Sir Keir Starmer’s team breathed a quiet sigh of relief when Parliament broke up for a two-week recess with the Prime Minister still in his job.
It is a measure of his profound weakness that simply surviving from week to week now counts as a victory. And the terrorist stabbing attack in North London which happened on the same day was a reminder that away from Westminster, this country faces profound challenges.
But fears the Peter Mandelson scandal could topple the premier even before the upcoming local elections did not come to pass. Evidence given by Morgan McSweeney to a committee of MPs investigating Mandelson’s appointment as Washington Ambassador are proving helpful rather than undermining Starmer further.
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Can you learn to love pigeons? A much-unloved animal in the UK
Features writer Kasia Delgado went on a safari to see if she
could look past their rat-like nature
The tour guide
People think pigeons are stupid but lots of studies have shown them to have amazing memories, that they can identify people by their facial features, and they have an extraordinary sense of direction.
Florence Wilkinson, author of Wild City: Encounters with Urban Wildlife, took Kasia on a tour.
Positives of pigeons
War heroes
During the Second World War, carrier pigeons were routinely used to send messages, and they saved thousands of lives.
Homing ability
Scientists have put them in blacked-out vans and put miniature goggles on them to blur their vision and still the pigeons manage to return home.
The Dove family
We think of them as all grey, but they vary in shades, and some of them are quite amazingly coloured, says Florence.
Kasia’s feeding test
As I gingerly chuck some seed, wincing slightly, 15 or so flap their wings at me. I wouldn’t say I feel content or relaxed but I don’t hate it as much as I thought I would.
I can see they’re not going to do me harm and after all, they’re just enjoying some free food.
A common myth?
Disease carriers
Research has found that between 1941 and 2004, there were only 207 reports worldwide of pathogens transmitted from pigeons to humans.
Not all walks are
created equal
Read on to find out how to supercharge yours into an unbeatable health-builder
How to supercharge your walk
Get a bit breathless
All walking paces are linked with a lower risk of cardiovascular disease but there are additional gains made by those who walk at a moderate-to-vigorous intensity.
Walk uphill
Try to find varying inclines to increase energy and muscle burn.
Add weights
The extra resistance challenges your heart to work harder, increasing cardiovascular fitness.
How to supercharge your walk
Uneven ground
Mountainous and uneven terrain work your stabilising muscles harder, increasing the difficulty and output from your walk.
Go Nordic
Using poles engages the arms as well as the legs and core, turning walking into a full-body workout.
A walk is beneficial at any time of day, but after eating could be best. Research has found that 10- to 30-minute walks taken 10 to 30 minutes after a meal can reduce the peak blood-sugar measurements reached.
Slower and lower blood sugar throughout the day reduces the risk of type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease.
How to supercharge your walk
Go green
Walking in nature has more psychological benefits than concrete. It’s shown to significantly reduce anxiety and depression.
Improve your posture
Staying tall through the spine, open your chest and keep your eyes forward (not leaning over on your phone..).
Meet outside
Walking is a good time to have conversations, whether with your boss or a friend.
Mistakes to avoid
1Focusing on step count – most research suggests that benefits plateau at 7,000 steps a day.
2Using ankle weights – they can tug at the hip flexors and the knees.
3 Doing one-and-done – just hiking for three hours on the weekend, and nothing throughout the week, means you’re missing out on benefits.
4Thinking it’s not a workout – walking packs in cardio and brain-boosting effects without the recovery time of intense exercise.
Eight million people in the UK are living with heart or circulatory disease
And while chest pain is a well-known symptom, there are more subtle signs you should be aware of too.
Overlooked signs of heart disease
Dizziness and fainting
An abnormal heart rhythm can cause a dizzy feeling. While much dizziness is not serious, it can be associated with life-threatening complications.
Increased breathlessness
This breathlessness could be due to blockages and reduced blood flow in the arteries.
Swollen ankles
Unusual swelling can indicate a problem with the body’s circulatory system and kidneys.
Worsening fatigue
Ongoing and worsening fatigue can indicate an underlying health issue, and it could be a sign that your heart isn’t working as effectively as it should be. If persistent fatigue is impacting you day-to-day, the best thing to do is speak with your doctor.
Ruth Goss, senior cardiac nurse at the British Heart Foundation
Overlooked signs of heart disease
Indigestion-type symptoms
Discomfort in the stomach, chest and ribs, or a burning sensation in the chest area, could all be symptoms of heart disease.
Erectile dysfunction
If it’s an ongoing issue, there could be an underlying health problem, including atherosclerosis (narrowing of the arteries), diabetes or high blood pressure.
Emotional detachment is a key life skill
Read on to find out how to embrace it, from GP Dr Radha
Healthy detachment
[Detachment] is not selfish – we can still care and empathise. We don’t avoid, we just balance and respond rather than react because we are not too invested in the outcome. This is very different from emotional numbing, which often happens after trauma.
dr Radha Modgil
When we need detachment
Toxic friendships
When you feel that an interaction brings out the worst in you, or that you are having to watch everything you say or do.
Dysfunctional families
Healthy detachment is helpful when we become overly invested in trying to control or fix someone.
Work issues
It’s helpful in situations you are not in control of and helps you leave work behind at 5pm.
How to start it
Examine your beliefs
You may have been conditioned to think that it is your responsibility to fix everything. Is this a fact or based on old patterns?
Look at the impact
Consider what negative impact your “fixing” has; it can keep situations stuck, or infantilise others from growing up.
Which problems are in your control?
Understanding what problems are ours to hold and which aren’t can help avoid emotional burnout.
How to maintain it
Firm boundaries
This means understanding your sense of self, what is yours and what is not and sticking to it.
Self-care
Recognise and look after your own energy levels, mental health and your need to live your own life.
Be objective
Try to have a factual, calm, rational attitude in moments of conflict. This includes trying to release the need to control.
I spent a week in the world’s happiest country
Here are the five ways I
brought Finnish culture back to the UK.
Sauna, sauna, sauna
A regular Finnish sauna boasts a wealth of health benefits: improved cardiovascular health, reduced blood pressure, lower risk of heart disease, stroke and dementia.
In Finnish culture, the sauna is available for everyone: it’s the great equaliser and forms a gently ritualistic part of the day.
Immerse yourself in nature
It is enshrined in Finnish law that anyone living in or visiting Finland has the freedom to roam the countryside, forage, fish, ski, or camp temporarily.
70 per cent of Finland is forest and they have an estimated 180,000 lakes, of which Lake Saimaa (the one I visited) is the largest.
It plays into the Finns’ love of solitude: having space to think. I have found myself not only treasuring the greenery I can find in London.
Eastl local and drink coffee
Finnish diet
Diets are rich in oily fish and local produce: whole grains, Arctic berries, dairy, wild mushrooms, and game like reindeer.
Coffee
The Finns are the number one coffee drinkers in the world. This is both a social ritual and a historic legacy.
I’m cherishing my coffee breaks that bit more, as well as enjoying smoked fish and pickles for lunch
Have fun
Play is embedded from early childhood, as it is seen as a fundamental pillar of development. For every 45-minute lesson, children enjoy unstructured play for 15 mins.
While adults don’t get the same level of structured play, hobbies and a clear demarcation between work and life ensure adults retain a sense of leisure. Every year in July, businesses slow down.
Do not take the good for granted
Finns actively remember not only their suffering through the war, but the fact that the peace they enjoy requires constant maintenance.
Greenwich Park (Photo: AP Photo/Joanna Chan)
Since my visit, I am actively appreciating things like London’s public transport system, or the number of parks my dog can run in. We are fools if we take it for granted.
Inflammation can be harmful.
But it is possible to lower it through lifestyle changes.
We asked the experts the habits you can instill to reduce levels.
Dietary changes
Fruit and veg
Research suggests high intakes of fruit and vegetables are linked with lower inflammatory markers, says dietitican Sammie Gill.
Healthy fats
Omega-3 fatty acids from oily fish, nuts, seeds and olive oil are all beneficial in fighting inflammation.
Established diets
Certain patterns, like the Mediterranean diet, can help control long-term inflammation.
What to use and what to avoid
Use turmeric and black pepper
Herbs and spices are an easy way of adding anti-inflammatory plant compounds to your diet.
Drink green tea
Keeping hydrated by drinking enough water helps your body function, and herbal teas can have added benefits.
Eat blueberries
Women eating a handful of blueberries a day can help lower their high blood pressure.
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Regularly, not randomly
“The key is consistency, even light, regular activity is better than long, intense workouts once in a while,” says Dr Maz Mwambazi, a GP.
Yoga
Building muscle through weight lifting can help, as can mind-body practices like yoga, which combine physical postures, breathing, and meditation.
Prioritise fun
Chronic stress can contribute to inflammation, says Dr Rangan Chatterjee – so partake in activities which help you manage or reduce your stress levels.
Finding a hobby you enjoy, spending time in nature and spending time connecting with friends and family have all been shown to reduce stress.
“It’s certainly been a galvanising and unifying experience for MPs,” a Cabinet minister remarked. “I think some of the more outlandish versions of reality have been dealt with.”
‘No one has a clue’ – frustration at failure to publicise Labour help with cost of living
But Labour’s long-term problems remain unsolved. The party is struggling to reach 20 per cent in the polls and is almost certain to take heavy losses in the elections for councils across England and the Scottish and Welsh parliaments, which take place on Thursday.
For most people in the party, other than the now-small Corbynite faction on the left, there is a feeling that Starmer has the right policies – such as the Renters Rights Act which has just come into force – but is doing a poor job of explaining them to voters, perhaps not helped by the fact that he has employed four different directors of communications during his time in No 10.
One Cabinet minister told The i Paper they were struck by how few people were aware of the measures the Government had ushered in that would help ease the cost-of-living burden while out campaigning for the local elections.
“People would complain that we’re not doing anything to help, and I would say: ‘But you realise your state pension is going up by £500 this month, that you’re getting £100 off your energy bills despite the disruption in the Middle East?’ Stuff like that and no one had a clue,” the minister said. “It points to a serious problem in our communications that we’re just not getting our messaging out there.”
A separate member of the Cabinet agreed, but sympathised with the challenge the Prime Minister faces in getting his message across in the fragmented landscape of the modern media.
“No one is getting their news from newspapers and broadcasters anymore,” they lamented. “It’s all on their phones and it is so much harder to cut through.”
No 10 insiders argue that the comms operation has improved over the past couple of months – ironically, while the director of communications job has been absent following the resignation of Mandelson ally Tim Allan.
‘To be told to get f***ed every weekend is grating’
No one in Labour has much enjoyed the election campaign in recent weeks. “To go out every weekend and knock doors, and get told to get f***ed, that’s grating,” one MP complained – adding that Starmer was often “namechecked on the door” as a reason not to vote for the party.
“It’s a lot harder campaigning from government than from opposition,” a minister wryly observed.
Opposition parties are more upbeat – not just the insurgent Reform UK and Greens, but also the Liberal Democrats and even the Conservatives who are hoping to take seats off Labour in some areas even while losing elsewhere to Reform and the Lib Dems.
A gleeful Tory reported: “You knock on people’s doors and they say ‘anyone but Labour’ – it used to be ‘anyone but Tory’!”
Labour is widely forecast to lose the majority of council seats it currently holds, with the Greens the biggest threat in big cities and Reform doing well in towns and rural areas.
Pollster Joe Twyman of Deltapoll said that even if the dire predictions hold true, there is still a chance that Starmer can find glimmers of hope which will allow him to argue that he has outperformed rock-bottom expectations.
He told The i Paper: “The thing about local elections is, because they are so difficult for the person in the street to get their head around, they look to cues from parties and from the media as to what the main stories are – and you can always tell a positive story. It may be that the management of expectations is sufficient to placate the wolves at the door – but equally, it may not and it depends on the detail of the results.”
‘Next week will be grim. We have to be much bolder’
The aftermath will present a challenge for Labour in any case, Twyman added, as the Prime Minister will have to decide whether to start prioritising voters in one type of seat at the expense of those elswehere.
He said: “Do you give up on the Reform voters and concentrate on getting back the progressives and the ‘one nation’ Tories? In which case, those MPs in the more Reform areas start to think ‘well I’m f***ed’.”
A few days after the elections, Starmer will present a King’s Speech containing more than two dozen proposed bills which he will argue are driving Britain in a more progressive direction. “Next week will be grim. We have to be much bolder,” a loyal Cabinet minister said. “And we will be bolder. I want to see more of the angry Keir, where he goes off script. That’s the Keir we know.”
King Charles in November 2023. Keir Starmer is hoping his next King’s speech will be a reset (Photo: Alastair Grant WPA Pool/Getty)
At some point before the end of May, however, the ghost of Mandelson will return to haunt the Prime Minister. Parliament’s intelligence and security committee has finished poring over thousands of documents relating to his ambassadorial appointment, and has advised the Government on which should be held back or censored – everything else will be published, pending a back-and-forth between the committee and Downing Street on any security-related details.
The expected double blow of a poor set of elections and further Mandelson revelations explains why the chances of a formal challenge to Starmer remain the talk of Westminster.
One option to try and shore up the Prime Minister’s authority would be a Cabinet reshuffle soon after the election results are out. Downing Street insiders have suggested Starmer is leaning away from this idea, but the very suggestion is causing parts of the Government to seize up.
‘Miliband is a real possibility’
One adviser to a current minister said they felt “in limbo” while their boss’s future hangs in the balance: “People keep trying to book meetings with them and I don’t know if they’ll even have a job by then.”
But regardless of how he tries to regain the initiative, the assumption remains that if a Labour big beast decides to lead a putsch against Starmer, then he is heading for the exit. Angela Rayner and Wes Streeting are seen as the frontrunners to replace him – or Andy Burnham, the party’s most popular senior figure, though he is currently ineligible to take over as leader because he is not an MP.
“People just need to calm the f*** down,” a Cabinet minister said. “I’d point out that we’re not even halfway through the electoral cycle.”
Perhaps what is most likely to keep the Prime Minister in place over the coming months is a failure by the various contenders to win support beyond their own pre-existing ideological allies.
One MP warned while Streeting would struggle to win over Labour members, a Rayner victory would mean “Angela for 44 days” – suggesting the former deputy prime minister would crash out of Downing Street after a similarly short tenure to Liz Truss.
They also described it as “quite worrying” that Burnham was viewed as a panacea for Labour’s problems, questioning: “Is he that good? It’s quite easy being a mayor. Is that really what it’s come to?”
The upshot if all the front-runners prove too divisive could be Ed Miliband in No 10, despite his previous failed stint as Labour leader. “Colleagues need to be aware this is a real possibility,” the MP said. “Things can always get worse.”