British PM Starmer: finished or rescued?
Following Labour's heavy losses in local elections, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer addressed his party and the British public in a crisis speech on Monday. While acknowledging his responsibility, Starmer also emphasised his duty to deliver the changes that Labour was elected to bring about. Commentators assess his handling of the situation amid growing calls for his resignation.
The speech has worsened the crisis
Starmer is facing political ruin, according to The Times:
“Those pining for inspiration, for daring new policies, listened in vain. Instead they were treated to reheated leftovers: the nationalisation of a British Steel that was already effectively in public ownership, and a drive to put the United Kingdom at the 'heart of Europe'. ... It was a speech meant to soothe a restive party that ended in yet more public calls for Sir Keir to step down immediately, or soon. His premiership dangles by a thread.”
Out of danger – for now
The British Prime Minister has managed to buy himself some time, The Irish Independent concludes:
“Starmer has hit back by warning his critics in the party they risked opening the door to Farage and a lurch to the right. 'We are not just facing dangerous times, but dangerous opponents,' he said. 'Very dangerous opponents.' He may be right. But he has to set a clear demarcation between Labour and the hard right. ... Starmer may be out of danger for the moment, but the crisis he and Europe are facing in delivering on costs and standards of living has not gone away.”
Small steps not enough
Handelsblatt suggests an approach with which Starmer could have regained some ground:
“Britain's return to Europe. However, once again, the prime minister lacked the courage for a genuine change of course. Starmer's promise of an ambitious work exchange scheme for young adults is certainly a positive sign for young Europeans, who have been particularly hard hit by Brexit. Nevertheless, as the prime minister pointed out at the beginning of his speech, small steps are no longer sufficient for Britain to repair the damage done by Brexit and to overcome its sluggish growth. This would require, at the very least, a return to a customs union or the EU single market.”
His words couldn't turn the tide
Corriere della Sera sees Starmer driven into a corner:
“The dam has burst and the floodwaters are surging downhill, ready to sweep Keir Starmer away. The speech with which the British Prime Minister attempted to turn the tide yesterday morning did little good: in the evening, a number of parliamentary under-secretaries [the lowest level of the government hierarchy] resigned one after another, calling on him to leave Downing Street or at least set a timetable for his departure. More than 60 Labour MPs followed suit. ... Earlier that morning, a relaxed prime minister, dressed in a white shirt without a jacket or tie, had delivered what was perhaps the most important speech of his career in an attempt to hold on to his increasingly precarious position. But his words were not enough.”
Entering a new political era
In a Facebook post, journalist Carina Cockrell-Ferre sees the end of the two-party system approaching:
“The overall picture is one of increasing fragmentation in British politics. On the right, Reform UK is actively drawing protest voters away from Labour and the Conservatives; Plaid Cymru [Party of Wales] and the SNP [Scottish National Party] are expanding their influence in the national regions, and the Greens and Liberal Democrats continue to gain ground on the left and in the centre. The traditional big parties – Labour and the Conservatives – are gradually losing their monopoly on power. ... Britain is entering a new political era in which the familiar two-party system will soon be a thing of the past.”