The Inside Story Podcast What caused the backlash against UK PM Keir Starmer?
May 8, 2026
Tim Bale, politics professor at Queen Mary University of London, Lesley Riddoch, Scottish journalist and podcaster, and Peter Geoghegan, investigative editor, unpack why Keir Starmer faces a backlash. They map Britain’s shift to multi-party politics. They trace regional splits across England, Scotland and Wales. They explore Greens’ urban gains, Reform UK’s surge, and how demographics and protest politics reshaped recent results.
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Five Party Politics Is Replacing The Old Duopoly
- British politics is fragmenting into five- and six-party competition, undermining the old two-party Westminster duopoly.
- Tim Bale notes Reform UK and the Greens are stealing votes from Conservatives and Labour respectively, stressing first-past-the-post limits.
Local First Past The Post Skews Voter Choice
- First-past-the-post at local level produces skewed outcomes and doesn't reflect voters' move toward multiple parties.
- Lesley Riddoch highlights that England's local system is uniquely unfair and will need reform to match voter behavior.
Labour's Shallow Landslide Left It Vulnerable
- Labour's 2024 majority was broad but shallow, winning 400+ seats on just 33% of the vote.
- Peter Geoghegan explains that shallow vote share left Keir Starmer struggling to articulate a clear agenda and vulnerable in local elections.