A former political adviser has said Sir Keir Starmer is set to face a “death spiral” after Angela Rayner’s scathing criticism of migration reforms.
The Prime Minister is being pressured to adopt a softer set of policies after the former Deputy Prime Minister branded Shabana Mahmood’s policies to be “un-British”.
Sir Keir’s official spokesman confirmed No10 was “considering responses” to a Home Office consultation on the current proposed legislations to reform Indefinite Leave to Remain (ILR).
But the chance Sir Keir could cower to his ex-second in command, partnered with rumours about the PM’s wider unpopularity across Labour, has fanned the flames that he could fail to ward off a leadership challenge in the coming weeks.
Today, on GB News, ex-adviser to Boris Johnson, Oscar Reddrop, recalled the Brexiteer’s own final days in office back in 2022, when he was ousted by his own Cabinet.
“I remember that situation with Boris,” he told GB News. “It’s kind of the slight death spiral where you are literally getting through the day.”
Sir Keir has already survived one of his most challenging weeks in No10 at the start of February when further information on Peter Mandelson’s relationship with paedophile Jeffrey Epstein came to light.
Now, asked “who is in control”, Mr Reddrop said: “It’s very much at this point in the backbenches and predominantly the left of the party.
Oscar Reddrop spoke to GB News about Sir Keir Starmer’s fate
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GB NEWS
“We just saw a couple of weeks ago our initial defensive strategy around Iran. Keir Starmer took the lead, relatively terrifyingly, from Ed Miliband rather than his Defence Secretary.
“And now we’re seeing on immigration it looks like Keir Starmer is going to be taking the lead and instruction of Angela Rayner, not his Home Secretary.”
He warned GB News viewers borders policy may now be “dictated by” the Ashton-under-Lyne MP, who resigned after failing to pay £40,000 in tax last September.
He said: “It’s when you’re careering round and you’re being almost like a puppet steered by the left of your party or a particular section of your party, because your political capital is so low.
Sir Keir Starmer and Angela Rayner at VE Day celebrations last year
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PA
“That’s when things get really damaging for a Prime Minister and actually, ultimately the country.”
He added the nation faced a real challenge if Sir Keir would not be the one in control of the borders – particularly ahead of Labour’s mammoth challenge to entice voters to back the party at the May elections.
“Keir Starmer doesn’t have that time to think,” she said. “Unfortunately, on that, he is surviving week to week, month to month at best.”
“And at one point it was a couple of weeks ago.”
Earlier today, Sir Keir’s “spiralling” premiership was hit with another demand from his party’s left-wing groups, piling on the pressure for a “major reset”.
A gaggle of MPs, councillors and campaigners cried out that Labour would “only survive if it chooses a different path” in a swipe at the PM’s leadership.
The May elections is set to be a pivotal moment for Sir Keir, with top union boss Sharon Graham saying that Labour will “pretty much be decimated” which will feed a “move to change leader”.
The leading union has now cut its affiliation fee by 40 per cent, reducing funds from £1.45million to £870,000, a move which the union said “shows the anger of Unite members”.
Earlier today, she told GB News: “This is not a Government that is backing workers. And that’s a problem for them, because it’s not just what I’m saying.
“This is what droves and droves of workers are saying up and down the country. And I think in May we will see an outpouring of that.”