Keir Starmer's Labour government, holding a 155-seat parliamentary majority since the July 2024 landslide, faces growing internal dissent after 52 backbench MPs defied the whip on a welfare bill last week—the largest rebellion under his leadership—sparking leadership challenge rumors amid budget cuts like reduced winter fuel payments for pensioners. Polling averages show Labour trailing Reform UK and Conservatives, with Starmer's approval ratings at historic lows, fueled by economic pressures and donor scandals. No no-confidence vote is imminent, but upcoming by-elections and further divisive votes on spending could intensify pressure, though structural barriers like the fixed-term parliament limit snap election risks before 2029. Traders weigh these tensions against his entrenched position.