Newslinks for Tuesday 17th February 2026

Under pressure Starmer U-turns again. Reform celebrate and Badenoch brands Labour a ‘zombie government’

“Sir Keir Starmer has scrapped plans to delay elections for 4.5 million voters after being warned by government lawyers that the move could be ruled illegal. The prime minister was forced into his 14th U-turn after ditching the policy in the face of a legal challenge from Reform UK. The move increases the political jeopardy for Starmer before May’s elections amid dire poll ratings and continued threats to his leadership. Of the 30 areas where elections had been due to be suspended, 21 are controlled by Labour. Several of these are Reform targets, including Thurrock and Basildon councils in Essex… Labour had announced plans to cancel elections in 30 areas this year to free “capacity” for an overhaul of English council structures over the next three years. Ministers argued that the delays were necessary so councils could save money and officials’ time on holding elections, focusing instead on reorganisation. But the government dropped the plan after receiving ‘new legal advice’” – The Times

• Starmer U-turns on cancelled elections – Daily Telegraph
• Starmer cancels plans to delay 30 local council elections in England – FT
• Humiliated Starmer is forced to face the wrath of voters: In 14th major U-turn of his torrid time in office, PM has to abandon plans to cancel local elections for millions… so will you get to vote on his performance on May 7? – Daily Mail
• Labour now faces local election wipeout. This data proves it – Daily Telegraph
• Starmer abandons plans to delay local elections in England in latest U-turn – Guardian
• When will Starmer’s U-turns end? Council election about-face farce is number 14 for the PM in just 19 months in office – Daily Mail
• The councils thrown into needless chaos by Starmer’s U-turn – Daily Telegraph
• Why has government reversed its decision to postpone 30 local polls across England? – Guardian
• By-election disaster could trigger Starmer resignation, insiders believe – The i
• Starmer U-turns on cancelled local elections: 5 things you need to know – Daily Express
• Keir flip farce. Starmer performs 15th chaotic U-turn in Downing Street climbdown over scrapped council election delay – The Sun
• Keir Starmer’s U-turns so far — from welfare to winter fuel – The Times
• Why Starmer’s latest U-turn over local elections could be a gift for Reform – Guardian
• Farage hails ‘win for democracy’ after PM forced into another U-turn as local elections back on. – The Sun
• English councils face ‘race against time’ to arrange elections, leaders say – Guardian
• ‘It’s game over’: Why Starmer’s fightback looks doomed to fail – The i

Editorial

Comment

• Starmer’s local election rebuff benefits Reform – James Heale, Spectator
• Can anyone govern Britain? – Tim Knox, CapX

Today

Starmer wants to spend £13bn on preparing for war but is told he can’t afford it

“Sir Keir Starmer is planning to ramp up the UK’s military spending but is unlikely to hit a benchmark to spend 3 per cent of national income on defence by 2029, The i Paper understands. Talks are taking place in Whitehall aimed at accelerating a funding uplift for the Ministry of Defence (MoD), but there are concerns in Government about how it will be paid for. On Monday, the BBC reported that Downing Street is considering spending 3 per cent of GDP on defence during the current Parliament, which is due to end in 2029. This compares to a plan set out by Starmer last year to spend 2.6 per cent of GDP by 2027, and 3 per cent by the end of the next parliament in 2034. The accelerated funding has been prompted by increasing Russian aggression and concerns that the US is now a less reliable ally under Donald Trump. Government insiders confirmed …that No 10, the Treasury and the MoD are holding talks to bring forward the spending, with a long-delayed “defence investment plan” the vehicle to announce the uplift. However, the insiders said that it was unlikely that the 3 per cent target would be achieved during this Parliament.” – The i

• PM ready to pay £390m for access to EU’s Ukraine arms fund – The Times
• Starmer set to fast-track defence spending boost – Daily Telegraph
• Keir Starmer says Britain needs to ‘go faster’ on defence spending – FT
• Royal Navy misses £500m of submarine maintenance – The Times

Labour think tank accused of attempting to smear journalists investigating them

“A close ally of the prime minister faces an investigation over allegations he paid a PR firm to investigate two Sunday Times journalists. Josh Simons, the digital government minister in the science department, is accused of paying Apco Worldwide, a US-owned PR firm, to look into journalists reporting on undeclared funding by Labour Together, where he was formerly director. Sir Keir Starmer said the Cabinet Office was investigating the conduct of the think tank after it paid £36,000 to Apco to examine the “backgrounds and motivations” of journalists behind a story before the general election in 2024. The Sunday Times reported that the group had failed to declare £730,000 of donations between 2017 and 2020. The Electoral Commission found the group guilty of 20 breaches of campaign finance laws and issued a fine in 2021.” – The Times

• Dirty dossier. Another blow for Keir Starmer as PM forced to launch probe into Labour think tank accused of smearing journalists – The Sun
• How Labour Together tried to smear Fleet Street – Daily Telegraph
• Cabinet Office to investigate claims a Labour-linked think tank paid for probe into journalists reporting on its ‘secret donations’ – Daily Mail
• Bullying claims against Antonia Romeo ‘covered up’ – The Times

Editorial

• So much for Starmer’s ‘gentler’ politics – latest Labour scandal could be straight from Kremlin dirty tricks department – The Sun

Miliband lambasted by Trump and Tories for ‘inappropriate’ energy deal

“Donald Trump last night tore into Ed Miliband over an “inappropriate” green deal with a Democrat governor. In London, the Energy Secretary and California’s Gavin Newsom signed a “memorandum of understanding” to work together on eco-tech such as offshore wind. Hitting out at the move, the President blasted: “The UK’s got enough trouble without getting involved with Gavin Newscum. Gavin is a loser. Everything he’s touched turns to garbage. His state has gone to hell, and his environmental work is a disaster.” Mr Newsom, a champion of green initiatives, could be the Democrats’ contender at the next US election. Mr Trump warned that “if they did to the UK what he did to California, this will not be a successful venture”. Meanwhile, the Tories accused Net Zero zealot Mr Miliband of double standards over his green deals. Shadow Energy Secretary Claire Coutinho noted the Cabinet Minister published details of the California agreement, but refused to do the same for a similar deal struck with China. She said: “This time, he’s published the full text of the deal online. …but the deal he signed with China remains a secret.” – The Sun

• Trump attacks Miliband over green energy deal with ‘loser’ Newsom – Daily Telegraph
• Ed Miliband strikes clean energy deal with California’s Gavin Newsom – FT
• Trump makes scathing swipe against Ed Miliband’s climate pact with US – Daily Express
• Trump criticises Ed Miliband’s ‘inappropriate’ green deal with California – The Times

Farage set to make Jenrick his Chancellor in waiting

“Nigel Farage is set to confirm his pick for Reform UK’s shadow Chancellor [today] and the choice may come as a surprise to some. The insurgent party leader is set to announce recent defector Robert Jenrick as his new man to take the fight to Rachel Reeves. The news may ruffle the feathers of deputy leader Richard Tice, and head of policy Zia Yusuf, both of whom had been seen as also in the running for the top job. The briefing comes ahead of Mr Farage’s press conference, where he will unveil most of his shadow cabinet. It will be a deliberate move to take on claims that Reform UK is a ‘one man band’ and prove he now has enough top team talent to form a Government after the next election.” – Daily Express

• Money Moves. Jenrick ‘to be Reform’s pick for Chancellor’ as Farage ‘set to announce his key appointments’ – The Sun
• Robert Jenrick to be Reform’s pick for chancellor – The Times

News in Brief

• We all pay for Westminster’s cultural decay – Lawrence Newport, CapX
• Rubio’s charm conceals a brutal truth. Europe’s on its own -Wolfgang Munchau, Unherd
• The “No Debate” dodos – Helen Joyce, The Critic
• Why Russia used poison to kill Navalny – Mark Galeotti, Spectator