Rachel Reeves, Starmer’s Chancellor, announced last month a reduction in value-added tax — a consumption tax — from 20 percent to 5 percent on various family-friendly activities, including children’s meals, cinema tickets, and amusement parks. Furthermore, children aged five to 15 will be able to travel free on buses throughout August as part of the “Great British Summer Savings” initiative.
Effectiveness: 5/10. This is a temporary measure ending in September, coinciding with expected rises in energy bills. Costly retail policies may not always secure election victories, as evidenced by Rishi Sunak, the creator of the previous government’s Eat Out to Help Out scheme.
4. Pointing at graphs
A wealth of positive U.K. statistics could — theoretically — provide Starmer with some momentum.
The U.K. economy expanded more than anticipated in the first quarter, and net migration significantly decreased from 331,000 in the year ending December 2024 to 171,000 last year, a level last seen in early 2021 during the Covid-19 pandemic.
NHS waiting list figures — a particularly sensitive issue for Labour MPs — have dropped to their lowest point in 3.5 years, a reduction of 500,000 since the 2024 general election.
Effectiveness: 6/10. There are signs of progress, but graphs and statistics rarely outweigh public sentiment when unrest is present. Polls indicate voters are still struggling with the cost of living, believe immigration levels are too high, and are dissatisfied with the NHS, making MPs uneasy.
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