Keir Starmer facing election nightmare as mega-poll reveals Labour 'under siege'

Sir Keir Starmer is facing an election nightmare in London as a new mega-poll reveals Labour is "under siege" from all sides.

A More in Common poll surveyed 2,646 adults across London and asked how they would vote over a three-week period.

This Thursday, polling stations will open across the UK as council by-elections are due to take place.

Also, Scotland and Wales will also be holding parliamentary elections, with the SNP and Plaid Cymru taking lead in the polls respectively.

The data shows Labour's support has dwindled by 15 points since the general election, whilst Zack Polanski's Green Party has moved up by 10 points in the capital.

Labour remains ahead in London, but is clinging on with just 28 per cent of support, with the Greens edging closer at 20 per cent, according to the More in Common poll.

The Green Party for the first time is due to win the highest vote share in a London borough, with it being the most popular party in east London's Hackney, with it leading by three points.

In Islington, Lambeth and Lewisham, Labour and the Greens are neck-and-neck, where Zack Polanski's party is within two points of the incumbent.

Reform UK has made strong gains in outer London, leading in Havering by nine points and surging to 24 per cent in Barking and Dagenham, where Labour won every seat in 2022.

The Conservatives are set to face a difficult night, projected to lead in only five boroughs in the capital: Bexley, Bromley, Harrow, Hillingdon and Kensington and Chelsea.

Their hopes of gains in Westminster and Wandsworth appear unlikely, as they still trail Labour by 11 and 7 points respectively in those areas.

The Liberal Democrats, despite limited progress since the last local elections, are expected to hold firm in affluent south-west London areas such as Richmond, Kingston and Sutton.

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Andrew Griffith warns of 'toxic combination' of EU reset and Net Zero deindustrialisation

The Shadow Business Secretary Andrew Griffith warned that Britain faces a damaging economic future if the government continues to pursue closer EU ties alongside its Net Zero agenda, describing the combination as "toxic" for British industry.

Speaking to GB News this morning, he argued that the government's energy policies are already crippling businesses: "We would lower energy prices by removing a lot of the so-called policy costs, the cross subsidies and the extra hidden taxes that are on energy in pursuit of Net Zero."__

He also weighed in on Labour's Employment Rights Act, calling it a "330-page bill for unemployment" and pledging to "repeal every one of its job-destroying measures" when the Conservatives return to power.

Tories Blast Labour Over 200,000 Channel Crossings Milestone

The Shadow Business Secretary Andrew Griffith hit back at Labour's attempts to blame the Conservatives for the small boat crisis.

Speaking to GB News this morning, the MP for Arundel and South Downs said: "Night after night, the Labour Party in both houses of Parliament, bishops, the BBC, everybody was opposed to us."

He accused the current Government of inaction despite having a clear mandate, saying they have "presided over the fastest ever rate of people coming to this country illegally."

When pressed on the Government's claim to have deported over 7,000 people, Mr Griffith said: "The vast majority of those who've gone back have been paid to do so and done so voluntarily."__

Ministers pledge £1million to tackle rising antisemitism

The Government has announced £1 million in funding for Jewish communities across England, aimed at supporting community safety work and countering antisemitic narratives.

An additional £500,000 has also been set aside for Barnet Council following a spate of targeted attacks in the area.

The announcement comes as Sir Keir Starmer prepares to host senior figures from politics, policing, the arts, higher education and business at Downing Street today for a "whole of society" summit on antisemitism, following the stabbing of two Jewish men in Golders Green last week.

The Prime Minister is expected to warn that attacks on British Jews are "a crisis for all of us" and "a test of our values."

Communities Secretary Steve Reed said: "While we know there is more to do, we believe that quickly channelling government funding directly to the communities and places facing the greatest risks today will help local partners to take early, practical action to keep people safe, strengthen communities and stand up to hate."

'I am not going to be intimidated!' Moment Kemi Badenoch stands up to heckler on antisemitism

This is the moment Kemi Badenoch confronted a heckler while out campaigning in Essex yesterday, amid a worrying pattern of targeted incidents against Jewish people and religious sites.

The Conservative leader clashed with a member of the public who accused her of "pandering to the right" — pushing back on her stance on rising antisemitism in Britain.

WATCH THE FULL VIDEO HERE

Steve Reed: Number of small boat crossings is 'unacceptable'

The Housing, Communities and Local Government Secretary Steve Reed addressed the issue of small boat crossings as the today marked the anniversary of 200,000 people making the journey since the crisis began eight years ago, calling it "unacceptable".

Speaking to GB News, he said: "It's unacceptable and it's certainly unsustainable and that's why the government is taking action to stop it."

He pointed to the removal of over 60,000 people with no right to remain in the UK and the closure of asylum seeker hotels opened under the Conservatives, as evidence of progress.

However, Ellie and Alex pushed back on Mr Reed, noting that only roughly 7,000 people who have come across on a small boat have been deported - less than four per cent in total.

Mr Reed deflected blame onto his predecessors: "Some of the conservative ministers who did that now sit in Reform UK. They opened the hotels, we are closing the hotels."

He added: "They like to pretend they're holier than thou on this issue when their MPs were in government, they got it badly wrong."

What is happening in Westminster today

Good morning, happy Tuesday from the GB News Politics team.

Thursday’s local elections are in sight, with polling looking bleak for Sir Keir Starmer’s Labour party across the capital.

Also, people in Scotland and Wales will be heading to the polls on Thursday as it is their devolved Governments’ parliamentary elections - again the picture looks gloomy for Labour.

Today on GB News, we have already heard from the Housing, Communities and Local Government Secretary Steve Reed and we will be joined by the Shadow Business Secretary Andrew Griffith shortly.

Stay tuned for more politics news throughout the day.

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