The two Notts Labour MPs who highlight Starmer's big problem

NOTTINGHAMSHIRE has frequently found itself being the bellwether of British politics in recent years.

- By OLIVER PRIDMORE

The result of the 2017 general election, which saw the historic Labour seat of Mansfield switch to the Tories, foreshadowed the broader fall of the 'Red Wall' in 2019.

The result of the East Midlands Mayor election then showed us that the Tories, who had benefited from the Red Wall's crumble, were on thin ice - something we of course saw play out in 2024. The county, admittedly by accident rather than through the ballot box, was the first to have a Reform UK MP in Parliament and Farage's party now control the county council.

Nottinghamshire's bellwether status now continues amid the Labour fallout from its disastrous recent local election results. The battle to forge a united Labour Party is certainly a challenge not unique to Keir Starmer as the current party leader.