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Sir Keir Starmer opened our conversation with a confident joke: “I’ll be sitting in this seat by 2027,” he said, hinting that if all went well, he might invite us to Downing Street again next year for a follow-up discussion. The relentless demands of leadership mean a prime minister’s day never truly ends. Just moments before our interview, Starmer had been on the phone to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and grappling with the extraordinary news from Venezuela, where US President Donald Trump had allegedly orchestrated the capture of Nicolás Maduro, the country’s leader. By the time we concluded our lengthy conversation, Maduro was facing charges in New York.
As the new year unfolds, Starmer appears somewhat rejuvenated, perhaps buoyed by a brief break at Chequers, the prime minister’s rural retreat. This respite seems to have lifted his spirits compared to the bleak political atmosphere he endured at the close of 2025, a year which proved highly challenging for him. Nonetheless, the question remains whether this renewed energy signals a genuine turnaround or if he and his supporters are simply fooling themselves about an impending improvement.
Behind the scenes, the reality is harsher for Starmer. Many within his own party doubt his aptitude for the role, with some eager to see a leadership change in 2026. Despite this internal skepticism, Starmer was steadfast during our interview. He repeatedly emphasized that he would be judged fairly only at the next general election, dismissing suggestions that he could be unseated early—or that Labour might benefit by switching leaders—to prevent a victory by Nigel Farage and his Reform UK party. “This is the fight of our times and I intend to lead us,” he stated firmly.
However, the prime minister’s performance will face an earlier test at the comprehensive elections scheduled for May across the United Kingdom. Although Starmer insisted these contests are primarily about local councils and devolved governments—in Scotland’s Holyrood and Wales’s Cardiff—they inevitably reflect on Westminster’s leadership. He was adamant that regardless of their outcome, he would not step down even if colleagues challenged his position following poor election results. Attempting to account for his waning popularity, Starmer attributed public impatience to a desire for swift improvements. He expressed optimism that 2026 would mark a different chapter in the economy, pointing to initial government initiatives beginning to yield positive effects despite rising unemployment. He also pledged to close asylum housing hotels before the current 2029 deadline, though he stopped short of naming a specific timeline. On Ukraine, he cautiously indicated that prospects for a peace agreement have improved and revealed for the first time that Western allies are discussing integrated security arrangements involving US and European forces to support the country
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