Starmer’s worst week yet (after last week)

38 snips

Feb 12, 2026

A week of political turbulence centered on Keir Starmer’s fresh set of scandals and resignations. A debate over transatlantic relations after JD Vance’s Munich speech and what that means for UK strategy. A deep dive into the costly dilemma of refurbishing the crumbling Palace of Westminster and whether to decant or patch it up.

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INSIGHT

Unity Displays Can Mask Private Calculations

Public shows of cabinet unity (tweets, rally) masked internal calculations and did not equate to genuine stability.
High-profile endorsements often reflect short-term survival choices, not long-term confidence.

ADVICE

Get Damaging Messages Out Quickly

Publish problematic messages quickly to get ministers out from under controversies.
Wes Streeting's proactive release of his WhatsApp messages removed personal exposure and set a useful precedent.

INSIGHT

Fighting Rhetoric Missed A Humble Moment

Keir Starmer's combative 'fight' framing aimed to rally supporters but missed humility and contrition opportunities.
That rhetoric risked alienating parts of his party, especially women MPs, amid unfolding scandals.

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Keir Starmer’s standing has gone from bad to worse this week, with the Peter Mandelson scandal giving way to a series of resignations in No. 10 and the Scottish Labour leader openly calling for Starmer to go. Ed Balls and George Osborne look at what might be Starmer’s worst week yet, and assess if he can survive or if we’re reliving the final days of Boris Johnson, and Theresa May.

Away from Westminster, the Munich Security Conference begins this weekend, which means we’re one year on from JD Vance’s consequential address in which he claimed the greatest threat to the continent came from within. Has that speech set the tone for the Trump administration’s relationship with Europe? What reverberations has that had for the UK? How will European leaders manage in a world without America as a reliable ally?

Finally, they tackle one of the great debates in British politics: what do you do about the Palace of Westminster? The British parliament has been crumbling for decades and the dilemma of how to fix a working government building has been a live issue since Ed and George first left the Commons. As the issue is delayed, the costs continue to rise. They ponder the solution to this while reminiscing about crumbling offices, leaks and mice running across their feet. Is it in the British public’s interest to spend billions refurbishing the Palace of Westminster?

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Credits:

Research: Sam Burton

Production: Caillin McDaid, Caitlin Caitlin Hanrahan, & Eve Jones

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