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Keir Starmer plays down Labour hopes for 6 May elections

Leader says he has a ‘mountain’ to climb after 2019 general election but will take ‘full responsibility’
Keir Starmer has sought to manage expectations ahead of what he admitted will be a “very important set of elections for
The Labour leader is fighting to rebuild the party and prove that, just over a year since taking over from Jeremy Corbyn, he is changing its profile with voters enough to switch from opposition to government at the next general election – in no more than three years’ time.
On Thursday 6 May there will be elections for mayors, police and crime commissioners, and local councils across England, as well as national elections for the Scottish and Welsh parliaments, not to mention two MP byelections.
With many of the races delayed by a year due to the coronavirus pandemic, the bumper set of elections has proved tough for political parties to mobilise grassroots support and decide where to focus their energy.
Starmer said Labour’s performance across the UK on Thursday would be a reflection on his leadership, and promised: “I take full responsibility for the results, just as a I take full responsibility for everything that happens in the Labour party under my leadership.”
He told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme that “I hope we don’t lose” Hartlepool, which strongly backed Brexit and has been gradually slipping away from Labour for years. He said he had been in the constituency recently “fighting for every vote” in its byelection.
He added that he had a “mountain” to climb to restore Labour’s standing with voters, following the party’s performance at the 2019 general election under Corbyn.
“I don’t think anybody realistically thought it was possible to turn the Labour party round from the worst general election result since 1935 to a position to win the next general election within a period of one year – it was always going to take longer than that,” he said.
A new poll by Survation of 301 people likely to vote with undecideds removed has put the Conservatives on 50% in Hartlepool, with Labour trailing on 33%.
Although it was carried out from 23-29 April, meaning some respondents were quizzed before the Electoral Commission announced it was launching a formal investigation over Boris Johnson’s “cash for curtains” Downing Street flat funding row, the poll gave a further boost to Conservative hopes that their challenge to dismantle the “red wall” of Labour strongholds was not over.
Starmer said he had tried to lead a “constructive opposition” because people wanted to see political leaders “being prepared to have the confidence” to work together. But he insisted he had highlighted government sleaze and ministers’ failure to distribute enough protective equipment to health and social care workers, as well as having been “highly critical” of the time taken to ramp up coronavirus testing.
Reflecting on his past year as leader, Starmer also said he was “frustrated” he had not been able to meet voters properly, shake their hands and deliver speeches to rallies packed with people, given Covid restrictions, but that he had a “burning desire to change our country for the better”.
source: Aubrey Allegretti
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BENEFIT AGM approves 10%...
- March 27, 2025
BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, held its Annual General Meeting (AGM) at the company’s headquarters in the Seef District.
During the meeting, shareholders approved all items listed on the agenda, including the ratification of the minutes of the previous AGM held on 26 March 2024. The session reviewed and approved the Board’s Annual Report on the company’s activities and financial performance for the fiscal year ended 31 December 2024, and the shareholders expressed their satisfaction with the company’s operational and financial results during the reporting period.
The meeting also reviewed the Independent External Auditor’s Report on the company’s consolidated financial statements for the year ended 31 December 2024. Subsequently, the shareholders approved the audited financial statements for the fiscal year. Based on the Board’s recommendation, the shareholders approved the distribution of a cash dividend equivalent to 10% of the paid-up share capital.
Furthermore, the shareholders endorsed the allocation of a total amount of BD 172,500 as remuneration to the members of the Board for the year ended 31 December 2024, subject to prior clearance by related authorities.
The extension of the current composition of the Board was approved, which includes ten members and one CBB observer, for a further six-month term, expiring in September 2025, pending no objection from the CBB.
The meeting reviewed and approved the Corporate Governance Report for 2024, which affirmed the company’s full compliance with the corporate governance directives issued by the CBB and other applicable regulatory frameworks. The AGM absolved the Board Members of liability for any of their actions during the year ending on 31st December 2024, in accordance with the Commercial Companies Law.
In alignment with regulatory requirements, the session approved the reappointment of Ernst & Young (EY) as the company’s External Auditors for the fiscal year 2025, covering both the parent company and its subsidiaries—Sinnad and Bahrain FinTech Bay. The Board was authorised to determine the external auditors’ professional fees, subject to approval from the CBB, and the meeting concluded with a discussion of any additional issues as per Article (207) of the Commercial Companies Law.
Speaking on the company’s performance, Mr. Mohamed Al Bastaki, Chairman BENEFIT , stated: “In terms of the financial results for 2024, I am pleased to say that the year gone by has also been proved to be a success in delivering tangible results. Growth rate for 2024 was 19 per cent. Revenue for the year was BD 17 M (US$ 45.3 Million) and net profit was 2 Million ($ 5.3 Million).
Mr. Al Bastaki also announced that the Board had formally adopted a new three-year strategic roadmap to commence in 2025. The strategy encompasses a phased international expansion, optimisation of internal operations, enhanced revenue diversification, long-term sustainability initiatives, and the advancement of innovation and digital transformation initiatives across all service lines.
“I extend my sincere appreciation to the CBB for its continued support of BENEFIT and its pivotal role in fostering a stable and progressive regulatory environment for the Kingdom’s banking and financial sector—an environment that has significantly reinforced Bahrain’s standing as a leading financial hub in the region,” said Mr. Al Bastaki. “I would also like to thank our partner banks and valued customers for their trust, and our shareholders for their ongoing encouragement. The achievements of 2024 set a strong precedent, and I am confident they will serve as a foundation for yet another successful and impactful year ahead.”
Chief Executive of BENEFIT; Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi commented, “The year 2024 represented another pivotal chapter in BENEFIT ’s evolution. We achieved substantial progress in advancing our digital strategy across multiple sectors, while reinforcing our long-term commitment to the development of Bahrain’s financial services and payments landscape. Throughout the year, we remained firmly aligned with our objective of delivering measurable value to our shareholders, strategic partners, and customers. At the same time, we continued to play an active role in enabling Bahrain’s digital economy by introducing innovative solutions and service enhancements that directly address market needs and future opportunities.”
Mr. AlJanahi affirmed that BENEFIT has successfully developed a robust and well-integrated payment network that connects individuals and businesses across Bahrain, accelerating the adoption of emerging technologies in the banking and financial services sector and reinforcing Bahrain’s position as a growing fintech hub, and added, “Our achievements of the past year reflect a long-term vision to establish a resilient electronic payment infrastructure that supports the Kingdom’s digital economy. Key developments in 2024 included the implementation of central authentication for open banking via BENEFIT Pay”
Mr. AlJanahi concluded by thanking the Board for its strategic direction, the company’s staff for their continued dedication, and the Central Bank of Bahrain, member banks, and shareholders for their valuable partnership and confidence in the company’s long-term vision.
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