Wes Streeting: Mistakes Will Be Made.

Labour lost a large number of local councillors in areas of the UK that were voting in local elections. Labour probably expected to receive a drubbing from the electorate. It was the first election Labour faced since they won the general election last year.

Labour has enacted policies that were not in their general election manifesto. Such as the cut in winter fuel payments, insurance hikes on businesses, and cuts to benefits.

Speaking to Trevor Philips on Sky News, Health Secretary Wes Streeting was asked if Labour's policies had led them to defeat last Thursday. Mr. Streeting admitted that Labour will make and has made mistakes. Asked again by Mr. Phillips, Mr. Streeting, like Sir Keir Starmer, echoed his boss's words: we must go "further and faster" in delivering the existing agenda.

Mr. Streeting admitted clear dangers on the left from the Greens and the Lib-Dems. Many left-leaning Labour voters will lend their vote to these parties if not outright jump ship.

Labour lost badly to Reform UK. Reform UK are on the up and up and has been since last year. Reform also won a by-election, gaining another MP. Mr. Streeting admitted that on the right, Reform UK were a danger to Labour. Even Labour voters voted for Reform because they feel Labour has ignored them. The Tories didn't do exceptionally well either. But Mr. Streeting admitted they too could still pose a danger to Labour.

Regarding Labour's policies, Mr. Streeting said that when Labour enacted the policies (mentioned), they knew they would be unpopular. "Change", said Mr. Streeting takes time. Sir Keir told the people, if you elect us, I will promise a government of service. However, he said hard times and hard decisions lay ahead. So maybe voters should have read Sir Keir's lips. "If you vote for us, you'll have to endure this to get to better days". Labour inherited a mess not of their making from the dying days of Rishi Sunak's government. 14 years of nonsense, malpractice, abuse, and sleaze. Many voters voted for Labour anyway because they thought the days of suffering under the Conservatives were over. People just wanted an end to the broken promises and wasted years of Tory rule, or should that be, misrule.

However, Labour are delivering an agenda that has made them unpopular (with many). In some circles, Mr. Starmer is supposed to be the most unpopular British Prime Minister ever. What more than all the last plethora of Tory Prime Ministers that preceded Sir Keir Starmer? More than Cowardly Cameron, Mishap May, Boris the Clown, Liz "Lettuce" Truss, and Wishy Wasy Rishi? If so, that is a record of unpopularity bar none?

Is it because people expected more from a Labour government? Thinking that Labour is still for the working class? If Jeremy Corbyn had come to power instead of Theresa May or Boris Johnson, things might have been different. That never happened; Labour changed when Tony Blair came to power. Labour has only come into power when led by a moderate or slightly right-leaning leader. Michael Foot and Jeremy Corbyn were regarded as far-left. Despite the fact that Labour is supposed to be a socialist party, Foot and Corbyn ultimately failed. Though to be fair to Mr. Corbyn, he came within an inch of power.

So, whether we like it or not, we have a Labour government under Sir Keir Starmer. Sir Keir, as stated earlier, has inherited a broken nation. 14 years of a feckless Conservative government. A world dominated by wars in the Middle East and Eastern Europe. A world dominated by strongmen like Trump, Xi, Putin, Netanyahu, Kim Jong-un, etc. Even the British political system is being turned on its head by Reform UK. Britain is no longer in the EU and is still trying to find its way.

I am not advocating for Keir Starmer, just pointing out he has inherited a poisonous chalice. So Keir has 4 years or so to get it right. However, what is right for one is not right for another. Such is the nature of life, and indeed, politics is no exception.

<wasted