Gavin Grey: UK correspondent on Labour's poor showing at the local elections

The pressure on Sir Keir Starmer keeps ramping up in the UK.

Labour had a disastrous showing in local elections at the end of last week - a reflection of the Prime Minister's growing unpopularity.

The party lost a total 1500 councillors across England, with Nigel Farage's Reform UK party picking up steam.

UK correspondent Gavin Grey says Starmer is set to give a speech addressing the situation, but there's growing calls to replace him as party leader. 

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Devon Gray are UK correspondents with us. Hello, Gevin, Hi there?
Hell all right? So does Keir Starmer thinks that he can,
like seriously, does he think he can fix it with
a reset speech?

Speaker 2 (00:09):
Yeah? I think he thinks he can. With you to
hear what he's got to say in a few hours
time from now, but the storm clouds and most definitely
over his head. More than thirty of his own MPs
have said they would support a replacement for him. Now,
I mean that's a significant number. And we also have
a sort of fairly unknown bagpencher from London saying if

(00:33):
nobody else stands, I'm going to stand. What of course
she's hoping Katherine West is that she doesn't want to
be the party leader, but she wants to initiate a
contest and once one person is in, they tend to
pile in afterwards. Now she has modified that threat slightly,
saying if she's not impressed by Sekeir Starmer's speech today,
the reset speech, so ultimately this is probably going to

(00:55):
be the toughest speech he's given, the most important speech
as premier to remain as Premier at the UK. We're
hearing that at the heart of it will be an
ambush to put Britain at the heart of Europe by
seeking closer ties with the EU, a move that he
said will define his government and strengthen the UK's economy,
trade and defense. Now that'll really frustrate lots of Brexit

(01:18):
voting people, Brexit voting labor supporters as well, But what
about their MPs. They'll be desperate to keep their jobs.
So we'll wait to see how that goes down. I
have to say, I think most people think they're more
worried about what's happening in the UK than try and
to form links with another group of nations. But we
will see how it goes down.

Speaker 1 (01:37):
I mean, this does feel just so misguided from him.
First of all, it is it does feel like he's
addressing the wrong problem. But then also isn't it past
the point of no return for him? I mean, if
you listen to what is being reported, people are saying
they don't want to vote for Labour because they hate
Keir Starmer so much. A speech is not going to
change that sentiment.

Speaker 2 (01:55):
Is it. No. I wouldn't have thought so. But you know,
at the same time, do vote as it were, with
their wallets, with their pockets and we know what money
they're getting into. But none of this can happen quickly,
and that's what his problem is. He also still talks
and acts like a lawyer, and many people just simply
don't find that appealing.

Speaker 1 (02:16):
Yeah, now on Reform, I mean, reformers obviously head a
fantastic week in but they are at risk now, aren't
they Because what they are is they are a kind
of pro There's been a protest vote. It's very different
when you are now running councils and you have to
be responsible for the decisions you make. Is every chance
that they do not maintain this level of popularity? What
do you think?

Speaker 2 (02:38):
Yes, that is a very very real possibility, as it
always is with these mid term tests. And incidentally, one
of their candidates, who were successful in one local election
has now been immediately suspended within thirty six hours of
winning because of something said on social media a couple

(02:58):
of years back, and his bosses or those in the
party immediately admitted that was a failure of checking and
background checks on him. So there will be problems for
Reform in the future. But here's another thought and another
way of looking at it. So many people will have
been embarrassed to admit that they were going to vote reform.
Now that reform has done very well, those people might

(03:20):
tend round and go, oh, well, actually if so many
people and then I'm going to join them sort of thing,
because they really do stand a chance. So I think
that cuts both ways.

Speaker 1 (03:27):
That's a very interesting point that you make there, Gavin,
Thank you, Mit look after yourself, Gavin Gray, UK correspondents.

Speaker 2 (03:32):
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