In Islamic history, there are many works in a famous genre called "Mirrors for Princes" that teach and advise rulers on political matters. These emphasize qualities such as determination, consistency, distancing oneself from oppressors and keeping one's word.
For example, 11th-century Central Asian Turkic poet Yusuf Balasaguni wrote, “One should not call a human being who breaks his word a man,” and advises against placing hope in him. Eighth-century advisor to the Ummayad caliph, Abd al-Hamid al-Katib (d. 750), argued that, "The ruler's determination makes difficult tasks easy." Similarly, the great Sufi Najm al-Din Daye (d. 1256) stated that rulers must be truehearted, trustworthy and resolute; otherwise, they will ruin themselves.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, however, truly ruined himself with his failures in these points. His government, in fact, can be remembered for U-turns and broken promises.
Confidence-shattering failures
One issue that drew significant criticism and dominated the headlines for a long time was the reduction in winter fuel payments for many pensioners. In September 2024, Labour insisted on pushing through this decision, depriving around 10 million pensioners of the payment. There was also opposition within the party: as many as 52 Labour lawmakers abstained from the vote, while others voted against the measure. Ultimately, in June 2025, the government reversed its decision.
