Keir Starmer Backs Down Over Hillsborough Law Changes After Backlash

Posted on 18/01/2026 by Boris Clair

Keir Starmer has backed down over plans to change the Hillsborough Law following a backlash by MPs and campaigners.

The government had been due to move an amendment to the legislation on Monday which critics said would have watered it down to protect members of the intelligence services.

The aim of the new law, which was promised in Labour’s 2024 election manifesto, is to end cover-ups by public bodies in the wake of major disasters such as the Hillsborough disaster and the Manchester Arena bombing.

Labour whips were bracing themselves for a major backbench rebellion if the vote had gone ahead.

But ministers announced on Sunday night that it was no longer moving the amendment and was seeking further talks with MPs and victims’s families.

A government spokesperson said: “This legislation will right the wrongs of the past, changing the balance of power to ensure the state can never hide from the people it should serve and putting a legal duty on officials to respond openly and honestly when things go wrong.

“The bill will make the police, intelligence agencies and the whole of government more scrutinised than they have ever been, but we can never compromise on national security.

“We will continue to work with all parties to make sure the Bill is the strongest it can possibly be, without compromising national security.”

Under the law, a “duty of candour” would be introduced making it illegal for those in positions of authority to withhold information from investigations.

The government amendment would have allowed the heads of the security services to decide whether or not to disclose information involving their operations.

Ministers insisted the change was necessary to protect national security.

But speaking on Sunday, Labour MP Ian Byrne – who was at Hillsborough on the day of the tragedy in 1989 – told the BBC he was prepared to vote against the government amendment.

Reacting to the government’s decision to pull its amendment, Byrne, the MP for Liverpool West Derby, told HuffPost UK: “I’m delighted to see this pause.

“Now I urge the government to either adopt my amendment or work with us to draft a new amendment which makes the legislation worthy of the name Hillsborough and a legacy to the 97 [Liverpool fans who died].”

Trump Slaps Tariffs On UK And 7 Other European Countries Until US Controls Greenland

Posted on 17/01/2026 by Boris Clair

Donald Trump has slapped tariffs on the UK and seven other European countries until America controls Greenland.

In an extraordinary development, the US president said a 10% import tax will be imposed on Britain, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, the Netherlands and Finland from February 1.

Hitting back on Ssturday evening, Keir Starmer said Trump’s actions were “completely wrong”.

Announcing the move on Truth Social, Trump said the charge will then be increased to 25% on June 1 and remain in place “until such time as a Deal is reached for the Complete and Total purchase of Greenland” by America.

Greenland has been part of the kingdom of Denmark for more than 300 years.

But Trump said: “World Peace is at stake! China and Russia want Greenland, and there is not a thing that Denmark can do about it. They currently have two dogsleds as protection, one added recently.

“Only the United States of America, under PRESIDENT DONALD J. TRUMP, can play in this game, and very successfully, at that! Nobody will touch this sacred piece of Land, especially since the National Security of the United States, and the World at large, is at stake. On top of everything else, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, The United Kingdom, The Netherlands, and Finland have journeyed to Greenland, for purposes unknown.”

Earlier this week, the UK announced it had sent a military officer to Greenland as Denmark stepped up its military presence in the Arctic and High North.

Trump went on: “This is a very dangerous situation for the Safety, Security, and Survival of our Planet. These Countries, who are playing this very dangerous game, have put a level of risk in play that is not tenable or sustainable.

“Therefore, it is imperative that, in order to protect Global Peace and Security, strong measures be taken so that this potentially perilous situation end quickly, and without question.”

The president added: “The United States of America is immediately open to negotiation with Denmark and/or any of these Countries that have put so much at risk, despite all that we have done for them, including maximum protection, over so many decades.”

Keir Starmer said: “Our position on Greenland is very clear – it is part of the Kingdom of Denmark and its future is a matter for the Greenlanders and the Danes.

“We have also made clear that Arctic Security matters for the whole of NATO and allies should all do more together to address the threat from Russia across different parts of the Arctic.

“Applying tariffs on allies for pursuing the collective security of NATO allies is completely wrong. We will of course be pursuing this directly with the US administration.”

Tory leader Kemi Badenoch said it was “a terrible idea”.

She posted on X: “President Trump is completely wrong to announce tariffs on the UK over Greenland.

“People in both UK and US will face higher costs. These tariffs will be yet another burden for businesses across our country.

“The sovereignty of Greenland should only be decided by the people of Greenland. On this, I agree with Keir Starmer.”

Speaking on a visit to Westminster last week, Greenaldic Naaja Nathanielsen said the territory “felt betrayed” by Trump’s threats to take over the Arctic island.

Lib Dem leader Ed Davey branded Trump a “bully” and said the PM’s policy towards the US “lies n tatters”.

He wrote on X: “Starmer’s US policy lies in tatters. Trump is now punishing the UK and NATO allies just for doing the right thing.

“Time for the PM to stand firm against the bully in the White House, and work with European and Commonwealth allies to make him back down from this reckless plan.”

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Starmer’s US policy lies in tatters. Trump is now punishing the UK and NATO allies just for doing the right thing.

Time for the PM to stand firm against the bully in the White House, and work with European and Commonwealth allies to make him back down from this reckless plan. https://t.co/9O0IvLKGsQ

— Ed Davey (@EdwardJDavey) January 17, 2026

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Time for the PM to stand firm against the bully in the White House, and work with European and Commonwealth allies to make him back down from this reckless plan. https://t.co/9O0IvLKGsQ— Ed Davey (@EdwardJDavey) January 17, 2026\n\n\n","options":{"_hide_media":{"label":"Hide photos, videos, and cards","value":false},"_maxwidth":{"label":"Adjust width","placeholder":"220-550, in px","value":""},"_theme":{"value":"","values":{"dark":"Use dark theme"}}},"provider_name":"Twitter","title":"Ed Davey on Twitter / 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Starmer’s US policy lies in tatters. Trump is now punishing the UK and NATO allies just for doing the right thing.

Time for the PM to stand firm against the bully in the White House, and work with European and Commonwealth allies to make him back down from this reckless plan. https://t.co/9O0IvLKGsQ

— Ed Davey (@EdwardJDavey) January 17, 2026

Operation Save Starmer: How The PM’s Allies Are Trying To Keep Him In His Job

Posted on 16/01/2026 by Boris Clair

Keir Starmer chalked up 18 months as prime minister earlier this month, but there has been little cause for celebration in Downing Street.

The most notable event of the past week was his decision to ditch plans for the introduction of mandatory digital ID cards – Labour’s 13th major policy U-turn since the party’s landslide election victory in July, 2024.

What made this climbdown so damaging was the fact that it came just four months after Starmer himself had announced the policy with great fanfare.

“MPs are livid,” one disgruntled backbencher told HuffPost UK. “It’s another case of us being made to look like utter fools.”

The mood inside No.10 was not helped by more manoeuvring by health secretary Wes Streeting, who implored the government to “get it right first time” rather than announcing policies only to end up ditching them.

Chris Hopkins, political research director at pollsters Savanta, said voters are usually more forgiving of government U-turns than MPs and journalists.

But he added: “The sheer number of Starmer’s U-turns means this is no longer.

“What is worse is the political capital he tends to waste defending usually contentious policies, only to row back weeks later. It makes him look weak, indecisive and like he is very easily influenced by external noise.

“None of these characteristics are what people want from their politicians, let alone their prime minister, whose popularity stands no chance of recovering if the image he gives to the public is one of cluelessness.”

A Kick In The Ballots?

Elections in Scotland, Wales and in councils across England are now just 16 weeks away, and remain the moment of maximum danger for Starmer, should the opinion polls be proved right and Labour is hammered.

“The mood among MPs is febrile. I wouldn’t put tuppence on an outcome in any direction,” one veteran Labour figure said when asked if a challenge to Starmer’s leadership was now inevitable.

Against this inauspicious backdrop, senior Labour politicians are now rallying behind the PM in an attempt to see off any attempts to replace him.

His long-term ally and attorney general Lord Hermer went out to bat for his old pal at a meeting of the Tribune group of soft left Labour MPs on Tuesday night, telling them to “not throw away” the government’s achievements so far by ditching their leader.

HuffPost UK understands Hermer will continue this pro-Starmer outreach work to the Parliamentary Labour Party (PLP) in the months ahead, making the case for keeping the PM as someone who has known him personally for more than 30 years.

He will also stress that Starmer wants to deliver long-term change, therefore getting rid of him after just two years makes no sense.

Not everyone is convinced, however. A Labour MP said: “Hermer’s message seems to be ‘we’ve spent the last three years being as anti-soft left as we can possibly be, Keir doesn’t know any of your names, but please don’t dump him’.”

Transport secretary Heidi Alexander made clear her backing for Starmer at a meeting of the political cabinet this week.

She told her colleagues they needed to form a “Praetorian guard” around the prime minister to protect him from his opponents.

However, one senior figure pointed out: “The real Praetorian guards killed a dozen Roman emperors.”

More Tory Chaos

Supporters of the PM believe that Robert Jenrick’s defection from the Conservatives to Reform UK presents Labour with a huge strategic opportunity.

With the right of British politics at war itself, they argue that Starmer is best placed to unite progressive voters who want to keep Nigel Farage out of Downing Street at all costs.

“What Jenrick’s defection shows is the contrast between the chaos on the right and the stability and consistency of the Labour government,” said one government insider. “Why would you throw away that big strategic advantage?

“The next election is going to be about who is most effective at winning over two voting blocs – the progressives and the right wing.

“There was a concern that Reform and the Tories could reach some accommodation before the election, but there’s no chance of that now because there’s so much bad blood between them.

“So there’s an opportunity for the PM and Labour to unite our voting bloc while the Tories and Reform are killing each other.”

A Labour source added: “It doesn’t matter what rosette they wear, these are the same people who failed Britain and took money out of people’s pockets, made them less safe and stoked division in our country.

“While the latest soap opera unfolds on the Tory and Reform benches, this Labour prime minister is delivering on the cost of living, bringing down waiting lists and keeping women and girls safe online.”

A cabinet minister said Starmer needs to focus on “getting on with the job”.

“What we’ve seen with Jenrick is another chapter in the chaos on the right that caused so much damage to the country under the Tories,” the MP said.

“In circumstances like that, our job is to get on with it. We’ve had higher than expected economic growth, good NHS waiting list figures, and Keir has stood up to Elon Musk on Grok. We do have a good story to tell.”

A shake-up inside No.10 has also delivered results, according to senior Labour figures, most notably the appointment of Amy Richards as Starmer’s political director.

A senior party source said: “Amy has really improved the political operation, which you can see through things like having trade union delegations and groups of MPs in to No.10.

“She’s also reached out to some of the overlooked shadow ministers in the Commons and Labour grandees in the Lords.”

There is no doubt, however, that Starmer still faces an uphill battle to hang on to his job.

One gloomy MP said: “Keir is already off my leaflets and my social media and I won’t even bust a gut to defend a government policy because what’s the point when he’ll probably U-turn on it?”

Starmer’s outriders are on the march – but is it already too late to save the PM?

‘People Are Livid’: Labour MPs In Despair As Starmer’s Latest U-Turn Sparks Fresh Crisis

Posted on 14/01/2026 by Boris Clair

2026 wasn’t supposed to be like this for Keir Starmer.

Downing Street had planned, according to the prime minister’s top spin doctor Tim Allan, a “strong start” to the New Year.

A series of announcements on how the government was going to tackle the cost of living were meant to get the embattled PM onto the front foot.

Unbeknown to No.10, of course, Donald Trump had plans of his own that would blow everyone off course.

Not content with bombing Venezuela and kidnapping the country’s president, Nicolas Maduro, and his wife, the US president has also ramped up the rhetoric on Greenland.

America will take control of the Arctic island “one way or the other”, according to Trump, to the horror of European leaders, including Starmer.

Throw in the uprising in Iran and it’s easy to see why the prime minister has struggled to seize the political initiative.

He did finally make some headlines on Tuesday night – but not in the way he had hoped.

To general bewilderment at Westminster, it was confirmed that the government was ditching its plans to make it compulsory to carry state-sanctioned digital ID cards.

That’s despite Starmer himself announcing the policy just four months ago with great fanfare.

For those understandably struggling to keep count, it was the 13th major policy U-turn the government has performed since being elected in July, 2024.

For MPs who were already sceptical about Starmer’s ability to improve Labour’s miserable poll numbers, it could prove to be the final straw.

“People who are not normally as bothered by this issue are livid,” one MP told HuffPost UK. “It’s another case of them being made to look like utter fools.”

A backbencher added: “We’re just running through the motions. The lights are on but no one is home.”

Other MPs are just glad they no longer have to pretend to support the policy.

“I never made a big deal of going out and defending it,” said one. “A lot of us just feel relief that we don’t have to flog it on the doorsteps.”

Supporters of digital ID cards on the Labour benches are also frustrated by how the latest climbdown has been handled.

One senior MP said: “It has ended up in the place that most MPs and the public advised it should start from.

“I hope the damage hasn’t been done as it’s a very positive initiative that will help us to transform public services, give the public more control over their data, and make the user interaction with government better.

“It doesn’t need to be mandatory as I’d be confident that the public will see huge benefits to having it so take up will be large.”

No.10 officials are desperately trying to put a positive spin on Starmer’s latest calamity, insisting it is part of a strategy of ditching unpopular policies to focus on putting more money in voters’ pockets.

They compare it to former Tory election guru Lynton Crosby’s infamous “get the barnacles off the boat” policy.

However, critics point out that only works if the prime minister isn’t the one responsible for putting the barnacles there in the first place.

The new year is only 14 days old, and Starmer once again finds himself fighting for his political life as a result of a wholly self-inflicted mistake.

Keir Starmer Ditches Compulsory Digital ID In 13th U-Turn Since Becoming Prime Minister

Posted on 13/01/2026 by Boris Clair

Keir Starmer has ditched plans to force all workers to have digital ID cards in his 13th U-turn since becoming prime minister.

In a major humiliation for the PM, the Cabinet Office confirmed that the controversial cards would no longer be compulsory for those seeking employment.

When the policy was announced in September last year, Starmer said: “Let me spell it out, you will not be able to work in the United Kingdom if you do not have digital ID.”

But Starmer’s latest climbdown means that the digital ID cards will be optional, giving workers the choice of whether to use other ways of proving their identity.

A government spokesperson said: “We are committed to mandatory digital right to work checks.

“Currently, right to work checks include a hodge podge of paper-based systems with no record of checks ever taking place. This is open to fraud and abuse.

“We have always been clear that details on the digital ID scheme will be set out following a full public consultation which will launch shortly.

“Digital ID will make everyday life easier for people, ensuring public services are more personal, joined-up, and effective, while also remaining inclusive.”

The U-turn follows climbdowns on other flagship government policies like scrapping winter fuel payments and cuts to disability benefits.

But Tory MP Mike Wood, the shadow Cabinet Office minister, said: “While we welcome the scrapping of any mandatory identification, this is yet another humiliating U-turn from the government.

“Keir Starmer’s spinelessness is becoming a pattern, not an exception.

“What was sold as a tough measure to tackle illegal working is now set to become yet another costly, ill-thought-out experiment abandoned at the first sign of pressure from Labour’s backbenches.

“Only the Conservatives have the plan and the team to restore common sense to public policy.”

Liberal Democrat Cabinet Office spokeswoman Lisa Smart said: “Number 10 must be bulk ordering motion sickness tablets at this rate to cope with all their U-turns.

“It was clear right from the start this was a proposal doomed to failure, that would have cost obscene amounts of taxpayers’ money to deliver absolutely nothing.”

Labour MP Tells Starmer To Scrap Jury Reforms Or Face A By-Election

Posted on 11/01/2026 by Boris Clair

A Labour MP has told Keir Starmer to scrap his planned jury reforms – or he will trigger a by-election.

The government intends to limit jury trials in England and Wales, abolishing them altogether for non-serious offences – those with a likely prison sentences of three years of less – in a bid to clear the court backlog.

But Karl Turner, the former shadow solicitor general, has told The Sunday Times he is “ashamed” of the prime minister and justice secretary David Lammy for going ahead with the plans.

The MP for Kingston upon Hull East urged the government to “stop these ludicrous proposals and get on with the hard job of sorting out the criminal justice system”.

He voted for a Tory motion to force a vote among MPs on the government’s justice reforms this week, breaking the party whip as he did so.

That marked the first time Turner had voted against his own party since securing a seat in 2010.

While around 40 Labour MPs previously warned the prime minister they are not prepared to support the plans, Turner was the only one to oppose the government and back a Tory motion.

But he told The Sunday Times he is “not fearful of having the whip removed” as a result, and would even consider standing down as an MP.

He currently holds his seat with a majority of 3,920 – Reform came in second place.

Despite the threat, Turner said he does not believe he will end up triggering a by-election, noting Labour MPs are “seething” over the reforms.

He suggested the backbenchers will be able to defeat the government’s motion if it “daft enough” to bring it forward.

Turner also revealed that the justice reforms “really matter” to him because he was wrongly accused of a crime “many years ago” – leading him to pursue his own career in law before becoming an MP.

The Ministry of Justice told the newspaper: “Victims are facing an unacceptably long wait for justice after years of delays in our courts. This government is determined to change that.

“That is why we are combining bold reforms, record levels of investment and action to tackle inefficiencies across the system — so victims and survivors see their cases heard sooner and get the justice they deserve.

“Taken together, these measures will ensure the most serious cases are prioritised and continue to be heard by a jury, while reducing unnecessary delays that leave victims waiting for far too long.”

Trump Thinks US Aggression Can Overpower Everything. No One Seems Willing To Prove Him Wrong.

Posted on 09/01/2026 by Boris Clair

Donald Trump outdid himself this week.

After initiating military strikes against Venezuela and capturing its president Nicolas Maduro, he declared he would “run” the country – and send in America’s oil companies.

While there were some murmurings of dissent over this aggression, his western allies effectively looked the other way, shirking questions over whether this was a breach of international law.

But Trump wasn’t finished. He then began to renew his threats against Colombia, Cuba, Mexico and Iran – as well as the Danish territory of Greenland.

Attacking the latter would effectively tear the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (Nato) apart, considering both the US and Denmark are members.

He told the New York Times he could be left with a “choice” between sticking with Nato or grabbing Greenland.

As the White House’s deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller said this week: “Nobody is going to fight the US militarily over the future of Greenland.”

European leaders did pipe up a little in defence the Arctic island, writing a joint statement reminding the US that its future can be decided only by Greenland and Denmark.

But evidently, that’s not enough. The president does not care. He has pressed on, insisting the US “needs” the territory.

The 80-year pact among western leaders after World War 2 to commit to a shared idea of defence, democracy and law has gone out the window.

And European leaders fear the repercussions that could follow if they challenge the most powerful man in the world for upending the rules-based order.

Does this mean it is now Trump’s world, and we’re just living in it?

Associate fellow of the Russia and Eurasia Programme. Keir Giles told HuffPost UK that at the moment it certainly looked like it – “who is going to stop him?”

He pointed out that the States is widely seen as the main enforcer of international law, and so America has been able to pick and choose which elements it wants to uphold – or now let it collapse altogether.

He did suggest Europe might be less powerful than it thinks – but that the continent should have a strategy that goes beyond “pandering” to the White House.

Evidently, the softly-softly approach is barely registering with Trump, as seen from the UK prime minister’s interactions with him this week.

Keir Starmer has tried to become a Trump whisperer over the last 18 months, but he could not even get the US president on the phone in the immediate aftermath of his military strikes on Venezuela.

It seemed that it was only after the UK and France promised to send their troops to Ukraine in the even of a peace deal and Britain helped the US seize a Russian tanker linked to Venezuelan oil in the North Atlantic that Trump picked up the phone on Wednesday.

And, judging by the short readout from No.10, Starmer made no progress on persuading Trump to climbdown on his Greenland ambitions.

Surprisingly, they had a second conversation on Thursday.

“The leaders discussed Euro-Atlantic security and agreed on the need to deter an increasingly aggressive Russia in the High North,” according to Downing Street. “European allies had stepped up in recent months to defend Euro-Atlantic interests, but more could be done to protect the area, the prime minister said.”

Trump’s comments’s response to those words from Starmer were notably absent.

President Donald Trump and Britain's Prime Minister Keir Starmer announce an agreement between the two countries during a joint press conference at Chequers near Aylesbury, England, Thursday, Sept. 18, 2025. — President Donald Trump and Britain’s Prime Minister Keir Starmer announce an agreement between the two countries during a joint press conference at Chequers near Aylesbury, England, Thursday, Sept. 18, 2025.

So there are growing calls for European leaders to grow a backbone, especially if Trump moves to annex Greenland.

As EU correspondent Ole Ryborg wrote for Danish media outlet, DR: “What the Europeans have not tried yet is to act against the US. The political will has not been there.”

He suggested if Europe banded together against the US, it could use its “large arsenal of very powerful weapons” to knock Trump off course.

The specialist noted how the continent could start an economic conflict, too, by halting the export of the specific technology that the US buys in Europe, which could block the entire US AI sector.

The EU could stop using American cryptocurrency, impose personal sanctions on Americans or implement an entry ban on US politicians.

The bloc could consider freezeing financial assets, too, limiting the new purchase of American government bonds, restricting US companies and services and disrupting the US-EU medicine trade.

“Putin has been emboldened by president Trump’s recent aggressive posturing”

– CEO of Hope for Ukraine and humanitarian expert, Yuriy Boyechko

Even closing US military bases in Europe would send a statement to the White House.

It’s certainly in Europe’s interests to stop Trump sooner rather than later – and not just because of Greenland.

That’s because Trump’s moves appear to have given Russia a boost.

On Thursday, Russia targeted western Ukraine, Lviv, with an intermediate range ballistic missile which travelled approximately 1,622km to its target.

The CEO of Hope for Ukraine and humanitarian expert, Yuriy Boyechko, told HuffPost UK this “escalation appears fueled by a perception of Western disunity”.

He added: “Specifically, Putin has been emboldened by president Trump’s recent aggressive posturing, including his dismissal of Nato’s traditional role and his alarming renewed threats to use military force to acquire Greenland.

“By eyeing the territory of a Nato ally while signaling that the US commitment to the alliance is fluid, the current administration has created a vacuum that the Kremlin is eager to fill, actively testing the threshold of global stability in a world where the old rules no longer seem to apply.”

Giles also noted that Europe needs to get its act together and appreciate the impact of Trump’s moves, dispelling the “assumption that wars only happen to other people”.

He called out Britain in particular, claiming “the UK government is doggedly resisting taking an interest in national defence” while the very real threat of Russian war looms.

While Vladimir Putin’s nose was put out of joint this week after Trump seized part of his shadow fleet, Giles said the Russian president probably “doesn’t want to interrupt his enemy while he is making a mistake” and rearranging the world order to Russia’s liking – especially when it jeopardises Nato.

Russia is already testing the so-called grey zone between war and peace, too.

The Daily Mail reported this week that Russia could cripple Britain by cutting just 60 undersea cables carrying 99% of all UK data, while its shadow fleet has been accused of trying to sabotage telecommunication cables.

Allies on the continent evidently can no longer ignore Trump’s posturing – but it remains to be seen whether any of them will put their heads above the parapet and risk the Republican’s wrath.

Starmer Says The UK Will Send Troops To Ukraine If There’s A Peace Deal. So What Happens Now?

Posted on 07/01/2026 by Boris Clair

Keir Starmer has promised to send British troops into Ukraine in the event of a peace deal with Russia – but what does that really mean?

The prime minister proudly revealed on Tuesday that he and the French president Emmanuel Macron had signed a written agreement with Ukraine to deploy their own soldiers to the war-torn country, in a bid to help protect it if a peace agreement is reached.

The pledge appeared to encourage the US to finally offer its own military efforts to help “deter” any future aggression against Ukraine and defend against any other attacks.

While these are all promising words, what does this mean in practice?

What did Starmer and Macron say?

The two world leaders signed a “declaration of intent” at a Coalition of the Willing meeting on Tuesday, promising to send troops in the event of a peace deal.

Starmer said it “paves the way for legal framework under which British, French and partner forces could operate on Ukrainian soil”.

He said: “Following a ceasefire, the UK and France will establish military hubs across Ukraine and build protected facilities for weapons of military equipment to support Ukraine’s defensive needs.”

Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy welcomed it as a “huge step forward”.

The wider Coalition of the Willing – a group of more than 30 nations dedicated to supporting Ukraine in the face of Russia’s aggression – also committed to a “multinational force for Ukraine” from willing nations.

This would support deterrence and rebuilding Ukraine’s armed forces during a ceasefire.

Could a deployment happen any time soon?

That all depends on the progress of a peace deal – and if US security promises hold.

Putin is yet to respond to the these developments, and he could easily dismiss any peace deal which involves European troops moving into Ukraine.

That would slow down the grinding progress the US team has been make with its 20-point plan to end the conflict.

But it seems pretty unlikely any deal is going to get over the line any time soon.

Putin has been dragging his feet over any kind of compromise for months and sticking to his maximalist goals in Ukraine.

He rejected Western proposals for a “reassurance force” in Ukraine back in September, warning any troops deployed to Ukraine would be “legitimate targets”.

Will there be a Commons vote on potential deployment?

Starmer opened prime minister’s questions on Wednesday by reassuring MPs the matter would put to the Commons before any troops are deployed to Ukraine.

MPs could, of course, vote against such a move, considering the UK’s economy is already struggling and its military is pretty depleted.

Reform UK leader Nigel Farage has already made it clear he would vote against such a motion.

He told Times Radio: “I would vote against. We neither have the manpower nor the equipment to go into an operation which clearly has no end in timeline.”

No.10 was also unable to tell reporters what would happen if MPs failed to vote in favour of deploying troops.

Neither the prime minister’s press secretary nor his official spokesperson said if the government would be bound by a similar vote by MPs.

This happened before, such as when David Cameron lost a vote on military action in Syria in August 2013.

Starmer’s spokesperson said: “I think the point is, until we’ve secured the cessation of hostilities, our planning teams are focused on ensuring the coalition of the willing is able to flex to the requirements of any peace deal and ensure Ukraine’s armed forces are able to regenerate, to defend Ukraine, and support European security for generations to come.

“So it is a staged process.”

What else do we know about this plan?

The government has revealed very few details and is yet to give a statement to the Commons on the process.

Starmer’s press secretary insisted ministers will speak to the House at the “earliest opportunity” and updated MPs on Starmer’s part in the peacekeeping talks in Paris.

But it remains unclear how many troops would be provided, if the UK would match the same number as France, if other European states might get involved and what those soldiers would actually do when on the ground.

Starmer Tells Ministers To ‘Hold Their Nerve’ Amid Labour’s Nosedive In Opinion Polls

Posted on 06/01/2026 by Boris Clair

Keir Starmer has told ministers to “hold their nerve” even after Labour faced a nosedive in the opinion polls.

The prime minister held his first political cabinet – meaning deputy party leader Lucy Powell could attend – of the year and tried to lift their spirits following a difficult 2025.

Hours after a new YouGov poll put Labour in third place behind Reform and the Tories, Starmer insisted that the government is facing “the fight of our political lives”.

According to a readout, he said: “A Labour government renewing the country or a Reform movement that feeds on grievance, decline and division.

“They want a weaker state, they want to inject bile into our communities, they want to appease Putin. This is the fight of our political lives and one that we must relish.

“I do not underestimate the scale of the task. But I have no doubt about this team. Governments do not lose because polls go down. They lose when they lose belief or nerve. We will do neither.”

Powell also addressed the meeting, thanking ministers for “embracing me as deputy leader” and saying she relished “helping to tell the story of whose side we are on”.

Powell served as Starmer’s Commons leader before she was booted out of the job in a September reshuffle.

During the regular cabinet meeting, the prime minister also told ministers that the cost of living will “remain our focus” regardless of what happens around the world.

He said the government would be judged at the next general election on whether the public “feel better off”, adding: “That will require hard work, focus and determination from all of us. Together, as a team, we will rise to that challenge and deliver for the whole country.”

It comes after Starmer tried to scare off potential rivals who might consider challenging his leadership over the weekend.

He told BBC’s Laura Kuenssberg ousting him would send the country into “chaos”, comparable to the last Tory government.

He said: “Nobody wants to go back to that. It’s not in our national interest.”

He also claimed the upcoming May elections are not a “referendum” on his leadership.

Starmer Urged To Do More To Tackle Reform: ‘We Are At A Very Dangerous Moment’

Posted on 02/01/2026 by Boris Clair

Keir Starmer needs a stronger plan to defeat the “existential threat” from populism, a former Labour strategist has warned.

Chris Powell, the advertising strategist who worked on Tony Blair’s 1997 landslide victory and brother to Starmer’s national security adviser Jonathan Powell, said there was a “new and terrifying” problem facing the UK.

Writing for the Guardian, he said Nigel Farage’s Reform UK could represent a danger to democracy and national institutions.

He compared the up and coming right-wing party to populist parties seen around the world which have eroded political systems once they are in power.

Powell said: “Here in the UK, where is the urgently needed counter plan on a huge scale, to thwart and head off such an existential threat? It is simply not in place, nor does it appear to be even at the planning stage.

“We are at a very dangerous moment. We simply cannot afford to allow Reform UK to have a free run, and become established and entrenched as a credible potential government in the minds of disenchanted voters.”

He warned the longer Reform remain “unchallenged”, the more “unthreatening and risk-free” they appear to voters.

“Just hoping that Reform and Farage implode, or that the rightwing vote will somehow fracture, is potentially suicidal for our freedom and democracy,” Powell said.

The strategist acknowledged that Labour has started to take “small steps” to counter Reform, but called for them to go further.

He pointed to the “fundamental reset” New Labour planned in September 1995, when they were ahead in the polls.

He urged Starmer to focus on “fighting fire with fire on messaging, call out lies and expose Farage’s simplistic solutions”.

Urging a “top-to-bottom media and communications overhaul”, he said Starmer needs to show he is on voters’ side and develop a digital strategy to disrupt the populist narrative online.

Since Reform UK took the lead in the opinion polls, Starmer has acknowledged the party as the government’s main opposition – despite having just five MPs.

The prime minister has tried to take apart their policies on various occasions, memorably saying last month that a Reform government would “tear Britain apart”.

Ministers have also been more outspoken about the negative consequences of Brexit, which Eurosceptic Farage spent decades campaigning for.

However, YouGov’s latest polling shows Reform has consistently been in the lead since April and finished 2025 on 26%, while Labour and the Tories trailed on 19%.

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