Keir Starmer hits campaign trail as Reform surge puts Farage on track for No.10

Keir Starmer officially launched Labour’s local election campaign today with Angela Rayner by his side in the East Midlands – but the backdrop is far from ideal. With the May 1 elections looming, alarm bells are ringing inside Labour HQ as a shock poll puts Nigel Farage’s Reform party on course to win the most seats in a general election.

In a fiery speech, Starmer didn’t hold back. He went straight for Farage, accusing him of “fawning over Putin” and mocking Reform’s shaky unity, saying, “They say they want to run the country. They can’t even run themselves.” He also tore into their record on workers’ rights, pointing out how Reform MPs have voted against everything from banning exploitative contracts to protecting sick pay and maternity leave, reported The Guardian.

But Starmer’s punchy speech came just as Labour is facing a wobble in the polls. A new mega-poll by Electoral Calculus suggests Reform would get 25% of the vote if there were a general election now – ahead of both Labour and the Conservatives, who are tied on 23%. In terms of seats, that would give Reform a staggering 227, with Labour tumbling down to 180 and the Tories clinging on to 130. No one would have a majority, and the idea of a Reform-Conservative coalition – with Farage as Prime Minister – is being floated as a very real possibility.

The numbers are especially worrying for Labour, considering they had 412 seats in the last general election. A dramatic drop like that would be nothing short of a political earthquake.

A separate YouGov poll hasn’t helped ease nerves, showing Labour’s approval rating has slumped to a dire 14% – its joint worst on record – while disapproval has soared to 68%. Meanwhile, another poll by More in Common shows Labour slipping three points in just a week.

Behind the scenes, Labour insiders are reportedly getting nervous. They were hoping the local elections and Runcorn by-election would show strong gains, especially since the last time these seats were up for grabs was back in 2021, during the peak of Boris Johnson’s popularity. But now, there are whispers about potential losses, especially in areas where pro-Gaza independents could split the vote.

Despite the shaky numbers, Starmer tried to sound optimistic, insisting Labour’s “plan for change” is starting to take effect. Ellie Reeves echoed that message, calling Labour the only party ready to fix the country after “14 years of Conservative chaos.”

But with global economic pressure and Rachel Reeves’ controversial spending cuts still dominating the headlines, it’s shaping up to be a tense few weeks for Starmer and co.