"UK politics has been marked by years of churn, volatility, and repeated shocks. Yet, through that instability, the political centre largely kept control of the steering wheel presenting itself as the only credible governing alternative and containing pressure from both flanks. That dominance reinforced the view, particularly abroad, that the UK was largely insulated from the destructive polarisation reshaping other Western democracies, most notably the US."
"Starmer is perhaps the clearest and most explicit embodiment of that centrism, having won the 2024 election on a promise of competence and restraint at a moment when the Conservative Party had lost much of its own reputation for managerial authority and grown-up government. That centrist settlement is now beginning to fracture. The strain is now visible across multiple fronts. It is visible in polling, electoral behaviour, policy choices, and the tone of public debate."
Just over two years in office, the United Kingdom's Labour government faces an acute political crisis after disclosures linked to the Epstein files prompted intense criticism of the appointment of Peter Mandelson as ambassador to the United States, senior resignations, and questions about Starmer's political survival. Beyond the immediate scandal, the political centre that underpinned Labour's 2024 victory and Starmer's appeal is beginning to fracture. Signs of strain appear in polling, electoral behaviour, policy choices, and public debate, creating a governing dilemma about holding the centre while pressures from both flanks grow stronger and more confident.
Read at www.aljazeera.com
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