In the United Kingdom, this weekend marks the first 100 days of Keir Starmer’s term in office and Labor’s return to power. A gloomy start to his mandate for the British Prime Minister. Caught between various scandals and the implementation of unpopular reforms, Starmer’s popularity has collapsed in recent weeks.
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With our correspondent in London, Sarah Menai
His election on July 5 had raised hopes. After fourteen years of conservative governance, Keir Starmer should embody change. Labor had promised to write a new page, to raise the United Kingdom of the crisis he is going through, but above all to reconcile the British. However, the tide quickly turned.
This summer, everything started with a bang with the worst riots the country has seen in ten years. Then, the very unpopular reform of the end of the universal heating allowance for retirees and several scandals shook the government. Starting with the revelation of the thousands of euros in gifts received by the Prime Minister and his wife. Then came the resignation, less than a week ago, of Sue Gray, Keir Starmer’s chief of staff, against a backdrop of tensions with ministers, which ended up tarnishing the reputation of the new government.
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Half of Labor voters are disappointed
“ If he can’t control Downing Street, how can he govern the country? ? », some British newspapers ask today. One hundred days after their arrival at Downing Street, the laborers clearly disappointed. A poll taken this weekend found almost half of Labor voters expressed disappointment, while six in ten disapproved of the government’s record so far. The Prime Minister has fallen 44 points since his post-election peak.
While some in the UK will recall that Tony Blair’s early term in office in 1997 was also difficult, it is worth noting that at the time Labor had a much stronger electoral base and did not fear the threat from a third party. Today, Labor faces the rise in popularity of the far-right Reform UK party. What is certain is that these last 100 days are ones to forget for Keir Starmer.
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