Table of Contents
23 February 2026
First: a disclaimer.
Nothing I say in the following piece is to be interpreted, or imply, that I in any way support acts of violence, race hatred, discrimination or exhortation to use anything other than a peaceful expression of one’s views.
In my last letter I suggested that we get the popcorn ready to watch developments here in the UK.
In my last letter I commented on problems facing Sir Keir Starmer. Since then things have just got worse. He held a meeting of Labour MPs at Westminster and staved off a leadership challenge (OK, not a challenge, per se, but concerted mumblings and rumblings). Somehow, he managed to get unanimous support from cabinet ministers and that swayed the gathered MPs to support his leadership. The possible challengers were either frightened or, more likely, no one had the numbers because there are so many potential leadership candidates.
Meanwhile, Sir Keir Starmer’s ratings and popularity continues to plummet.
Earlier this month, Ipsos reported Mr Starmer’s satisfaction rating had improved slightly in January, and was at 15 per cent, though a 77 per cent dissatisfaction rating meant overall Mr Starmer’s net satisfaction score was -62. Mr Skinner said satisfaction with the prime minister “remains historically low”.
Our analysis of the Ipsos data suggests that on all three ways of examining the figures – satisfaction, dissatisfaction and net satisfaction – Mr Starmer’s scores at some points in recent months have been lower than other PMs since 1977.
Source: Full Fact UK, 13 February 2026.
The number of U-turns (policy changes) has reached 15:
U-turn: No tax hikes on working people (broken promise)
U-turn: Winter fuel payments for vulnerable pensioners
U-turn: Family farm tax
U-turn: Grooming gangs’ inquiry
U-turn: Welfare reforms to get people back into work
U-turn: Two-child benefit cap scrapped
U-turn: Mandatory digital ID
U-turn: WASPI women compensation
U-turn: Increasing defence spending
U-turn: Business rate for pubs and hospitality
U-turn: Day one workers’ rights
U-turn: Frozen personal allowance thresholds
U-turn: Two-tier sentencing justice guidelines
U-turn: Social media restrictions for under-16s
U-turn: Cancelling local elections
Labour appears to introduce policies on the hoof because they seemed like a good idea at the time. After massive anti reaction from the public, they either cancel or water down the policy. Don’t believe that this is planned or a means of over-stating their policy so they can get to the policy they really want. This Labour Party is neither cynical nor smart enough to do this. (They do appear to be massively cynical in everything they do, but not in policy changes; they are purely reactive.)
The next U-turn will be the giving away and renting back of the Chagos Islands. They are under pressure, as President Trump needs these for his potential action against Iran.
The cancellation of elections in May in some electorates confirms the stupidity of their approach. There are local elections due to take place in May. In the next two years 30 of the electorates will be replaced by ‘reorganised’ local bodies. Starmer said this was too expensive and cancelled the elections. Surprise! Most of these were Labour controlled and polling showed – guess what? Yes, you are right, that Labour would lose massively.
The country was up in arms – again! Nigel Farage voiced his opposition and the Reform Party took out an application for an injunction to stop Labour from cancelling the elections. The case was due to be heard on 12 February. On 10 February the Labour Party removed the cancellation of the elections and paid Reform’s legal bills, in excess of £100,000.
Even the electoral commission had said that the cancellation was unwise.
We note the government statement in parliament on 18 December inviting councils to raise capacity concerns and seek to postpone elections in May 2026.
We are disappointed by both the timing and substance of the statement. Scheduled elections should as a rule go ahead as planned and only be postponed in exceptional circumstances. We are concerned by the possibility of some council elections in May being postponed, and even more by any further postponement to those which already had been deferred from 2025.
Source: The Electoral Commission, 19 December 2025.
This cancellation would have been found illegal and very embarrassing for such a staunch upholder of all things legal: the well-known Human Rights Lawyer Sir Keir Starmer.
Just to top everything off Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor was arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office. It is thought that this refers to the possible passing of confidential documents to Jeffrey Epstein. His residence at Sandringham was searched and his old house at Windsor is still being searched.
As I write this piece, news has just come through that Peter Mandelson has been arrested on similar charges and taken to a London police station for questioning. Peter Mandelson was picked by Sir Keir Starmer to be the UK’s ambassador to the USA; another masterpiece of judgement. As I post this he is still being interviewed.
There are more depressing stories to comment on but I will save them for another day.
PS. Popcorn supplies are running low.
