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"Today's #GDP growth figures are still a long way from @Keir_Starmer's target of 2.5% and it is far from clear that we are heading in the right direction."

"Labour are promising to be the fastest-growing country in the G7. And our growth forecast is 2% or less every single year of this parliament? Yeah, good luck with that."

"The economy is expected to grow by just over 1 per cent this year, rising to 2 per cent in 2025."

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"Closer ties with the EU could deliver growth of up to 2.2%. Clawing back up to half the damage caused by Brexit."

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Former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, who won three general elections as Labour leader before stepping down in 2007, accused the Labour government of lacking a "coherent plan" as part of an essay published on Tuesday.

Former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, who won three general elections as Labour leader before stepping down in 2007, accused the Labour government of lacking a "coherent plan" as part of an essay published on Tuesday.

Following May's local election losses across the U.K., <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.verity.news/story/2026/starmer-refuses-to-quit-amid-labour-revolt">triggering government resignations</a> and calls from some Labour MPs for Prime Minister Keir Starmer to resign, the nearly 5,700-word essay argued the party needs a "fundamental reset" if it is to prevail at the next general election.

Following May's local election losses across the U.K., triggering government resignations and calls from some Labour MPs for Prime Minister Keir Starmer to resign, the nearly 5,700-word essay argued the party needs a "fundamental reset" if it is to prevail at the next general election.

"The government's principal problem isn't Keir's personality. Or a failure to communicate 'our achievements.' Or a need to assert more strongly Labour's 'values,'" Blair said. "It is because we don’t have a worked-out, coherent plan for the country in a fast-changing world."

"The government's principal problem isn't Keir's personality. Or a failure to communicate 'our achievements.' Or a need to assert more strongly Labour's 'values,'" Blair said. "It is because we don’t have a worked-out, coherent plan for the country in a fast-changing world."

Blair criticized a number of policies enacted during the current Labour government — including the rise in National Insurance, new workers' rights, net-zero and the phasing out Britain's oil and gas industry — describing the moves as undermining business confidence and giving "headwinds not tailwinds" to the private sector.

Blair criticized a number of policies enacted during the current Labour government — including the rise in National Insurance, new workers' rights, net-zero and the phasing out Britain's oil and gas industry — describing the moves as undermining business confidence and giving "headwinds not tailwinds" to the private sector.

He argued that for Labour to be successful, it needs to define a vision for the country and take up the mantle of the "radical center." He laid out 10 agenda points that the party could follow, with an embrace of AI, planning reform and deregulation and a pursuit of cheap energy topping the list.

He argued that for Labour to be successful, it needs to define a vision for the country and take up the mantle of the "radical center." He laid out 10 agenda points that the party could follow, with an embrace of AI, planning reform and deregulation and a pursuit of cheap energy topping the list.

"Without an agenda of this nature, radical but sensible, Britain will continue its long slide towards relegation from the Premier League of nations," the former leader said.

"Without an agenda of this nature, radical but sensible, Britain will continue its long slide towards relegation from the Premier League of nations," the former leader said.

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Following local election losses across the U.K., <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.verity.news/story/2026/starmer-refuses-to-quit-amid-labour-revolt">triggering government resignations</a> and calls from some Labour MPs for Prime Minister Keir Starmer to resign, the nearly 5,700-word essay argued the party needed a "fundamental reset" if it was to prevail at the next general election.

Following local election losses across the U.K., triggering government resignations and calls from some Labour MPs for Prime Minister Keir Starmer to resign, the nearly 5,700-word essay argued the party needed a "fundamental reset" if it was to prevail at the next general election.

"The government's principal problem isn't Keir's personality. Or a failure to communicate 'our achievements.' Or a need to assert more strongly Labour's 'values,'" Blair said. "It is because we don’t have a worked-out, coherent plan for the country in a fast-changing world and are in the wrong political position from which we can devise one and win a second term."

"The government's principal problem isn't Keir's personality. Or a failure to communicate 'our achievements.' Or a need to assert more strongly Labour's 'values,'" Blair said. "It is because we don’t have a worked-out, coherent plan for the country in a fast-changing world and are in the wrong political position from which we can devise one and win a second term."

He argued that for Labour to be successful, it needs to define a vision for the country and should not look to move to the left or the right, but take up the mantle of the "radical center." He laid out 10 agenda points that the party could follow, with an embrace of AI, planning reform and deregulation, as well as a pursuit of cheap energy topping the list.

He argued that for Labour to be successful, it needs to define a vision for the country and should not look to move to the left or the right, but take up the mantle of the "radical center." He laid out 10 agenda points that the party could follow, with an embrace of AI, planning reform and deregulation, as well as a pursuit of cheap energy topping the list.

Blair's intervention is deeply unhelpful. Not only does he criticize the government's biggest accomplishments, he suggests moving closer to Trump whilst recommending ditching responsible climate policies in pursuit of cheap energy. This is yet another reminder that, despite his sense of self-importance, Blair remains out of touch with Britain's modern challenges.

Blair's intervention is deeply unhelpful. Not only does he criticize the government's biggest accomplishments, he suggests moving closer to Trump whilst recommending ditching responsible climate policies in pursuit of cheap energy. This is yet another reminder that, despite his sense of self-importance, Blair remains out of touch with Britain's modern challenges.

Yanis Varoufakis

Blair has said the obvious: that Starmer has no plan for Britain. The former prime minister also rightly pointed out that the country cannot expect to grow its GDP while pursuing a range of policies the hobble businesses. He also made the obvious point that Britain was wrong to leave its biggest ally in the U.S. in the lurch on Iran. This is further embarrassment for Starmer.

Blair has said the obvious: that Starmer has no plan for Britain. The former prime minister also rightly pointed out that the country cannot expect to grow its GDP while pursuing a range of policies the hobble businesses. He also made the obvious point that Britain was wrong to leave its biggest ally in the U.S. in the lurch on Iran. This is further embarrassment for Starmer.

Allison Pearson

There's an 84% chance that Keir Starmer will cease to be Prime Minister of the U.K. during 2026, according to the Metaculus prediction community.

There's an 84% chance that Keir Starmer will cease to be Prime Minister of the U.K. during 2026, according to the Metaculus prediction community.

Starmer Leadership Crisis

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UK: Former PM Tony Blair Says Labour Needs 'Fundamental Reset'

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UK: Former PM Tony Blair Says Labour Needs 'Fundamental Reset'

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Blair's intervention is deeply unhelpful. Not only does he criticize the government's biggest accomplishments, he suggests moving closer to Trump while recommending ditching responsible climate policies in pursuit of cheap energy. This is yet another reminder that, despite his sense of self-importance, Blair remains out of touch with Britain's modern challenges.

Blair's intervention is deeply unhelpful. Not only does he criticize the government's biggest accomplishments, he suggests moving closer to Trump while recommending ditching responsible climate policies in pursuit of cheap energy. This is yet another reminder that, despite his sense of self-importance, Blair remains out of touch with Britain's modern challenges.

Blair has stated the obvious: that Starmer has no plan for Britain. The former prime minister is right to point out that the country cannot expect to grow its GDP while pursuing a range of policies that hobble businesses, and that Britain was wrong to leave its biggest ally, the U.S., in the lurch on Iran. This is further embarrassment for Starmer.

Blair has stated the obvious: that Starmer has no plan for Britain. The former prime minister is right to point out that the country cannot expect to grow its GDP while pursuing a range of policies that hobble businesses, and that Britain was wrong to leave its biggest ally, the U.S., in the lurch on Iran. This is further embarrassment for Starmer.

UK: Former PM Tony Blair Says Labour Needs 'Fundamental Reset'

UK: Former PM Tony Blair Says Labour Needs 'Fundamental Reset'

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UK: Former PM Tony Blair Says Labour Needs 'Fundamental Reset'

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