The green shoots of recovery?

The green shoots of recovery?

US lifeline for struggling Starmer

With the first green shoots of Spring coming through, and with all eyes on Prime Minister Keir Starmer in Washington this week, the first real test for the Labour Government's foreign policy is here.

With an erratic US seemingly intent on distancing its allies, and a fractured Europe, there are opportunities for Starmer, Foreign Secretary David Lammy and Defence Secretary John Healy to forge alliances that will shape Britain's future.

Starmer's positive polling has dipped from 40% last July to 23% in the latest polls, so the US visits represent a significant opportunity to turn the page.

Being seen to be tough on the international stage is consistently one of the biggest factors in determining domestic support (see George W Bush Jr and Margaret Thatcher).

Regardless of economic unrest at home, the Cabinet know this is a rare chance for Starmer to be seen as a leader - not just a lawyer, and will be keen to capitalise.

Boris bounces back?

While most of the headlines this week will focus on Starmer's visit to the US, former PM Boris Johnson is never one to miss out on the chance for some extra publicity.

Seen as something of a hero in Ukraine for his unwavering support for the nation - it's clear there's a significant gulf between Boris' rhetoric towards Ukraine and that of President Trump.

So after months of living the quiet life behind his Oxfordshire gates, Boris popped up this week to do the media rounds, labelling Trump's comments as 'ghastly to hear' and 'complete untruths'.

With Reform UK on the rise, the Tories still in soul-searching mode, and BoJo said to have 'unfinished business' politically - Westminster rumours are swirling that 2025 could be the year for Boris' grand comeback.

Badenoch slow to revive Tory hopes

With a personal favorability rating of just 21% in the latest polls, and Reform UK dominating the headlines with a reported 200,000 members, Conservative Leader Kemi Badenoch is also very much in need of a boost.

Performances at Prime Ministers Questions (PMQs) - the opportunity for the Leader of the Opposition to show their mettle, and hold the PM's feet to the fire - have been largely ineffectual.

This week's PMQs saw Badenoch take credit for the cuts to international aid to fund defence, claiming “I am pleased he has accepted my advice.” Starmer was ready however, responding “I’m going to have to let the leader of the opposition down gently; she didn’t feature in my thinking at all”, much to the glee of the Labour bench. Even the Conservative-leaning Telegraph has said the Tories are 'sliding into irrelevance at terrifying speed'.

And whilst foreign policy discussions continue to dominate, the Conservatives seem strangely silent on domestic matters of housing and energy. With the Government's Planning & Infrastructure Bill, and 10 Year Infrastructure Strategy coming in the near future, Badenoch has an opportunity to change that, and to set a clearer and more distinctive position for the Conservatives.

How devolution is fueling local fueds

Whilst six English regions have been agreed for the Government's Devolution Priority Programme, it's clear the process is not going to be plain sailing in any of them.

In Uttlesford, Essex, for example, a Full Council meeting this week saw a motion agreed to call on Essex County Councillors to resign in order to trigger a May by-election - to be held in place of the cancelled county elections.

Plans for a new authority and elected Mayor for Hampshire and the Solent have sparked negative comments too - with local MP Joe Robertson weighing in behind some colleagues on Isle of Wight Council to label devolution proposals "an insult to the Isle of Wight".

And in Suffolk, the County Council and East Suffolk District Council are at loggerheads over whether to have a single unitary council responsible for the whole of Suffolk, or two separate unitaries for the east and west.

With an April deadline for consultation responses, there will be plenty more spats in the next month to finalise the shape of devolution in the priority areas.

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