Keir Starmer is holding his first Cabinet meeting since the parliamentary recess to address the cost-of-living crisis. This meeting is significant as Lucy Powell, who was previously dismissed as Commons leader, will attend for the first time since her reappointment as deputy Labour leader. There are reports suggesting Health Secretary Wes Streeting might consider a leadership challenge before the May elections. Following the domestic meeting, Starmer is scheduled to travel to Paris for talks with world leaders on peace in Ukraine and to discuss recent strikes on Venezuela, with a potential conversation with the US President afterward.
In other news, Kemi Badenoch has issued a warning to Donald Trump against interfering in Greenland, stating it is not for sale and its future is up to Denmark and its people. Separately, the government faced four defeats in the House of Lords concerning a Chagos Islands surrender deal, with amendments including a provision for a referendum of Chagossians.
Compounding these issues, Labour has fallen to third place in YouGov's latest poll, with Reform leading at 26% and the Tories at 19%. Labour's support has dropped to 17%. Additionally, Prime Minister Starmer's New Year plans to focus on the cost-of-living crisis were sidetracked by questions regarding Venezuela and Greenland. The Prime Minister emphasized that tackling the cost of living remains the priority amidst global uncertainty.