Latest news with #SirJohnCurtice
Daily Mail
08-07-2025
- Business
- Daily Mail
Can things only get better, Keir? Government approval falls to worst EVER after PM's benefits humiliation and Chancellor's tears
The government's ratings have tumbled to a new low after Keir Starmer was humiliated by Labour rebels and the Chancellor wept in the Commons. YouGov found just 13 per cent approve of the administration's performance, the worst level yet detected by the polling firm. Some 67 per cent had a negative view, with the net score of minus 54 equalling the previous nadir from March. The latest dire reading came after Sir Keir was forced to U-turn on proposals to curb spiralling disability and health handouts. There were also extraordinary scenes as Rachel Reeves burst into tears at PMQs. She has insisted it was down to a 'personal issue' rather than politics. Pollsters and historians have suggested Sir Keir has endured the worst start of any premier, after he marked his first year in power. Since racking up one of the biggest Commons majorities ever on July 4, the PM has seen Reform leapfrog Labour in voting intention. Polling guru Sir John Curtice has observed that Sir Keir was 'never especially popular' and the public 'still don't know what he stands for'. Economists have warned that things are only set to get harder, with the Chancellor scrambling for taxes to hike to fill an estimated £30billion hole in the government books this Autumn. Sir Keir has shrugged off his disastrous start, telling panicking MPs the 'toughest' part is over. But the premier also acknowledged an array of blunders, saying caving in to Labour rebels on welfare was a 'tough day' and he regretted a speech warning uncontrolled immigration could turn Britain into an 'island of strangers'. Speaking on the Political Thinking podcast with Nick Robinson, the premier tried to make a virtue out of U-turns on issues such as the national inquiry into grooming gangs, arguing it was 'common sense' to 'look again' when doubts were raised. And he bizarrely branded himself a 'hard-enough bast***' when asked whether he had the determination to revive Labour's fortunes.
Daily Mail
04-07-2025
- Politics
- Daily Mail
'I'm a hard-enough bast***': Keir Starmer shrugs off disastrous first year as PM as he pleads for Labour MPs to stick with him saying the 'toughest' part is over
Keir Starmer has shrugged off his disastrous first year in No10 telling panicking MPs the 'toughest' part is over. The PM pleaded for his party to stick together and focus on 'fantastic' achievements in a BBC interview to mark the anniversary of his July 4 election landslide. But Sir Keir also acknowledged an array of blunders, saying caving into Labour rebels on welfare was a 'tough day' and he regretted a speech warning uncontrolled immigration could turn Britain into an 'island of strangers'. Speaking on the Political Thinking podcast with Nick Robinson, the premier tried to make a virtue out of U-turns on issues such as the national inquiry into grooming gangs, arguing it was 'common sense' to 'look again' when doubts were raised. And he bizarrely branded himself a 'hard-enough bast***' when asked whether he had the determination to revive Labour's fortunes. Pollsters and political historians have suggested Sir Keir has endured the worst start of any PM on record. Since racking up one of the biggest Commons majorities ever, the PM has seen his personal ratings nose-dive and Reform leapfrog Labour in voting intention. Polling guru Sir John Curtice has warned that Sir Keir was 'never especially popular' and the public 'still don't know what he stands for'. This week has been especially stormy, with the massive Labour rebellion on benefits reforms and chaos over Rachel Reeves breaking down in tears during PMQs. In his interview, Sir Keir insisted the government had 'done some fantastic things' and 'driven through so much change'. He said that included bringing down waiting lists in the NHS, as well as 'loads of improvements in schools and stuff that we can do for children'. Sir Keir went on: 'Whether that's rolling out school uniform projects, whether it's school meals, breakfast clubs, you name it - and also [bringing in] a huge amount of investment into the country. 'And of course we've been busy getting three trade deals.' Sir Keir said he did not 'pretend' that the Labour revolt this week forcing him to neuter his benefit curbs was not a 'tough day'. 'I take responsibility,' he said. 'we didn't get the process right'. But he tried to make a virtue of his 'Sir U-turn' reputation, suggesting it meant he was listening. 'In the world that isn't politics, it is commonplace for people to look again at a situation and judge it by the circumstances as they now are and make a decision accordingly,' he said of the changes. 'And that is common sense, it's pragmatic, and it's a reflection of who I am. 'It was important that we took our party with us, that we got it right. 'And Labour politicians come into public life because they care deeply about these issues.' He said: 'I'm not one of these ideological thinkers, where ideology dictates what I do. I'm a pragmatist. You can badge these things as U-turns - it's common sense to me,' he said. 'If someone says to me, 'here's some more information and I really think it's the right thing to do', I'm the kind of person that says, 'well in which case, let's do it'.' In a message to Labour MPs, Sir Keir said the government needed to 'emphasise the many good things we have done'. 'We're only just starting. This in a sense is the toughest year, so we're only just beginning,' he said. It was put to Sir Keir that a friend he plays football with had described him as a 'hard bast***', but he appeared to have 'lost the dressing room'. 'Absolutely not,' he said. 'The Labour dressing room, the PLP, is proud as hell of what we've done, and their frustration - my frustration - is that sometimes the other stuff, welfare would be an example, can obscure us being able to get that out there.' He added: 'I'm a hard-enough bastard to find out who it was who said that, so that I can have a discussion with him.' Sir Keir said he was ready to turn things round, saying 'I hate losing in football, I hate losing in politics'.
The Independent
01-07-2025
- Politics
- The Independent
‘No plans for a party' to mark Keir Starmer's first year in power, No 10 says
Sir Keir Starmer will not be having a party to mark his first year as prime minister after Britain's top pollster said he was off to the worst start in history. Downing Street confirmed there were 'no plans for a party' to mark the occasion, but stressed that Sir Keir had reflected on Labour 's progress so far in Tuesday's cabinet meeting. 'He is marking the year by briefly reflecting on it in cabinet, but looking forward his focus is on delivering for the British people,' the prime minister's official spokesman said. It came after polling guru Sir John Curtice said Sir Keir had " the worst start for any newly elected prime minister, Labour or Conservative". Sir John said that voters "still don't know what (Starmer) stands for", and that he "must paint a picture of the country he wants to create". He said Labour's landslide victory last summer had masked vulnerabilities in the party's support and its policies. 'Labour only won 35 per cent of the vote – the lowest share ever for a majority government. Keir Starmer was never especially popular, and the public still don't know what he stands for,' he told Times Radio. 'The only vision he's really presented is: 'We'll fix the problems the Conservatives left us.' But it's not clear how he wants to change the country.' It came as Sir Keir used a series of interviews to discuss the trials of his first year running the country, expressing his regrets and describing the challenges he has faced. The prime minister told The Sunday Times that a focus on international affairs meant he had not appreciated the feeling of MPs over welfare reforms until last week. He also admitted in an interview with The Observer that he regretted using the term "island of strangers" in a speech this year on immigration. His comments hit the headlines after they were likened to claims by Enoch Powell that the UK's white population would find themselves "strangers in their own land" if immigration were not restricted. A readout of Sir Keir's cabinet meeting on Tuesday said the prime minister told his top team they can 'all rightly look back with a real sense of pride and achievement'. He pointed to trade deals with the EU, US and India, as well as four interest rate cuts, falling NHS waiting lists, transport and infrastructure investment and the government's spending review.
Daily Mail
01-07-2025
- Politics
- Daily Mail
Starmer has no energy, vision or strategy for Britain on the world stage. He offers only weakness, decline and a disregard for the sovereignty of this nation: NILE GARDINER
Keir Starmer has been a disaster as British Prime Minister. Don't just take my word for it. In the week of the first anniversary of Starmer moving into No 10, the polling guru Sir John Curtice said that he has had 'the worst start for any newly-elected Prime Minister, or Conservative'. By this he means the Starmer government has suffered the biggest fall in public support for a new administration in history.
Times
29-06-2025
- Politics
- Times
Keir Starmer has had worst start of any new PM, says polling guru
Sir Keir Starmer has had 'the worst start for any newly elected prime minister, Labour or Conservative', the polling guru Sir John Curtice said, after the prime minister admitted to a string of regrets in his first year in office. Curtice told Times Radio that voters 'still don't know what [Starmer] stands for', and said he 'must paint a picture of the country he wants to create'. Starmer was defended by Wes Streeting, the health secretary, who said it took 'courage and humility' to recognise when things had gone wrong. In a series of interviews Starmer reflected on the 12 months since his government was elected. He told The Sunday Times that he took 'ownership' of all his decisions and that a necessary focus on international affairs had led to him not fully appreciating the strength of feeling over welfare reforms until last week. He also said he regretted the use of the term 'island of strangers' in a speech this year on immigration, which was likened to Enoch Powell's claim that the white population would find themselves 'strangers in their own land' if immigration were not checked. Starmer said: 'I wouldn't have gone near it if I had known. I didn't know that was used by Powell. If I'd known that, I would never have said it.' His performance has led to questions about the future of his leadership. Some MPs feel emboldened after having forced three government U-turns in two months. Curtice told Times Radio: 'Apologies rarely help. U-turns can suggest a lack of direction, which is already one of this government's biggest problems.' • Keir Starmer on the benefits U-turn and his toughest week yet He said Starmer's government had suffered the biggest fall in public support for any newly elected British government. Labour now polls at about 24 per cent. The Telegraph reported that more than 40 MPs were considering pushing for a watering down of the policy on inheritance tax for farmers and ministers also face a challenge over the two-child benefit cap. Streeting said Starmer had acted bravely and that it had taken courage to admit that he was not perfect. He told the BBC: 'I admire a leader who has the courage and humility to admit that he's not perfect and that his government's made mistakes … By the prime minister's own admission, I think there are things that we haven't got entirely right in government. • Trevor Phillips: How Keir's feeble grip on power got weaker 'All I'd say about Keir Starmer is, beyond the decency of the man, which I think is evident to people, I think he's shown real leadership on the world stage, working hard to bridge Europe and America to tackle conflict, sealing trade deals that have literally saved thousands of jobs in this country and offer a pathway to future growth, reforming our public services and trying to make our country fairer through those anti-poverty measures I described as well as getting our public services turned around. 'We were elected on a platform of change. Until people start feeling that change I don't expect the public to give the prime minister, me or anyone else a pat on the back for a job well done.' Streeting, who has been tipped as a potential successor to Starmer, did not rule out wanting the top job but dismissed the suggestion as 'mischief making'. He told Sky News: 'I know exactly what you're up to and it's mischief making and it's a load of rubbish and I'm not entertaining it. The fact is that we have got in Keir Starmer a prime minister who is delivering real change in our country. 'Of course, it takes time and I'm not pretending for a moment that all of the problems in our country have been solved: far from it, even on the NHS, where I think we've made real progress in our first year. There is so much more to do. There's not a hint of complacency, but we came in to change the country and that's what we're doing.' On the same programme, Angela Rayner, the deputy prime minister, who is seen as another candidate to replace Starmer, ruled out trying to do so. The Mail on Sunday said allies of Rayner believed that she would be the next leader. One told the newspaper: 'I think Angela will be the leader. After next year's Welsh and local elections, if Starmer does not stand down, he will face a challenge. People have just had enough and Keir is gravely wounded.' Others said, however, that Rayner was focused on her government role and dismissed the suggestion.
