Keir Starmer faces mounting challenge as Reform UK pulls ahead in new polls
Labour leader calls for unity as polls show Reform UK taking a 10-point lead ahead of Liverpool conference
LONDON — Keir Starmer is facing mounting pressure within Labour as polling shows Reform UK, led by Nigel Farage, holding a clear 10-point lead over Labour in the run-up to Labour's conference in Liverpool. The gap marks a sharp reversal from a year ago, when Starmer led Labour to a landslide victory, and comes amid questions about whether the party can recover from internal disputes and a spate of senior resignations.
Starmer, in remarks to The Guardian ahead of the conference, urged Labour members to unite against Reform, saying history will not forgive Labour if they fail to fight the challenge and that they must win this battle: 'History will not forgive us if we do not use every ounce of our energy to fight Reform. We have to win this battle.' The Guardian interview comes as Labour confronts upheavals that include the departures of deputy prime minister Angela Rayner and Britain's ambassador to the United States, Peter Mandelson, underscoring the party's struggles to present a stable front.
A Daily Mail exclusive poll conducted ahead of tomorrow's vote shows two-thirds of respondents believe Labour has failed to meet expectations one year after Starmer's landslide victory. In the poll, 8,346 votes were cast on the question: 'Will digital ID cards reduce illegal migration, as Starmer hopes?' Four percent said yes, while 96 percent said no, reflecting strong skepticism of the government's proposed policy.
The prime minister has described Reform as 'the enemy' and warned that failure to counter the challenge could cost Labour 'the soul of the nation' as the party confronts a political test ahead of the conference.
As the Liverpool conference opens on Sunday, Labour faces questions about its ability to unite a party rocked by high-profile departures and a series of controversies, and about its capacity to offer a credible alternative to Reform UK ahead of national elections. Analysts say the outcome could shape the trajectory of Britain's political landscape in the coming year.