For Starmer, things can only get worse |
It’s been a bad year for Starmer, characterised by scandals, economic woes and plummeting poll ratings – and it looks 2026 is going to be no better, says Tom Harwood
As we all enjoy late December’s time honoured if questionable traditions of frantic Christmas shopping, parties and hangovers – please spare a thought for one man who is most certainly not having a Happy Chritstmas.
It was supposed to be all so different for Sir Keir Starmer. Just 16 months ago he was a man on top of the world. Cruising to victory of a scale not seen since the electoral magic of Tony Blair.
A decade of national renewal, our new Prime Minister declared. His decade.
And yet the first few months were difficult. More difficult than almost anyone expected. No freshly elected government has fallen in the estimation of the country quite so quickly in recorded history. Scandals continually hit over a budget that raised taxes by £40bn, an arguable manifesto breach over national insurance, government borrowing rising by tens of billions of........