Internationalism No. 83, January 2026 Page 3 From the series European news Ending the chaos and decline caused by Conservative governments, with their succession of four prime ministers between 2016 and 2024, and rebuilding the country: this is how Keir Starmer described his commitment to national renewal in Labour’s 2024 election manifesto. A year and a half after the clear victory that delivered Labour 411 of the 650 seats in the House of Commons, YouGov figures [December 16 th ] show the current prime minister’s approval rating has fallen from 44% to 18%. The political landscape is fragmenting, with the two traditional mainstream parties being overwhelmed by the rise of fringe parties. The government has been marred by minor scandals, muddled communications, statements followed by U-turns, and a chaotic run-up to the announcement of the new budget on November 26 th . With defeat anticipated in the local elections in May, frustrat...