Add source Login
Exclusive: Keir Starmer Launches Fresh No.10 Shake-Up Amid Polling Slump

Exclusive: Keir Starmer Launches Fresh No.10 Shake-Up Amid Polling Slump

Keir Starmer returns to Downing Street under pressure to improve Labour's performance. Keir Starmer is carrying out a fresh shake-up of his Downing Street operation as he tries to turn around the government’s miserable poll ratings, HuffPost UK has learned. The prime minister “ has decided to take more direct oversight of delivery” of the government’s agenda, according to No.10 sources. The BBC reported this morning that Nin Pandit, the PM’s principal private secretary, is moving to a different role just 10 months after she was appointed. HuffPost UK can reveal that she will lead a new delivery team inside No.10 as Starmer tries to reboot his government. Government adviser WhatsApp groups are also ablaze with rumours that further Downing Street personnel changes could also take place in the coming days alongside a ministerial reshuffle. Although most of the frontbench changes will involve junior ministers, conversations are taking place at the highest levels in No.10 about whether some cabinet members will also be moved. It is less than a year since Starmer last carried out a major re-organisation of his officials following the sacking of his former chief of staff, Sue Gray . She was given a new role as Starmer’s envoy for nations and regions, although she never took up the post and is now a Labour peer in the House of Lords. Gray was replaced as chief of staff by the PM’s long-time adviser Morgan McSweeney. A senior No.10 insider said: “ The PM has decided to take more direct oversight of delivery and bring that into No.10. “ Nin Pandit will be heading up that work and leading a new delivery team in No.10 from next month. “ The idea that the prime minister is unhappy with the job she’s done, as has been suggested, is total horseshit.” A YouGov poll yesterday put support for Labour at just 20%, the party’s lowest rating since July 2019. Starmer’s personal approval ratings now stand at an all-time low of minus 41. The government is under huge pressure to address public anger at the number of asylum seekers entering the UK on small boats across the English Channel. Meanwhile, Rachel Reeves is set to increase taxes once again in the Budget later this year. HuffPost UK revealed earlier this month that Starmer is planning an autumn fightback against Nigel Farage’s claims that “Britain is broken”. A No.10 source said: “We do believe that the state and the economy need rewiring, but that’s a hopeful and optimistic take on the situation. We want to modernise for the future and make sure we’re an agile state. But Britain is not broken.” Related... Keir Starmer Dismisses Nigel Farage's Mass Deportation Plan With A Simple 2-Word Slapdown Exclusive: Keir Starmer To Launch Autumn Fightback Against Farage's Claim 'Britain Is Broken' A Former Labour Leader Says Keir Starmer Must Do This 1 Thing To Tackle Child Poverty

'Tomato therapy!' - Thousands drench Bunol in red as La Tomatina rebranded as show of resilience after 2024 storm

'Tomato therapy!' - Thousands drench Bunol in red as La Tomatina rebranded as show of resilience after 2024 storm

"More than 22,000 people packed the streets of Bunol, Valencia, on Wednesday for the 78th edition of La Tomatina, the annual tomato battle that leaves the town awash in red. Footage shows trucks unloading around 120,000 kilogrammes of pear-style tomatoes as participants stomp on them and hurl them into the crowd, leaving the narrow streets carpeted with tomatoes. Many wear goggles, white T-shirts, and hats, while others lie down in the tomato-soaked ground. This year's edition adopted the motto 'Tomaterapia', chosen as a symbol of resilience and collective rebirth following the devastating DANA storm of October 2024, which left 228 victims in the Valencia region. The event, declared of international tourist interest in 2002, drew participants from across Spain and other countries, including China and India. Over 350 international media outlets covered the spectacle live, underlining its global cultural impact. Since 2013, Bunol has also hosted a children's version of La Tomatina for ages 4 to 14, held on the last Saturday of August, ensuring the tradition continues across generations. La Tomatina traces its origins back to 1945, when a spontaneous street brawl during a local folk festival turned into a tomato fight, later evolving into one of Spain’s most iconic events."

'I'm left with nothing!' - Najran residents accuse 'new Syrian government' of burning properties

'I'm left with nothing!' - Najran residents accuse 'new Syrian government' of burning properties

"Residents of Najran village in Syria's Al-Suwayda province accused government forces of burning properties amid ongoing unrest in the region. Footage filmed on Wednesday shows the aftermath of fires with burned belongings inside houses, as well as a charred Al-Khidr shrine. "The new government has disappointed us by killing our sons and brothers and burning people alive in their homes," a local said. "I returned to find that my house had been completely destroyed and burnt down. I am now a lonely woman left with nothing," another added. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights documented in a report released Wednesday the killing of 1,395 people from Al-Suwayda province, mostly of the Druze community, including 670 civilians who were extrajudicially executed by members of the Ministries of Defence and Interior and their auxiliary forces. According to Syrian media reports, the transitional government has imposed what it described as a 'military blockade' on Al-Suwayda since July 13, allowing in only limited aid convoys since then. The Al-Suwayda province has witnessed intense clashes between Bedouin tribes and local Druze groups, resulting in the deaths of approximately 1,625 people from all sides."