Watch: How Reform UK’s English landslide left Labour looking for a spark
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The pro-Brexit Reform UK emerged as the biggest winner in last week’s English local elections, gaining more than 1,400 council seats. Most of those gains came from Labour, shifting the spotlight firmly onto its leader. But is his time in Number 10 already on the clock?
Despite a massive Westminster majority, last Thursday’s local election battering has left Starmer "on notice."
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Ironically, that majority makes him easier to criticise. His own MPs feel safe breaking ranks because the government is not at immediate risk of falling.
And ousting a Labour leader is much harder than a Tory. According to the Labour party rulebook rivals need 81 MPs to go public just to trigger a vote. While the Trade Unions and party members stay quiet, Starmer holds a structural shield that makes him safer than the headlines suggest.
And with Britain’s economy hurt post-Brexit, Starmer is pursuing a high-stakes pivot. At a recent summit in Armenia, Starmer opened talks to join the EU’s ninety billion Euro loan for Ukraine. And it seems to be a "cash for play" strategy: the UK helps pay the interest in exchange for British defence firms accessing EU defence contracts.
Ultimately, Starmer’s future depends on how the next election is framed.
If the conversation stays on the economy and closer ties to the EU, he is more likely to stay in power because public sentiment on Brexit has soured.
But if the framing shifts to migration, Nigel Farage and Reform UK hold the advantage.
For now, the English public is left to see whether his grand vision for the country can survive the stark reality of local elections.
Watch the Euronews video in the player above for the full story.
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