#Keir Starmer

#Keir Starmer

It has been a difficult few weeks for Sir Keir Starmer and his government, with speculation about a leadership challenge followed by a chaotic run-up to the Budget, a period of damaging leaks and U-turns. Earlier this week, the Times newspaper said that it had spoken to three Scottish Labour MPs who want to see the prime minister ousted before elections to the Scottish Parliament in May. In anonymous comments, the MPs reportedly said they fear Labour will be "slaughtered" in those elections, in part thanks to the prime minister's unpopularity.

To have my own niece beaten up in the street for being gay. I thought we'd moved on from that. I was absolutely furious, I thought the days of beating up people because they were gay were well behind us.

We've got to learn the lessons of this episode and say this is not where the focus should be.

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From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging. At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.

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The prime minister will attend the Cop30 climate summit in Belem, Brazil, next month, because net zero is the economic opportunity of the 21st century, one that has the potential to reignite our industrial heartlands, create good jobs for the future, and lower bills in the long term. That's why we're restoring the UK as a global leader on climate action and green growth. And you can expect to see the PM driving forward that agenda at the summit next month.

Pressure is mounting on Keir Starmer not to cut the UK's contribution to the Global Fund to Fight Aids, Tuberculosis and Malaria after polling found 62% of Britons believe the government should maintain or increase its support. The prime minister must decide this year whether to maintain the UK contribution at 1bn or implement a cut in line with recent reductions to the aid budget. A cut of 20% has been rumoured.

Of course, Kemi might argue that she has proved the doubters wrong. She has become leader of the Tory party, after all. Though that's not the job it used to be. A small party becoming ever smaller. Where no sensible person really wants to be leader anyway. But credit where credit's due Kemi is the living embodiment of the Dunning-Kruger effect.

In his book about working as Tony Blair's chief of staff in No 10, Jonathan Powell warned of the danger leaders surrounding themselves with flatterers and yes-men. He quoted the Italian philosopher of power Niccolo Machiavelli on how it was one error into which princes are apt to fall because men take such pleasure in their own concerns, and so deceive themselves with regard to them.

From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging. At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground.

Keir Starmer saved his best for the fragile circumstances of a difficult Labour conference. It may not yet be enough to save him. All the same, this was by some way Starmer's most effective and certainly his most interesting conference speech since becoming Labour leader five years ago. Not a particularly high bar, it must be admitted, since Starmer is no great orator but at least the bar is one that he cleared. In the dire situation now facing Labour, this mattered a lot.