Labour MPs are poised for Keir Starmer to execute more chaotic U-turns today with even Cabinet ministers joking about his inability to stick to policies.
The embattled PM has cemented his reputation for flip-flopping with two more major concessions in 2026, just a fortnight into the New Year.
Having spent months extolling the virtues of digital ID cards for curbing illegal immigration, Sir Keir bowed to a backlash yesterday by confirming they will be entirely voluntary.
Rachel Reeves has also announced that she is drawing up a bailout package for thousands of pubs facing collapse following her Budget hikes to business rates.
But there are fears that the climbdowns have only opened the floodgates, with increasingly mutinous Labour MPs pushing on multiple fronts.
The abject weakness of the PM is particularly extraordinary given his triumphant parade into Downing Street just 18 months ago, having won one of the biggest Commons majorities in history.
Keir Starmer has cemented his reputation for flip-flopping with two more major concessions in 2026, just a fortnight into the New Year
Sir Keir is facing massive resistance to proposals for curbing rights to jury trials, with campaigners warning ministers they will only look stupid if they continue to defend the measure publicly.
Asked if he was sure that the plans would be implemented given the government’s 13 major U-turns, Health Secretary Wes Streeting told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: ‘Yes… As sure as any of us can be.’
In a thinly-veiled rebuke to the premier, Mr Streeting said when the government was ‘doing big things or things that might be controversial’ it should ‘have the debate in advance of the decision rather than the debate after the decision’.
Mr Streeting also made clear that the government is looking seriously at an Australia-style social media ban for under-16s – something that ministers previously appeared cool on.
Sir Keir told the Observer just last month that he was not personally in favour of a ban, arguing it was ‘more about how you control the content that children can see rather than simply saying a blanket ban’.
Mr Streeting said he was ‘in favour of action’ on the issue, suggesting Sir Keir was right to allow a policy to develop.
Speculation has been growing that the Chancellor will have to extend promised business rates relief for pubs to the wider hospitality sector – something that could heap more strain on the government’s finances.
MPs are demanding hotels and restaurants are given the same treatment, with fears many will be driven to the wall by the same toxic combination of revaluations and withdrawal of Covid-era breaks that is hammering pubs.
Science Secretary Peter Kyle acknowledged yesterday that he was ‘concerned’ about the way the government was making its arguments.
Ms Reeves made an effort to quell rumours about Sir Keir’s future last night, telling ITV’s Peston programme there was ‘no credible alternative’ as PM.
Meanwhile, Ed Miliband urged restless MPs to recognise it is better to change course than ‘dig in’.
Sir Keir himself has flatly denied that the ID cards shift is a U-turn, even though there will now be no compulsory element to the proposals.
Wes Streeting made clear that the government is looking seriously at an Australia-style social media ban for under-16s – something that ministers previously appeared cool on
Labour MP Karl Turner, who has been leading a revolt on the jury trial plans, said the ‘Cabinet has embarrassed the Parliamentary Labour Party on so many issues now’ and it was ‘causing pain’.
He suggested that ministers should simply refuse to go on TV to advocate unsustainable policies.
‘There is absolutely no wonder @UKLabour MPs are cheesed off,’ he posted on X. ‘They keep marching us up hills, defending the indefensible, only to be marched back down again. Come on now @Keir_Starmer get a grip.’
Local elections in May are increasingly looking like a critical moment to decide Sir Keir’s fate.
