Labour clinging onto 'Things Can Only Get Better' mantra - but will they?

Now, in 2025, it’s a slogan that Sir Keir Starmer and his government will desperately be clinging onto in the hope it comes true.

The Institute for Government identified this year as make or break for the Labour government. And the signs to date aren’t good.

Sir Keir Starmer and the UK do not have their troubles to seek, with low growth and higher than expected inflation. Picture: Henry Nicholls/Getty Images | Getty Images

The prediction from the think-tank coincided with fresh polling published last month around Sir Keir’s administration.

The survey, conducted by Deltapoll, showed only just over a fifth of people think this UK government is being effective at improving their lives (22 per cent).

Damningly, this compared to 28 per cent who now thought the previous Conservative government, which voters ejected at the ballot box in July last year, was effective.

We are now well into February and Labour is still fighting fires on multiple fronts.

Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner was yesterday forced to deny being “aggressive” during a meeting of the Grenfell bereaved and survivors.

She was also forced to defend delays to local elections, saying it was not a “stitch-up” after votes in nine council areas in England due to be held in May were postponed. Many have suggested the decision is purely tactical, with Reform UK’s ongoing momentum in polling building into a giant headache.

Over the weekend, Sir Keir was separately forced to sack health minister Andrew Gwynne over a series of offensive and abusive WhatsApp messages.

And north of the Border, Anas Sarwar has been told by one of Labour’s own MPs that he has been too “quiet” over Grangemouth and the imminent job losses at the refinery.

From the outside looking in, Labour appears increasingly troubled – more like a party that has been in power for seven years rather than seven months.

The pressure is on to change the narrative – and fast. There would certainly be worst places to start than in delivering pro-active policies around sites such as Grangemouth.