{"text":[[{"start":7.3,"text":"True electoral earthquakes in Britain usually come in general elections. But Thursday’s ballots for scores of councils in England and the parliaments of Scotland and Wales have, for now, smashed the century-old Labour-Conservative duopoly. Two years after Labour’s landslide election victory showed the centre broadly holding, British politics has fragmented into an unstable kaleidoscope that makes forecasting the next general election almost impossible. The biggest gainer is Nigel Farage’s nationalist Reform UK, which in many areas has displaced the Tories as the main opposition party. The biggest loser, after Labour’s predicted dismal showing, is surely the political career of Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer."}],[{"start":53.75,"text":"The results reflect above all an electorate weary of economic stagnation and strained public services, whose yearning for “change” is not being satisfied by the traditional UK parties of government. Labour’s pledge to replace Tory turbulence with competence and stability held out the prospect of rebuilding business confidence and rekindling growth. The failure of Starmer’s government to achieve either stability or growth, and of Kemi Badenoch’s Conservatives to rebuild themselves into credible contenders, has propelled voters in multiple directions. In some urban areas they are turning to the Greens, reinvented as “eco-populists” by their leader Zack Polanski — leaving Labour now facing insurgent challengers from both the right and the left. "}],[{"start":101.2,"text":"Labour’s weakness in Scotland has enabled the Scottish National Party to extend its 19 years in government, while in Wales the nationalist Plaid Cymru is set to replace it as biggest party for the first time since devolution in 1999. Ominously for the UK union, governments in three of its four nations are now led by parties whose goal is to break away."}],[{"start":123.5,"text":"The most significant breakthrough nationally was by Reform. Its overall voting share has not made a major advance. Whether it has a path to power is still far from certain. But after last year’s local council ballots, this is the second set of elections in which Farage’s party can claim to have become the dominant force on the British right. By taking control of several councils and winning many seats on others it is building local power bases — but will also be tested in office."}],[{"start":151.6,"text":"Even though Badenoch seems to have led the Conservatives into an electoral cul-de-sac, there seems little appetite among the already diminished rump of Conservative MPs to replace her. But dozens of Labour MPs will this weekend be viewing their prospects at the next election with alarm. Many will see a change of direction as vital to reviving Labour’s fortunes. "}],[{"start":173.4,"text":"Stealing too much of the political clothing of either Reform or the Greens, however, would risk driving away different sections of Labour’s fragile electoral coalition. A lurch to the left would further alienate a business community whose support is vital to resuscitating the economy, and risk a crisis in the restive gilt market. What voters crave most is competent and productive government. Sadly, after almost two years in office, this is something Starmer has been unable to project."}],[{"start":201.9,"text":"Amid the swirling unpredictability of UK politics, what is increasingly apparent is that the prime minister is unlikely to lead Labour into the next general election. But if his MPs decide that he should be replaced sooner rather than later, they should keep in mind that, for the sake not just of their own interests but those of the country, there is a value in stability, both economic and political. They need to find a way to address their problems in government that does not make Britain’s outlook worse, rather than better."}],[{"start":237.4,"text":""}]],"url":"https://audio.ftcn.net.cn/album/a_1778301501_3639.mp3"}