Politics latest: Starmer's approval ratings drop as Labour nears 100 days in government (2024)

Key points
  • Starmer heading to Scotland for meeting with devolved leaders | Sue Gray not attending despite new job
  • Labour's approval ratings drop as party nears 100 days in government
  • Inside Number 10 - What is going on with Ms Gray's replacement?
  • Will there be another Tory leadership race before the next general election?
  • Centrist Tories reject both leadership contenders
  • Employment reforms won't become law for two years
In depth
  • Listen:The chancellor's £25bn problem
  • Explained:What are Labour's employment reforms?
  • Analysis:Unpredictable Tory contest is about to get spicy
  • Fashion:Parliament's Christmas jumper revealed

15:00:01

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14:49:09

Starmer dodges question on paused £1bn investment into port

The prime minister has dodged a question about the paused investment into a port in London.

As we reported earlier, DP World has sunk the anchor on £1bn that was set to be spent on the London Gateway container port.

This was after critical comments by Labour ministers about DP World's subsidiary - P&O Ferries.

The announcement was set to be a cornerstone of next week's investment summit.

When this was put to the prime minister, he said: "In the last I think four weeks we've had at least five or six huge investments in the UK, including £24bn today.

"We've got a massive investment... summit coming up on Monday where leading investors from across the globe are all coming, to the UK.

"This is very, very good for the country, very, very good for the future of jobs.

"It's just the sort of change that we need to see."

14:16:02

Labour 'costing people jobs', Tories claim over pulled port investment announcement

We reported just over an hour ago on how a £1bn investment announcement into a UK port has been pulled following comments from Labour ministers.

We've now had a response from Andrew Griffith, the Conservative's shadow trade secretary.

He said: "This is further evidence that Angela Rayner may have two jobs but she's costing other people theirs.

"It is not surprising that when you take union laws back to the strike hit 70's, that the UK becomes less investable.

"It's not canapes at summits that sway investors, it's having a sensible environment to do business."

13:33:49

One Nation Tory leader backs Kemi Badenoch

Damian Green has endorsed Kemi Badenoch to be leader of the Conservative Party.

He had previously backed Tom Tugendhat.

The One Nation faction is in the centre of the party - and is not a natural fit for either Ms Badenoch or Robert Jenrick.

This comes after a separate centrist Conservative group - the Tory Reform Group - announced yesterday it would not be backing either of the pair

Mr Green chairs the group, but is no longer an MP.

Speaking to The Independent, Mr Green said: "Since the final two candidates for the Conservative leadership have been chosen there have been disturbing reports of moderate party members saying they won't vote. They supported one of the other candidates and they now feel neglected.

"I also supported another candidate, Tom Tugendhat, as strongly as I could. But I have every intention of using my vote in the members' part of the election, not just because you should always use a vote if you have one, but because I think there is a candidate that can unite the party around a positive agenda.

"That candidate is Kemi Badenoch. She and I clearly come from different Conservative traditions, but she is making interesting points about the issues that matter to voters, and she has a project for redefining Conservatism to make it relevant in the new era."

13:03:02

Blow to No 10's investment summit as port giant pulls £1bn announcement over P&O row

By Paul Kelso, business correspondent

The government's Investment Summit has suffered a major blow after ports and logistics giant DP World pulled a scheduled announcement of a £1bn investment in its London Gateway container port, following criticism by a member of Sir Keir Starmer's cabinet.

Sky News understands the Dubai-based company's investment was due to be a centrepiece of Monday's event, which is intended to showcase Britain's appeal to investors and will be attended by the prime minister and Chancellor Rachel Reeves.

DP World's investment in the port is now under review however, following criticism by Transport Secretary Louise Haigh and Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner of its subsidiary P&O Ferries.

In March 2022, P&O caused huge controversy by sacking 800 British seafarers and replacing them with cheaper, largely foreign workers, a move it said was required to prevent the company collapsing.

Announcing new legislation to protect seafarers on Wednesday, Ms Haigh described P&O as a "rogue operator" and said consumers should boycott the company.

In a press release issued with Ms Rayner, Ms Haigh said P&O's actions were "a national scandal" and Ms Rayner described it as "an outrageous example of manipulation by an employer".

12:55:19

Starmer to call on UK regulators to prioritise growth agenda

By Mark Kleinman, City editor

Sir Keir Starmer will urge Britain's economic regulators to prioritise their mandates to stimulate economic growth as part of a pitch next week aimed at wooing global investors.

Sky News has learnt that the prime minister intends to use a speech at Monday's International Investment Summit to say that his administration will scrutinise watchdogs across a range of industries to ensure that they are not acting as barriers to growth.

The event, which will take place in the City, is being seen as a test of Labour's economic agenda in the eyes of investors which wield influence over the destination of trillions of pounds of investment funding.

Sir Keir is said by officials to be determined to deliver the message that regulators such as Ofwat, Ofgem, the Prudential Regulation Authority and the Competition and Markets Authority should be focused on the competitiveness of the UK economy.

His speech will come, however, against the backdrop of a financial crisis at Thames Water, Britain's biggest water utility, which is backed by sovereign wealth funds and pension funds from countries including Abu Dhabi, Canada and China.

One water industry executive said the PM's speech was likely to be interpreted as a signal to Ofwat, the water regulator, that it needed to navigate carefully the implications that the collapse of Thames Water would have for international investors' confidence in Britain.

12:18:54

For the public to say if 100 days of Labour is successful

As we've already mentioned, tomorrow marks 100 days of Labour being in power.

Speaking to journalists at this morning's lobby briefing, the prime minister's spokesperson would not say if it had been a success.

Asked how they would judge it, the spokesperson said: "That is for the public to judge.

"The government is focused on delivery and the action that it takes."

A drinks reception or party to celebrate the milestone was also ruled out.

The spokesperson was asked about Sue Gray - the former Downing Street adviser - who was made Sir Keir Starmer's envoy to the nations and regions.

However, she is not present at today's council of nations summit.

The spokesperson said it was "not routine for us to give a running commentary on individual members of staff".

Ms Gray would play a "huge role" going forward with devolved administrations and metro mayors, they added.

11:24:19

Plaid Cymru government after next Senedd election is 'realistic', says Rhun ap Iorwerth

By Tomos Evans, Wales reporter

Plaid Cymru's leader has insisted a Welsh government led by his party after the next Senedd election is "realistic".

The next election to choose members to the Welsh parliament will take place in May 2026.

Ahead of the party's two-day conference at Cardiff's Principality Stadium on Friday, Rhun ap Iorwerth told Sky News that a Labour victory in that election was "not inevitable" and that a Plaid win was "of course" realistic.

"The poll taken immediately after the UK general election showed us just one percentage point behind Labour, showing quite clearly that change is possible," he said.

"My job is to put us in the strongest possible position in terms of what we're offering the people of Wales."

Plaid Cymru won four of Wales's 32 seats at the general election and secured its highest vote share since its formation.

Mr ap Iorwerth said he believed the party, which supports Welsh independence, does have an influential role to play after the outcome of the UK general election.

10:44:37

Labour's approval ratings drop as party nears 100 days in government

Tomorrow will mark Sir Keir Starmer's 100th day in the office of prime minister.

Ahead of the landmark date, pollsters at YouGov have asked the public for their thoughts on the new administration.

It will not make pretty reading inside Number 10.

So far, 59% of people disapprove of the Labour government's record - just 18% approve.

Some 39% of the public say the country is worse off now than it was under the Conservatives.

The dire results contrast with much more positive numbers before the election.

On specific policies, releasing prisoners early to ease pressure on prisons and means testing the winter fuel payment are the most unpopular.

It's not just YouGov's numbers that are grim for Labour.

Ipsos has also asked the public for their thoughts on the prime minister personally.

Just 26% are favourable towards Sir Keir - a fall of six points from last month - while 52% are unfavourable, an increase of eight points.

The feeling towards the Labour Party as a whole is similar.

But people still feel more favourable towards the government than the Tories (24%), though they have the same level of unfavourables.

Keiran Pedley, director of politics at Ipsos, says the figures will make "difficult reading" for the Labour leadership.

"With six in 10 not confident in Labour's long-term economic plan, the pressure is on for the coming budget to land well, with Labour facing significant political risk if it doesn't."

09:46:19

Could there be another Tory leadership race before the next election? It wouldn't be the first time

Baroness Ruth Davidson, a Conservative peer, has told the Electoral Dysfunction podcast she thinks there could be another Tory leadership race in the next few years.

This would mean the party going through two leaders between general elections.

While this might seem outlandish, there is precedent in the recent past.

In 2001 Sir Iain Duncan Smith became leader of the Conservatives after Sir Tony Blair romped home to his second massive majority.

The Tories had floundered for five years under Lord William Hague, who stepped aside.

But Sir Iain's tenure was not a happy one, and during this time he had to deal with rebellious backbenchers and plotting against him.

And it soon became fatal - by 2003 the disquiet with Sir Iain reached fever pitch and a vote of no confidence was called.

Tory MPs voted by 90 votes to 75 to oust the Chingford MP, and he was replaced with Lord Michael Howard.

It would be another two years before the 2005 election - which Labour won as well.

This lesson shows that, whoever takes over from Rishi Sunak, will be in a precarious position if they do not turn the party's fortunes around.

Politics latest: Starmer's approval ratings drop as Labour nears 100 days in government (2024)
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