Keir Starmer faces a key test as a special election threatens to deepen the UK Labour Party’s crisis and his own leadership troubles.
Plea deal falls apart for St. Johns County home builder accused of fraud after objections from alleged victimsFlorida is home to the nation’s most dangerous invasive lizard. Experts say there’s potential for its presence to expandThe Latest: Trump lays out his midterm agenda at the State of the Union ‘Out of line’: JEA board chides vice chair who admitted he privately asked CEO to resign over ‘toxic’ workplace claims JEA’s former chief of staff accuses CEO of creating ‘fear-based culture.
’ CEO says allegations are ‘unsubstantiated’JFRD’s first Black female division chief, M. Dallas Cooke, turned teen motherhood, tragedy and a 17-year climb through the ranks into a platform to serve, lead and open doors for women who look like herHow Jacksonville’s first Black female fire division chief turned barriers into a blueprintFor Us, By Us: A look into the history of house music and the Jacksonville house music scene Read full article: For Us, By Us: A look into the history of house music and the Jacksonville house music sceneBefore I-95: The rise, fall and resilience of LaVilla, also known as the ‘Harlem of the South’ Read full article: Before I-95: The rise, fall and resilience of LaVilla, also known as the ‘Harlem of the South’Britain's Prime Minister Keir Starmer leaves 10 Downing Street to attend the weekly Prime Ministers' Questions session in parliament in London, Wednesday, Feb. 25, 2026. Green Party candidate for the Gorton and Denton by-election Hannah Spencer speaks in Manchester, England, Friday, Jan. 30, 2026. Reform leader Nigel Farage, centre right, walks with prospective candidate Matt Goodwin, left, during a campaign visit to Gorton and Denton in Manchester, England, Friday, Jan. 30, 2026. Britain's Prime Minister Keir Starmer leaves 10 Downing Street to attend the weekly Prime Ministers' Questions session in parliament in London, Wednesday, Feb. 25, 2026. He faces new danger this week from a special election Thursday in northwest England, where his center-left Labour Party could face defeat by either the hard-line anti-immigration party. Losing to either would drive home to Labour members how unpopular the prime minister is with voters on both left and right.The election is in Gorton and Denton, a seat in Greater Manchester that has been Labour turf for a century. Yet Labour’s fortunes have fallen so far that University of Manchester political science professor Rob Ford says victory for Starmer's party when results are announced early Friday would be considered a surprise “man-bites-dog” outcome.Local polling and betting markets suggest a close three-way contest between Labour local councilor Angeliki Stogia, Reform UK contender Matthew Goodwin an academic-turned-pundit, and the Greens’ Hannah Spencer, a plumber. The anti-immigration Reform UK, led by the veteran hard-right politician Nigel Farage, holds just eight of the 650 seats in the House of Commons — Labour has 404 — but has topped national opinion polls for months, ahead of both Labour and the main opposition Conservative Party. The Green Party has just four seats, but under energetic leader Zack Polanski has expanded beyond environmental concerns to focus on issues including support for the Palestinian cause and the legalization of drugs. The election’s outcome is hard to call, in a diverse area that has traditional working-class neighborhoods — once strongly Labour, now tilting toward Reform — as well as large numbers of university students and Muslim residents. Many of them feel disillusioned by Labour’s centrist shift under Starmer and the government’s perceived slowness at criticizing Israel’s conduct of the war against Hamas in Gaza. That makes it fertile ground for the Green Party. Spencer said a win for the Greens would “send shock waves through the political establishment.” Starmer on Wednesday railed against Green drug policies and urged voters to back Labour to counter Reform’s “hate and division.” In part, the contest echoes the challenge from populist upstarts faced by mainstream parties around the world.The British leader has endured a string of setbacks since he led Labour to a landslide election victory in July 2024. He has struggled to deliver promised economic growth, repairand ease the cost of living. He pledged a return to honest government after 14 years of Conservative government that ended in scandals and chaos, but has been beset by missteps and U-turns over welfare cuts and other unpopular policies.and questioned by detectives this week before being released on bail. He does not face any allegations of sexual misconduct.in September 2025 after evidence emerged that the ambassador had maintained a friendship with Epstein after the financier’s 2008 conviction for sex offenses involving a minor. The recent revelations reignited Labour lawmakers’ anger at Starmer’s poor judgment in appointing Mandelson to the Washington job, and pushed some to call for his resignation. After the leader of the Labour Party in Scotland joined those calls earlier this month, Starmer’s chief of staff and communications director quit, and his premiership teetered on the brink.If Labour loses on Thursday, Starmer will face questions about why the party blocked Andy Burnham, the popular Labour mayor of Greater Manchester, from running. Burnham is widely seen as a potential leadership rival to Starmer. A loss also would bolster those who argue that the government’s efforts to win over “Reform-curious” voters with policies aimed at curbing immigration have alienated many liberal Labour voters. The next national election does not have to be held until 2029, meaning the main threat to Starmer comes from within his own party. Ford said a narrow Labour victory in Gorton and Denton “will buy him a reprieve,” but Starmer still faces peril after May 7 elections for the Scottish and Welsh parliaments and local councils in England, when Labour is expected to do badly. “It remains to be seen whether the result panics them into making a challenge now, or whether they bide their time and make a challenge in May — which is likely to be even more gruesome,” Ford said. Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.‘Teen takeover’ that sparked gun violence impacts Jacksonville Beach businessesWe have sprouts! Tower Garden, Aeroponic GardeningWounded Warrior Project hosts events to help veterans in Jacksonville bondPolice now say 5 teens hit by gunfire during ‘takeover’ event in Jacksonville BeachHistoric Greenleaf building to reopen with dining, fitness and speakeasy in the heart of downtownJSO investigating deadly shooting in Northwest JacksonvilleCharlton County farmer videos massive blaze impacting farmFinding furever homes for dogs at Dogtopia Jax Beach BlvdCold cases of 2 Jacksonville men highlighted for Missing Adults Day at city hallJSO launches new investigation on TikTok account posting women, children without consent
Andy Burnham Zack Polanski Matthew Goodwin Rob Ford Jeffrey Epstein Peter Mandelson Hannah Spencer Elections World News Keir Starmer
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Labour Grandee, Former Ambassador to Washington Peter Mandelson Arrested After Epstein Emails ClaimsSource of breaking news and analysis, insightful commentary and original reporting, curated and written specifically for the new generation of independent and conservative thinkers.
Read more »
Newly unearthed DEA document from Epstein files raises question: Did Epstein facilitate drug trafficking?A memo shows Jeffrey Epstein was the subject of a previously undisclosed U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency investigation targeting him and 14 others for suspicious money transfers possibly linked to illegal narcotics.
Read more »
Former UK envoy Peter Mandelson freed on bail in Epstein probeMandelson's appointment has unleashed a political storm with two of Prime Minister Keir Starmer's top aides resigning over the row.
Read more »
NPR Investigation Finds Epstein Files Related to Trump Allegations Withheld by Justice DepartmentAn NPR investigation reveals the Justice Department has removed or withheld pages from the public Epstein files database related to sexual abuse accusations against former President Donald Trump. The investigation, which reviewed documents from the Epstein files database, FBI case records, and discovery logs, found dozens of pages catalogued by the Justice Department that have not been shared publicly. The missing files include FBI interview transcripts and notes from conversations with an accuser. The White House has stated that Trump has done more for Epstein's victims than anyone before him and has been exonerated on any matters related to Epstein.
Read more »
UK’s Starmer calls Russia-Ukraine war ‘most critical issue of our age’ on invasion anniversaryFox News Channel offers its audiences in-depth news reporting, along with opinion and analysis encompassing the principles of free people, free markets and diversity of thought, as an alternative to the left-of-center offerings of the news marketplace.
Read more »
Keir Starmer's leadership tested by Jeffrey Epstein files and UK special electionKeir Starmer faces a key test as a special election threatens to deepen the UK Labour Party’s crisis and his own leadership troubles. On Thursday, voters in the longtime Labour stronghold of Gorton and Denton choose between Labour, Reform UK, and the Green Party. Polls suggest a tight three-way race, and even a narrow Labour win looks uncertain.
Read more »