Starmer’s four point plan to fight off Labour coup

Insiders said the belief within Downing Street is that focus on “hero voters” – those that had abandoned Labour in 2019 – that served the party so well in 2024 was no longer fit for purpose. Instead, the strategy will be on the “progressive block”.

“The view is that whichever party can can unite the progressive voting block, or the right voting block, most effectively will be the one that wins the next general election,” a government source said.

Closer relations with the EU

The i Paper has been told that the Prime Minister will seek to deliver a bolder offer on the UK’s relationship with Europe and the European Union. As reported on Wednesday, Starmer is expected to make a major speech in the coming weeks setting out plans for closer ties with Europe.

While the details are not yet set in stone, he is likely to argue for expanding proposals for greater alignment with the single market. Polls suggest this is becoming an increasingly popular stance with the electorate as the economic impact of Brexit is blamed for Britain’s difficult economy and susceptibility to economic shocks. He will not breach Brexit red lines, however, that UK will not rejoing the single market of customs union.

Defence spending

Starmer’s reset plan is also expected to include a greater commitment to defence. Specifically this will include publishing the long-delayed Defence Investment Plan. This will set out how the UK will meet its defence commitments over the next ten years, based on recommendations from the Strategic Defence Review, published last year.

Originally planned to be published last autumn, it has been held up by rows with the Treasury over how much can be spent. On Thursday the FT reported that Starmer had met with Chancellor Rachel Reeves in a bid to finalise the plan, which is facing a £28bn funding gap. The Treasury is pushing for a £12bn uplift in spending over four years, the Cabinet office for £18bn, the paper reported.

The delay to publishing the review has come alongside criticism that the UK is not ready for war, amid an increasing threat from Russia, and a need for Europe to rearm. US President Donald Trump has also been critical of Nato countries for not spending enough.

Environment

Starmer is expected to double down on the Government’s commitment to the environment, and particularly on green energy. 

While full details of the policy areas were unclear, it is expected that Downing Street will signal its intent in the forthcoming King’s Speech with a new energy independence bill to provide greater energy security at a time of global turmoil.

This could include more wind turbines and small modular nuclear reactors (SMRs). The first SMR was confirmed for Wylfa in Wales last year, with £2.5bn funding.

Shift in tone

Insiders also revealed that there will be a shift in “tone” from the Prime Minister, one which will see him move away from the “technocratic, legalistic” approach to one based more on his values, and “what it means to live in Britain today”.

Starmer is expected to deliver a far more “robust” response to any disruption, should pro-Gaza protests go ahead on 16 May.

“There was a sense that the Government was slow to respond to the protests, previously. It didn’t necessarily make the case for why division was the wrong approach, and make the case for a diverse and tolerant Britain,” the source added.

The expected pivot from Starmer comes as No10 is braced for a dismal set of results in the Scottish, Welsh and English local elections.

Leadeship threat

Pollsters have predicted Labour could lose up to 2,500 council seats in England, as well as being thrown out of power in the Welsh Senedd and come third in Holyrood.

The Prime Minister is expected to increase his offer to young people in a bid to see off both the Greens and Reform who are attracting younger votes .This is likely to include plans for a crackdown on social media for under-16s.

Sources said the shift in strategy shows that Starmer would rebuff any attempt to challenge his leadership. “He has absolutely no intention of going anywhere,” the insider insisted.

“No matter what the [election] results are, if anyone thinks that they’re going to be able to make a case for a transition period, or ask the PM to reapply for his own job in the middle of a global crisis, should think again.”

Millions of voters were set to cast their vote at the ballot box, in what is the closest the British electoral system gets to a “mid-term” election.

Labour is facing threats from Reform in the likes of Birmingham and in parts of the North East and West Yorkshire, as well as from the Greens in central London and in parts of Manchester.

Reform is expected to see the biggest gains in the elections, as it hoovers up voters from both Labour and the Conservatives, with Tory heartlands in Essex and outer London believed to be under significant threat.

Despite their struggles to capture the spotlight, the Liberal Democrats are also anticipated to make further gains picking up council votes in Newcastle-upon-Tyne from Labour, as well as from the Tories in the Home Counties, such as West Sussex.