𝓤𝓷𝓲𝓽𝓮𝓭 𝓝𝓮𝔀𝓼

Labour is gripped by mounting panic as a senior Cabinet minister has issued a stark warning to Sir Keir Starmer: unite the party or face devastating losses to Nigel Farage’s Reform UK in next year’s local elections. Deputy leader Lucy Powell, one of the Government’s most influential figures, has urged colleagues to rally behind the Prime Minister and stop internal sniping ahead of crucial polls in May.

She cautioned against “navel-gazing” or “throwing bricks from the sidelines”, insisting Labour must present a united front to get its message across. Her intervention comes amid a torrid period for the Government, marked by speculation over challenges to Sir Keir’s leadership and intense pressure surrounding the Chancellor’s November Budget.

Writing in the Mirror, Powell defended the autumn statement as “unashamedly Labour”. She highlighted decisions such as lifting the two-child benefit cap and imposing a so-called “mansion tax” on high-value homes. She wrote: “A Labour Government, led by Keir Starmer, for the many, not just the few.”

Yet she expressed frustration that these achievements are being drowned out. Ms Powell said: “I get as frustrated as the next person when this isn’t the story people get to hear. But cutting through the noise and sharing our message is made all the harder when we hang out our dirty washing for all to see.”

Appearing on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, Ms Powell denied her comments were aimed at any particular groups within the party.

She insisted: “This is not a personal issue. What I’m setting out here is that we have got a big argument to make. This is a very contested space.”

She attacked Reform UK’s approach as the “wrong diagnosis”, accusing it of “pitting neighbourhoods and communities against each other” instead of tackling fundamental issues.

Ms Powell dismissed suggestions the Government is alienating its voters but acknowledged hearing concerns from members about the “language” used on immigration and whether Labour is setting the agenda on the issue.

Defending Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood’s policies, she said: “We’ve got to give people confidence that we can control our borders.” Ms Powell stressed the commitment to provide safe refuge for those “genuinely” fleeing persecution, adding: “What we all absolutely agree on is Reform’s analysis of the situation is wrong.”

The warning follows fresh internal tensions sparked by Health Secretary Wes Streeting, who recently criticised the leadership’s “technocratic approach” and warned the Government risks being seen as “the maintenance department for the country”.

Mr Streeting, who only weeks earlier faced accusations of plotting against Starmer, later clarified his remarks were not personal and ruled out any leadership bid.

Asked if she agreed with Mr Streeting’s diagnosis, Ms Powell replied: “We’ve definitely got a big repair job to do so I would agree with him about that in terms of the maintenance department. It’s a big repair job, and we do have to tell our story more strongly.”

With Reform UK gaining ground in polls and Labour facing a stern test in the local elections – covering numerous councils across England – Ms Powell’s plea underscores the peril.

Failure to unite could deepen divisions and reignite leadership speculation, threatening Starmer’s position just months into his premiership.