Overview
- At the first cabinet meeting of 2026, Keir Starmer called for unity and a relentless focus on easing household costs, telling ministers the government is in the "fight of our political lives."
- A new YouGov poll for The Times puts Labour on 17%, trailing the Conservatives on 19% and Reform UK on 26%, marking Labour’s first drop behind the Tories since the 2024 election.
- Starmer highlighted a rail fare freeze, a £150 reduction in energy bills, expanded free childcare, a higher National Living Wage and falling interest rates as evidence people will start to feel better off in 2026.
- Framing Nigel Farage’s Reform UK as a key threat, Starmer warned colleagues that removing him would "gift" advantage to Reform and accused the party of seeking to "inject bile" into communities.
- Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar urged Westminster figures to stay off the Holyrood campaign trail, citing voter anger over UK policy missteps and the risk to Labour’s prospects in May.