Article Reform UK savages Labour in local elections, Starmer doomed to exit

[Yazata]

Thunder clouds are gathering above Kier Starmer. While last night the attitude in No.10 was that Starmer was determined to remain, the tone has changed markedly in the last few hours. Darren Jones, the PM's Chief Secretary who has been assigned to be Starmer's voice to the media, said this to the London Times: "He’s listening to colleagues, and he's talking to colleagues… I can't say what decision he may or may not take. I’m not going to get ahead of the prime minister's decision."

'He's making a decision' is a notable change from 'He's determined to remain.'

[C C]

Thunder clouds are gathering above Kier Starmer. While last night the attitude in No.10 was that Starmer was determined to remain, the tone has changed markedly in the last few hours. Darren Jones, the PM's Chief Secretary who has been assigned to be Starmer's voice to the media, said this to the London Times: "He’s listening to colleagues, and he's talking to colleagues… I can't say what decision he may or may not take. I’m not going to get ahead of the prime minister's decision."

'He's making a decision' is a notable change from 'He's determined to remain.'

They often seem to go through an initial, obstinate phase of denial ("I'm going to stay") before finally accepting their fate. It was similar with Biden, although that was in a "run again for POTUS" context rather than dropping out while still in office. A US president is less vulnerable to a "lack of confidence" party coup than the systems PMs usually abide in. (Nixon was no Trump acrobat.)