Warning Signs from Across the Pond
The Labour Party in the UK spirals to the right
The dominant political party in the United Kingdom since 2010 has been Tory Party. That was until this past year, when the conservative Tory Party lost the 2024 election to the the supposedly left-wing Labour Party.
A brief backdrop: in the embers of the Bush administration’s collapse, the hand-holding by then Prime Minister Tony Blair for their support for the Iraq War, and the 2008 financial collapse, the Labour Party lost control of the government for more than a decade.
Out in the wilderness, a left-wing movement centered on social, economic, and racial justice had emerged with fury from within the party. The movement had also found its figurehead in Jeremy Corbyn, a socialist and Labour Member of Parliament (MP) who had cut his teeth in the trade unionist movement. His resume also included activist work against South African apartheid, support for a united Ireland, and Palestinian Statehood.
Initially written off as a gadfly who would be soundly defeated, Corbyn shocked many by posting the highest vote share for Labour in an election since 2001. Following that result, the possibility of Corbyn becoming Prime Minister by the next election had become very real.
Opposing his ideological direction, members of his own party began working on his demise internally. Weaponizing issues such as Brexit and accusations of antisemitism (this should sound familiar to what is happening now in the States), their efforts largely paid off and the Corbyn project more or less ended in a disappointing 2019 election. Soon after, he was ousted from the party, and a new figurehead in the form of Keir Starmer took over, pledging to keep much of the same policy-driven focus of the Corbyn-era, but stressing being “responsible” as well.
The latter pledge of being responsible is debatable, but the former has proven to be a complete fabrication.
That brings us to today, where polling shows the new Labour government led by Starmer collapsing in support, and a surging far-right party called Reform UK driving the country’s national debate.
Why this matters:
Since taking office, Starmer’s Labour Party had not teetered to the right, but driven off a cliff towards it.
Instead of aiming towards a political project he ran on to lead the party, he has broken promises on public works pledges, slashed government programs that benefit the working class and working poor, aligned with the anti-trans movement, and most recently escalated his anti-immigrant rhetoric.
Here is an excerpt from a speech on immigration he gave this week:
“We will deliver what you have asked for – time and again – and we will take back control of our borders.”
“I believe we need to reduce immigration significantly.”
“We risk becoming an island of strangers, not a nation that walks forward together.”
The last quote in particular echoes a sentiment of a certain “Great Replacement” conspiracy theory that come from the fringiest corners of the far-right (and the people who currently occupy the White House).
And what exactly does this shrewd political masterminding get Sir Keir from a political sense?
For starters, the far-right Reform UK party has been winning their by-elections in former Labour strongholds.
How about polling support in a theoretical election to decide who controls the government? They’ve fallen behind Reform UK by almost 10 points on average, and in many cases are closely competing against the aforementioned conservative Tory Party, which had imploded in the last election.
And what of Keir Starmer himself? The leader of the United Kingdom has secured himself a -46% approval rating in a mere 10 months since assuming office. Even among his own party, he has a -5% approval rating. Top rate work there.
So what is the warning?
If the UK Labour Party is supposed to be a parallel for the Democratic Party, then this is a sign of what will follow if there is even an inch given towards the right-wing on these issues.
A move towards the right will not endear itself to the public because the public at this current moment is not right-wing.
People writ-large are frustrated with the system that denies economic freedoms to live their lives. There is too much friction from day-to-day activities that is caused by more and more being concentrated in the hands of the wealthy few.
Beating up on trans people or immigrants will not change that underlining dynamic. All it does is highlight the right-wing’s framing of the issues, emboldening them while they still shriek that you’re not openly depraved enough.
With all of Starmer’s posturing towards sprinting towards the right-wing, his approval rating of Reform UK supports sits at -96% and while with Tory Party members it is at -87%.
There is no room to act cynically (or to act upon reactionary impulses) in this political moment. People do want genuine political actors that are going to upend the system and fight for them. And if that is not provided, then the vacuum of space will be sucked up by our worst elements of society.
US Slop
Trump Administration
Supreme Court rules against Trump admin in Alien Enemies Act case | CNBC
Conservatives block Trump bill from advancing in major setback | NBC News
Trump’s deportations rely on small towns hooked on private prisons | Bloomberg
Medicaid Work Requirements Are Cruel and Pointless | The New York Times
Secret Project 2025 plan aims to give Trump command of U.S. police | Phoenix New Times
Consumer sentiment slides to second-lowest on record as inflation expectations jump after tariffs | CNBC
ICE used ‘false pretenses’ to hunt for Columbia students | The Guardian
South African asylum seeker in U.S. has history of antisemitic posts | The Forward
DHS Is Considering Reality Show Where Immigrants Compete for Citizenship | WSJ
U.S. intelligence agencies contradict Trump's Tren de Aragua claims | NBC News
Trump admin asks Supreme Court to allow mass layoffs of federal workers | Politico
Unable to negotiate lower tariffs by deadline, Trump to set new rates | Politico
Civil Disobedience
To my newborn son: I am absent not out of apathy, but conviction | Mahmoud Khalil | The Guardian
Joaquin Phoenix, Juliette Binoche Sign Letter About Silence Over Gaza | Variety
Ben & Jerry's co-founder arrested after US Capitol Gaza protest | Sky News
Badar Khan Suri: Georgetown academic freed from immigration detention | BBC
More News
How Joe Biden Handed the Presidency to Donald Trump | The New Yorker
Biden aides discussed requiring a wheelchair if re-elected | Axios
Wasting Away: Rampant pollution caused manatees to starve. Florida waters are getting worse. | Tampa Bay Times
Most Americans don't earn enough to afford basic costs of living | CBS News
South Africa’s “White Genocide” Is a Lie | Current Affairs
New Jersey Transit strike leaves 350,000 commuters in the lurch | AP News
World Slop
Gaza Crisis
How many people have died in Gaza? | The Economist
Gazans Once Escaped To Rafah. Now Israel Is Razing It. | The New York Times
Latest Israeli Plan Inches Closer to Extermination | Human Rights Watch
We are human rights lawyers. Our new report is clear: Israel perpetrates apartheid | The Guardian
Seven renowned scientists: Israel committing genocide in Gaza - NRC
The Israeli Soldiers Who Refuse to Fight in Gaza | The New Yorker
‘Render it unusable’: Israel’s mission of total urban destruction | +972 Magazine
Israel’s ‘no hunger in Gaza’ narrative flies in face of evidence | The Guardian
BBC cameraman haunted by Gaza's malnourished children injured in Israeli strike | BBC
Israel's New Gaza Operation Should Be Called 'Chariots of Genocide' | Haaretz
Trump’s Middle East dreams DOA unless he reels Netanyahu in | The Telegraph
Gaza hospital attack: evidence contradicts Israel's claims | Sky News
Israeli siege tipping Gaza into famine, UN panel says | Financial Times
More News
Peace Talks Between Russia and Ukraine Stop After Short Meeting | The New York Times
Edan Alexander released by Hamas after 584 days held in Gaza | Axios
A Fire on the Mountain | India-Pakistan | The Baffler
For Some International Students, U.S. Dreams Dim Under Trump - The New York Times
Drone attacks cut power across Khartoum state two years into Sudan war | Reuters
Leave me a comment with your views and any stories I missed.
Finally had a chance to read you this morning when I woke up. All I wanted to do after was curl back in bed. I had not been following England news and now I’m alarmed by what you explained. As to the rest of what’s going on, I left frustrations behind and was enveloped by an overwhelming fog of depression and despair. How did civilized societies get here? How do I confront such degradation and suffering? I am losing hope for the future of my children and grandchildren. Pls address AI next. I don’t fully comprehend how it works but feel it’ll have a huge impact on us that could be negative if not used properly…. Thank you for delivering and deciphering the state of the world for us.