In the United Kingdom, the Labour Party is wrapping up its annual congress in Liverpool. Two and a half months after a historic election, Keir Starmer has just experienced difficult weeks, between riots, unpopular reforms and personal scandal. So fourteen years after Tony Blair, what do the British think so far of the return of the left to power?
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The honeymoon between the British and their new Prime Minister is about to end, writes our correspondent in the United Kingdom, Sara Menai ? In the 70 days since Labour came to power in early July 2024, the Labour Party’s popularity rating has fallen by 30%.
The end of the heating allowance for British pensioners, the early release of hundreds of prisoners and the scandal over the donations allegedly received by Keir Starmer and his wife have undoubtedly tarnished the reputation of the new Prime Minister and impacted the popularity of the Labour Party.
“ He didn’t get off to the best start »
In London today, many speak of a certain disillusionment: ” This is not what British citizens expected when they voted for change “, said this man. ” In any case, the situation in the country is deteriorating, and has been for years. “, this woman says. ” I can understand that a lot of people are angry about the decisions he made early on. He has five years to turn things around, it’s still very early in his term, but he hasn’t gotten off to the best start, no. “, added the other man.
In Liverpool this weekend, the Prime Minister maintained his guiding principle: tough measures are necessary to get the country back on its feet and, ultimately, Labour has only inherited fourteen years of Conservative governance that have emptied the UK’s accounts. In August, public debt reached a level not seen since the 1960s: 100% of gross domestic product (GDP). Arguments that the British government has been hammering home since Labour took office in Downing Street. But it is not certain that this rhetoric used by Keir Starmer will hold up very long with the British public.
Ban “zero-hour” contracts
For her part, Angela Rayner, representative of the left wing of Labour, promised on Sunday a new law next month to give more rights to workers. She wants in particular “ to forbid “, reports AFP, the so-called “contracts zero hour ” which do not guarantee a minimum working time. She also announced “ the biggest boost to social and affordable housing in a generation “.
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