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Tony Blair accuses Keir Starmer of having no plan to fix Britain as he calls for fundamental reset of Labour government
Former Prime Minister Tony Blair has launched a blistering attack on Keir Starmer, accusing the Labour leader of having no plan to fix Britain and retreating into a left-wing comfort zone. Blair criticised decisions on welfare, blocking US use of RAF bases during the Iran strikes, and urged the government to do whatever it takes to stop small boats. Meanwhile, Ofgem announced a 13% energy price rise from July.
Former Prime Minister Tony Blair has launched one of the most scathing attacks on Labour's current leadership, accusing Sir Keir Starmer of having no plan to fix Britain and calling for a fundamental reset of the government's direction. Blair argued that the Labour government has retreated into what he described as a left-wing comfort zone, abandoning the centrist pragmatism that he believes is essential to effective governance. The intervention comes at a moment of deep vulnerability for Starmer, with polls showing Labour's lead over Reform narrowing to single digits.
Blair's critique was wide-ranging and specific. He criticised the government's decision to block the United States from using RAF bases during military strikes against Iran, a move that damaged the transatlantic relationship at a critical moment. He also took aim at welfare policy and urged the government to adopt a whatever-it-takes approach to stopping the small boats crisis in the English Channel, an issue that has dogged Labour since taking office and which Blair believes requires a harder line than the current government has been willing to adopt.
The political turbulence was compounded by a significant energy announcement from Ofgem, which confirmed that household energy prices will rise by 13 percent from July as soaring wholesale costs driven by the Iran conflict begin to hit consumer bills. The regulator said a household using a typical amount of gas and electricity will pay an additional 221 pounds per year, equating to a rise of 18 pounds per month. The energy cap covers 33 million households across England, Wales and Scotland, meaning the impact will be felt across virtually the entire population.
Shadow Energy Secretary Claire Coutinho seized on the price rise, noting that Labour had promised to cut bills by 300 pounds when it took office but that bills had instead risen by 200 pounds even before the Iran war began. She called for the government to prioritise cheaper energy by reducing taxes and levies on electricity, doubling down on nuclear power and ensuring that energy system reforms put consumers first. The criticism underscored the political cost of rising energy prices for a government that came to power partly on promises of affordability.
Adding to the government's difficulties, the British Medical Association announced that resident doctors will strike from June 15 to 19 as part of their long-running dispute over pay, with the union warning that further walkouts could follow in July. The BMA said the new Health Secretary James Murray had not improved the government's offer, with the chair of the Resident Doctors Committee stating that they cannot be asked to negotiate in good faith only to be told there is nothing left to negotiate about. The combination of Blair's public attack, rising energy bills and renewed industrial action paints a picture of a government under siege from multiple directions simultaneously.