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.