The geopolitical void between the UK and the US

Kemi Badenoch, Leader of the Conservative Opposition, failed again at PMQs to challenge Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer over immigration.

- ANTONIA FILMER

Kemi Badenoch, Leader of the Conservative Opposition, failed again at PMQs to challenge Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer over immigration. Starmer swiped an immature Badenoch away with his rebukes. Conservatives are not satisfied with the script that Alan Mak, the British-Chinese MP for Havant, is preparing for her. There is not much enthusiasm for Badenoch's Tory leadership; Robert Jenrick is waiting in the wings, and his bi-weekly radio show gets excellent traction.

More generally, people are not happy with the Government or the Prime Minister; the increased National Insurance Contribution for employers has crippled businesses, resulting in vast numbers of closures and redundancies. The new taxes are impossible for the farming community and small businesses such as corner shops, mini-marts, newsagents, cash & carry outlets, restaurants/cafés and small independent hotels. Labour cheated to get into power, having campaigned on a more no-tax ticket; they have increased taxes, millionaires are leaving the UK at the rate of one every 45 minutes. Labour invented the so-called £22 million black hole; Chancellor Rachel Reeves is daily in the news for being a fraud. Nationwide knife crime is rocketing; the new housing is, again, very annoying; these are close to good policies which do not have enough construction workers to build them. The net-zero radicalism and immigration are the focus of the Conservatives and the Reform UK party, all contributing to anti-incumbency sentiments. All this resulted in 52% of young people aged 13-27 polled saying they would prefer to be "ruled by a dictator". Many young are culturally and politically demoralised by social media but feel that they trust social media news more than mainstream media. Another survey suggests these young people are in despair at the state of the world they are inheriting and are overwhelmed by the responsibility of fixing the future.