Have these latest government U-turns shown a new low in competence?

[ProudAmberTurtle]

The government has managed two more U-turns in the last two days.

First they quietly dropped the mandatory digital ID cards for right-to-work checks and have removed sex from what the cards will detail. There is now literally no point to these cards - they will just be an app that leads to other government services. We're apparently spending hundreds of millions on this even though the technology already exists.

And the next day they pull the Chagos Islands legislation too. The deal to hand sovereignty to Mauritius (while “leasing” back the Diego Garcia base) has been shelved.

I would say every government in my lifetime has been more incompetent than the last one - but surely we've reached the floor now?

The change to ID cards seems to have been in January to allow alternative digital ID to be used for right to work.

Diego Garcia being removed from the King's Speech is 'force majeure'. Trump, previously accepting of it has now done a volte face and HMG don't feel they can go ahead.

Not sure the treaty is abandoned. More a question of the issue going on the back burner at least until after the mid terms and possibly after Trump is gone.

I don't consider that changing a position is a sign of incompetence.

I've never understood the Chagos Islands thing. Why has this government been so intent on using up a load of political capital abroad on it?

Changing your mind about something can be a sign of strength, ie when new information comes to light or something seismic changes everything.

But that's not the case here or with any of the government's u-turns.

They did no planning for something ridiculous and then had to shelve it when they realised it wasn't workable.

The Tories had all but signed the agreement, so they inherited it & Trump gave it the green light previously.

I’d prefer a government, board of business, senior management etc who are prepared to change their mind rather than railroad something in because they might look ‘weak’ changing their mind.

But I never understood the Chagos Island deal.
And the amount of money was staggering.

I’m interested to see if this government will continue with plans to introduce a limit on the amount of tax free cash you can draw from your pension seeing as that change will be close to the next general election and could be the final nail in their coffin.

That's not true.

Yes the Tories had (shamefully) had sovereignty talks with Mauritius, but they were opposed to a full handover and the concessions that Starmer then agreed to.

The Trump issue is also irrelevant - Starmer agreed to the initial deal without consulting Trump. It was also always at least possible that Trump was going to change his mind anyway, as major parts of the US military immediately expressed concern about it

No thats not correct, the USA agreed to the UK holding talks, they then supported the direction of the talks ie lease back... then Trump got in, and trashed the deal BUT Marco Rubio supported the deal... talks concluded and Trump then backed the deal... before changing his mind.

The USA is now a very unreliable "ally" more of an enemy, look at what they are doing in Hungary and their support for far right parties in Europe? more an ally to Russia, than the UK.

The deal cannot be concluded without the USA's support, so its shelved, hardly a u-turn.

Why is it "Shameful" to uphold International law?

On ID cards, can't comment on that, i think ID is a great idea, doesn't all of Europe have them?

Other U-Turns... yes some have been shocking, WFP's and Farm IHT are the 2 worst examples.

But all Govt's trash their manifesto's and change their minds once in Govt, its not a new thing as some would have us believe.

Silly me I forgot that Starmer is wrong about everything, Trump can always be excused and the 14 years of Tory rule weren’t that bad 🙄

The Tories were split on the issue.

A deal was well formulated but when Cameron succeeded to the role of FS he took against and stopped it.

They have done 16 U-turns. Totally incompetent, but it’s what it is. 🙄

List please?

I agree. I would rather a Government use evidence and information to make up to date/current decisions.

Has Starmer’s government done anything you approve of? Genuine question. I don’t vote Labour in general, but I think there’s been good and bad, so if you think everything they do is incompetent it’s a bit of a pointless conversation because you’re not going to be open to any alternative views.

The only thing that Starmer has done well has been to not totally cede to his backbenchers on social policy, like he has on economic policy. So he has, for example, spoken to Trump.

As for the u-turns, this is just some of them and excludes the Chagos and Digital ID u-turns:

Winter Fuel Payments (July 2024 announcement → partial reversal June 2025) — Expanded eligibility after backlash.

Grooming Gangs National Inquiry (initially resisted → agreed June 2025).

Welfare/Benefits Cuts (proposed reforms → major concessions July 2025 after rebellions).

Two-Child Benefit Cap (maintained initially → scrapped/relaxed November 2025).

Family Farm/Inheritance Tax ("Tractor Tax") (announced → threshold raised/watered down December 2025).

Pubs Business Rates (hike in Budget → support package/U-turn January 2026).

Local Elections Postponement (plan to delay ~30 elections → abandoned February 2026).

Debt Measurement/Fiscal Rules (changed in 2024 Budget → partial walk-back).

Workers' Rights (Day-One Unfair Dismissal) (initial plan → qualifying period softened).

WASPI Women Compensation (implied promises → limited or abandoned).

National Insurance/Employer Taxes (manifesto pledges on "working people" → hikes implemented with adjustments).

Mandelson Files Release (initial resistance → U-turn on withholding February 2026).

Income Tax Thresholds (freeze policy tweaks).

Foreign Aid/Budget Adjustments (various spending shifts).

I would say every government in my lifetime has been more incompetent than the last one - but surely we've reached the floor now?

23,000 deaths resulting from the 'chaotic' Covid response that could have been avoided. Many millions lost to fraud like Mone's. Leaving the country in an absolute state. Nope, the previous Tory administration is still the most damaging, self serving and incompetent, by a long way.

Sorry but at least half of them are not U - Turns, as there not formally adopted policy... cannot u-turn on a policy in its making.... surely you can understand that?
Even the Chagos deal isn't a U-Turn, the UK Govt cannot unilaterally do any deal without the US's approval, which they have given, then renounced, then approved, then back tracked.

However, you're clearly are a Reform/Tory voter, so will look for problems where there aren't any... there are plenty of things to criticise Labour over, without making stuff up.

I've never voted Reform in my life and I think I've voted Tory once in a local election.

I've voted Labour, Green and Lib Dem all more than once.

But because I know that cross-dressing men are not women and because I understand what a mess Rachel Reeves has made of the economy I must be a Tory / Reform voter and therefore a bigot and therefore not worthy of listening to!

Ok so this isn’t a conversation you want to have because you’re not willing to acknowledge any facts or the difference between running a government/campaigning when you aren’t in government. You just want a space to share your distaste for Labour. I always find it difficult to engage with people who are blindly tied to one party or another because no one party is all good or all bad. If you can’t acknowledge that this government has done some good things since coming to power, it’s a non starter.

Reform have u turned on key policy ideas like the 20k tax threshold and they’re at least 3 years away from even potentially being in power. They also flip flopped on support for the war in Iran over the course of a few days. The reality is no party will be able to uphold all its aims.

Some of the things you listed - ie winter fuel - I wish they’d stuck to their guns & not buckled to public opinion but I would rather have a government that listens to feedback than ploughs on regardless.

As someone else said lots of the others weren’t u turns. And almost all of them have been the result of people not understanding the context behind the decisions/being manipulated by parties like reform into believing they’re bad policies.

I wouldn’t say she’s ‘made a mess’ of the economy. Growth is weaker than hoped and business confidence has taken a hit but inflation is coming down and there’s no sign of a financial crisis. It feels more like the economy is stagnating rather than collapsing and a lot of that is down to global pressures, not just her decisions 🤷🏻‍♀️

@ProudAmberTurtle please do tell me about this technology that already exists. I’m fascinated.

Another Labour-bashing thread already @ProudAmberTurtle? You are of course free to do this, but your agenda is pretty transparent at this point. Your Reeves/economy thread one where you rage at people on benefits and immigrants is still active.

The government with the massive majority had to change these policies because the people were too stupid to understand them?

Is that seriously what you're saying?

Yes I'm one of the tiny minority of 90% of the population of this country that thinks Labour is messing up the economy and I'm being unkind by mentioning this

Yes but everyone and their dog knows you don’t like Labour, what are you achieving by telling people again?

I missed the study showing 90% of people think they’ve messed up the economy, Chuck us a link would ya…