Overview
- Plans to refocus on household costs were knocked off course as questions over President Trump’s capture of Nicolás Maduro, threats over Greenland and a US–UK seizure of a tanker dominated media and parliamentary attention.
- Starmer courted MPs at a Chequers dinner in a bid to steady nerves, with No 10 newly confident the threat of a pre‑May coup has eased as party managers urge colleagues to stop public griping.
- The government confirmed a further reversal by promising business rates support for pubs, described as the 12th major climbdown in about 18 months and cited by critics as evidence of poor decision‑making.
- Ministers are banking on a £150 average cut to energy bills from scrapping green levies and a rail fare freeze to show progress, with hopes the late‑February Ofgem cap update amplifies falling inflation despite stubborn public scepticism.
- Leadership chatter around Wes Streeting persists but allies say mounting a challenge is logistically hard, as Starmer warns a bid to oust him would cause “utter chaos” and hand an advantage to Nigel Farage.