Shoppers in Stoke-on-Trent look back a year after Labour’s General Election win
This time last year the nation – and Stoke-on-Trent – saw a Labour landslide at the General Election.
Conservative MPs across the country, city and Staffordshire lost their seats and change was on the horizon.
The new Labour Government's first 12 months in office have been far from plain sailing however. Any honeymoon period ended abruptly with controversial proposals that sparked anger and fears for the future, from the loss of Winter Fuel Allowance for many pensioners to changes in farm inheritance.
This week has brought more stormy seas, with U-turns being made on welfare reform plans just hours before MPs were due to vote on them.
Two days after the vote – and two days ahead of the anniversary of Labour's historic General Election win – the mood in Hanley was far from celebratory as shoppers in Hanley looked back on the past year – and the U-turns came up frequently, as did some words that cannot be printed in a family newspaper.
Linda Coupe said: "Everything has gone wrong – name two things that have gone right. They made all these promises and haven't kept any of them.
"They make out they know how we live and they haven't got a clue. They have failed the pensioners."
Phil Coupe, who voted Labour at the last election, said he would not do the same again. "I would vote Reform – I think Nigel Farage will become Prime Minister", he added.
Reform UK leader Nigel Farage was one of the MPs who emerged victorious in last year's General Election, when he was voted in to represent Clacton.
His party has gone on to see a rise in their political fortunes over the past 12 months, taking control of a number of local authorities in the the May election, including neighbouring Staffordshire County Council.
Christine Diskin said that Nigel Farage could find himself in 10 Downing Street if more people stuck to their guns.
Looking back on the current Government's first year in office, she spoke of the impact on pensioners, including those who had lost their Winter Fuel Payment during the past year. "Kier Starmer shouldn't be doing all these U-turns – he's too busy going about outside the UK instead of sorting things out", she added.
Husband Michael Diskin said the past year "has been shocking." He added: "If you had another vote this year, would Labour get in?"
Not everyone has turned their backs on Labour a year on however. John, who describes himself as a "big Labour supporter", said: "I have always voted Labour and I would again.
"They're doing other things that nobody takes any notice of, like meals for schoolchildren. But I'm disappointed with the way they have gone about the welfare reforms.
"They shouldn't have made those mistakes in the past 12 months and Keir Starmer has admitted himself he has made mistakes. Let's see what happens in three years' time, when there is 12 months to go before the next election."
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