First 100 days of Labour: Kent seaside town gives its verdict on Keir Starmer's party
To mark 100 days of Labour we've taken to the cobbled streets of Folkestone to see how businesses and residents rate the performance of the Labour party in government so far.
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00:00The seasons are changing in Folkestone, and the Labour Party's first autumn is just beginning.
00:07In its entire history, this constituency has always been conservative.
00:12But in July this year, they voted in a Labour MP.
00:16One hundred days on, what do they make of the party?
00:19I would say it's diabolical.
00:23Non-existent.
00:24Definitely unpredictable.
00:25The same.
00:26Same.
00:27One word.
00:28Give them time.
00:29Give them time.
00:30Failing.
00:31Labour took a clear lead earlier this year, turning many of the county's and country's
00:39seats red.
00:40Keir Starmer's government is still early in the game, but with the freebies, scandal and
00:45winter fuel payments, some say they're not off to the strongest start.
00:51Andy's day job is a support worker, but volunteers his time as a coach for Folkestone Invicta.
00:57He's been keeping score of the government's performance.
01:00I didn't vote for the Labour Party and I didn't vote for the Prime Minister, but at the end
01:05of the day, he is there to represent us.
01:08There was a phrase, we've been working on this for two months so we can hit the ground
01:13running, I believe that's what the Labour leader said.
01:16You don't really get an honest answer, and I'm not saying that's just the Labour Party
01:21or anything like that.
01:23To actually honestly answer a question, I would invite the Prime Minister to come down.
01:31Come down and sit here, let's have a conversation, and I've got about 10 questions in my book,
01:38please answer them.
01:42For government today, it's most likely 5% into their parliamentary term.
01:47Much could change before the next general election.
01:50Look at the last government.
01:53In Folkestone, changes happen quick too.
01:56The town has a very different feel today to what many might remember from a few decades
02:01ago.
02:02Creativity, oozing out of its cobbled historic streets.
02:06And just look at this, politics working its way into art.
02:11But the question is, will there be similar artwork for Starmer's government?
02:17Who knows?
02:20Frankly, it's a disgrace.
02:22Both sides.
02:23Unbelievable.
02:24I didn't see any vision.
02:27Where's the plan?
02:28Nothing.
02:29Where's the, this is where we've got to go.
02:33These are the issues, this is how we tackle it.
02:37Tony Vaughan won the constituency by some 4,000 votes.
02:42So locally, Labour will want to repeat the same success when Kent County Council elections
02:47come around.
02:48But will we have the past 100 days scuppered that chance?
02:51Here definitely isn't anything like this, I'm sorry.
02:54You can't equate the two.
02:56He's being looked at through a microscope at the moment.
02:58We know this.
03:00So I'm hoping people will be able to see through that.
03:03But I think the crux will be the budget.
03:06As the Labour Party stands at the moment, do you think they've done enough to be able
03:09to see the same success going into Kent County Council next May?
03:13I think you've seen from the way we ran the campaign for the general election and the
03:18successes that we had from there, I think we just need to do more of the same.
03:23We need to be talking to people.
03:25We need to be seen in our communities.
03:28One of the biggest challenges the town faces is its sustainability of businesses.
03:34According to Andy, he's been in the trade for his whole working life.
03:38He now runs this successful chippy and has plans of retiring soon.
03:43But he did hope the current government would be different.
03:46They've done absolutely zero for small businesses in the town or across the country.
03:51They've addressed none of the issues, which they promised they would do.
03:56When you look at the cost of the product, the cost of wages, the cost of utilities,
04:01it's ridiculous.
04:02I think the word is meet the new boss, same as the old boss, nothing's changed.
04:13His message clear, echoed by other locals.
04:17But can you judge a government just 100 days into the job?
04:22Gabriel Morris in Folkestone.