There are clearly differing and sometimes sharply contrasting views within Labour over Keir Starmer’s leadership, with debate continuing both publicly and behind the scenes. This wider split in opinion has led to closer scrutiny of where MPs stand, including the three Reading representatives for Reading and surrounding constituencies, as the party navigates questions of direction, unity and leadership style.

While some MPs have firmly backed Starmer and emphasised stability at the top of the party, others have been linked to more critical conversations about the leadership’s current approach. The result is a developing political divide within the party, where support and concern exist side by side, and individual MPs’ positions are being watched more closely than ever.

MPs backing Keir Starmer

Matt Rodda (Reading Central) has backed Keir Starmer, supporting his continued leadership of the Labour Party and government. According to The Guardian, he is one of the signatories of a letter supporting Starmer.

Olivia Bailey (Reading West and Mid Berkshire) previously worked for Keir Starmer as Head of Domestic Policy when he was Labour leader (before becoming Prime Minister) and has also backed Starmer, aligning with those within the party who support stability under the current leadership.

Position on leadership criticism

Yuan Yang (Earley and Woodley) has been mentioned in relation to criticism of Keir Starmer’s leadership. However, there is no confirmed public statement from her calling for his resignation. The BBC website published a list of MPs reportedly critical of Keir Starmer’s leadership, which includes her name.

The Green Party candidate who will be contesting at the Norcot ward, Reading Borough Council elections, is Isobel Hoskin. The local priorities that she concentrates on during her campaign are the cost of living, cheaper housing, cleaner streets, and safer neighbourhoods. Other environmental issues that she raises include the need to enhance recycling facilities and the need to plant more trees within the region.

Being a long-term Reading resident of more than 30 years, Hoskins is introducing herself as a community-established resident of over 30 years with a focus on the everyday local issues that directly affect the residents. Her pitch is quite characteristic of a contemporary Green campaign – a combination of environmental issues with very practical ones such as bills, housing pressure and waste management.

A hotly contested political image

What also makes this race more interesting is the proximity the greater political scene seems to be across the country. A recent Britain polling has seen the Labour at 30, with the Greens trailing just behind at 29. Although national polling does not directly translate into local ward results, it does indicate a broader context in which the Greens are surprisingly competitive and within reach of the main opposition party.

Such a polling background may be important in the fringes in local elections, particularly in wards where the vote is already divided among a number of parties. It may be used to get the voters going, increase turnout, and make once so-called safe assumptions feel less safe.

What it is in Norcot

Noncot, nevertheless, continues to be a competitive and complicated ward. Local elections are usually determined not so much by national polling but more by extremely local factors turnout, candidate visibility and long-term voting patterns in the locality.

To have the Greens turn great polling into a real victory here, there would be a number of things that would have to go their way: a fractured vote among the other parties, strong local campaigning on the ground and voters ready to switch out of traditional loyalties.

A combination of that, even a good national performance, is likely to be translated into higher shares of the vote, but not into actual victories in individual wards.

The wider picture

What the current polling does indicate though, is a changing environment. As Labour and the Greens run neck and neck across the town and the nation, races such as Norcot, Battle and others are more than ever before reliant on local momentum and less predictable than ever before.

Although it may not translate into a more literal win by the Greens, it at least indicates that the Greens are making inroads into the conversation in areas where they may previously have been viewed as an outsider.

conversation in places where they might previously have been seen as outside contenders.

Candidates for Norcot Ward (A to Z)

Conservative
Kes Williams

Green
Isobel Claire Hoskins

Labour
Alison Foster

Liberal Democrats
Brandon Masih

Reform
Oliver Ross Maunder

The Liberal Party*
Stephen Anthony Graham

Green Party support in Reading is not nearly as great as many of us might have supposed,–but, at all events, it is very evidently behind Labour generally. The image can be best interpreted as gradual development, but with the strength being concentrated in specific places, and not in the whole town.

At the council level, the Greens are well established to be the main opposition on the Reading Borough Council. They now have eight seats, and this is a sign of slow improvement over the last few years and not a breakthrough. On other wards, they have established a strong foundation and can now compete with the Labour on an equal footing, even winning seats outright.

Their general vote share in local elections is in the mid-teens, although by quite a bit by ward. Green support is more robust in areas with younger populations or with more mixed socio-economic profiles.

Some more recent polling indicates that the Greens may be encroaching even further into traditionally Labour-controlled areas. Previously perceived as a Labour stronghold, such wards as Battle are now viewed as a more competitive area, in part due to the socio-economic issues in the area, and central goverment policy in the Middle East. Most of the other wards like Abbey, Thames and even Emmer Green have also come into the limelight as potential battlegrounds, according to the pollster of Britain Votes.

Assuming that those projections are correct, the effect might be tremendous. Britain Votes has suggested that the labour party might lose up to seven seats in the forthcoming elections on Thursday, May 7. That would give them around 24 councillors just short of the 25 needed to overall control the council (the first time in years that the council had less than 25 councillors altogether).

Practically that would be a substantial shift in the political life of Reading. Whereas the Labour, though probably remaining the largest party, would still have influence, the Greens, and possibly other parties would have had much more sway than previously which can only be good for democracy.

All in all the Greens in Reading are no longer a fringe party. They are a reputable and increasingly influential political block, which may not yet be in a position to dominate the politics of the town-wide.