LIVERPOOL, England: Prime Minister Keir Starmer will say Tuesday that Britain faces a stark choice between decency and division, in an attempt to reset his government and stem the rising popularity of the hard-right party Reform UK.
Starmer will tell his center-left Labour Party that Britain faces “a fight for the soul of our country” as he tries to overcome dire approval ratings, a sluggish economy and the challenge posed by divisive Reform leader Nigel Farage.
“Britain stands at a fork in the road. We can choose decency or we can choose division. Renewal or decline,” Starmer will say, according to his office.
Since Labour won a landslide election victory in July 2024, its popularity has plummeted. The party promised economic growth, but has struggled to deliver it. Inflation remains stubbornly high and the economic outlook subdued, frustrating efforts to repair tattered public services and ease the cost of living.
Treasury chief Rachel Reeves said Monday that wars in Ukraine and the Middle East and US President Donald Trump’s tariffs have caused “harsh global headwinds,” and hard economic choices loom when she sets out her budget in November.
