers in ten years, and Nigel Farage’s Reform party now leading in the polls.A study this month from King’s College London and Ipsos found that 84 percent of people now say the UK feels divided, up from 74 percent in 2020.Polling on voter intention shows a fracturing of the political landscape as people abandon two-party politics – with Reform now averaging 31 percent, Labour 18 percent, the Conservatives 16 percent, Green Party 14 percent and Liberal Democrats 12 percent.We want to hear from Brits living abroad. How do you think UK politics has changed since you left the country? Does anything surprise you about events in the UK? How does living abroad shape your views on UK politics? Do you have concerns?You can tell us about viewing UK politics from abroad herePlease include as much detail as possible

Your Party receives ‘small portion’ of withheld supporters’ donations

The leftwing Your Party, set up by Jeremy Corbyn and Zarah Sultana, is embroiled in another public row over donations to the party.A statement from Corbyn along with Shockat Adam MP, Adnan Hussain MP, Ayoub Khan MP and Iqbal Mohamed MP states that hundreds of thousands of pounds were donated to the party “by supporters in good faith, but have since remained beyond its reach”, which they describe as being “extremely frustrating and disheartening”.It added a “small portion” of the funds was transferred to the party on Thursday which they said was “insufficient” and they will continue to pursue the immediate transfer of all the money donated.The statement posted on X by the independent alliance of MPs was not signed by Sultana and comes days after the Guardian reported on the former Labour MP and Corbyn’s quarrel over hundreds of thousands of pounds in donations.Sultana offered to transfer £600,000 from a company the party’s founders set up earlier this year, only to be rebuffed by allies of the former Labour leader who accused her of playing “political games” with supporters’ money

Labour faces questions over Starmer aide who holds shares in lobbying firm

No 10 is facing calls for an investigation into whether Keir Starmer’s communications chief should be allowed to hold shares in a lobbying firm and discuss politics with one of its consultants.Tim Allan, who is one of Starmer’s most senior aides, has a minority stake in Strand Partners, which critics claim could give rise to a perception of a conflict of interest.Allan does not gain any financial benefit from Strand while he is in No 10 but he has not sold his shares in the firm, whose clients include the British Horseracing Authority, the energy companies Ovo Energy and Cadent Gas, and Netflix.He is also friends with Tom Baldwin, a journalist, biographer of Starmer and former Labour adviser, who is a senior consultant for Strand Partners.The relationship was first reported by Sky News, which said multiple sources had told the news organisation that Allan and Baldwin have discussed politics since the communications chief joined No 10

Briefing war spotlights relationships between three of Labour’s most senior figures

One way to flush out a leadership challenger, according to Gordon Brown’s one-time enforcer, is to push them over the edge.In his chronicle of his time at the centre of power, Damian McBride wrote that the New Labour darling David Miliband had a “tendency to treat rebellion like a reluctant bather inching his way into the sea at Skegness”.“It made sense to push him right in at the outset, on the grounds that he’d run straight back to his towel, and not try again for at least six months,” McBride wrote.Some insiders believe this was the strategy behind an extraordinary decision by Keir Starmer’s closest allies to accuse Wes Streeting of leading an advanced plot to replace him as prime minister.The flaw in that plan – obvious to all who have had even fleeting contact with Streeting – is that far from reluctantly dipping his toe in, the health secretary embraces any chance to position himself for the leadership with the confidence and fervour of an Olympic diver

Nigel Farage is today’s Enoch Powell and his appeal down to slow economy, says minister

Nigel Farage is “today’s incarnation of the politics of Enoch Powell”, the business secretary, Peter Kyle, said at the Co-operative party conference.Kyle described Reform UK as “far right”, while stressing that boosting economic growth was needed to “build an economy and a politics that people can trust to deliver for themselves, their families and their communities”.He told the conference: “The truth is that without securing higher, sustained economic growth, reconnecting people and politics, generating trust in the potential of democracy and importance of good government becomes almost impossible.“And the appeal of the parties of the far right – with their dogma of disruption, division and despair – it becomes, too, alluring.”Kyle added: “We see it today with Reform, just as we did in previous times with the National Front and the British National party