The name of this early comedy by William Shakespeare, written in the mid-1590s, makes a great title for this article by Paul Whitelock.
It tells of a personal epiphany for him around the time of the Epiphany or Dia de Reyes, yesterday 6th January, 2026.
Original poster [Wikipedia]
Diary of a Nobody
This article is about the love and respect that I have recently lost for two Labour (socialist) prime ministers of European democratic countries. These are Pedro Sánchez, presidente del gobierno of Spain and Sir Keir Starmer, prime minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
Pedro Sanchez [Facebook] Sir Keir Starmer [Independent en español}
My political origins
I am a social democrat by instinct - I voted Liberal, LibDem and, in 1997 and 2001, New Labour in the UK, and if I could vote in Spain, where I have been resident for the last 17 years, I would support PSOE over PP and the myriad of smaller parties that have popped up in recent years.
[Wikipedia]
My current allegiance
Since I have lived in Spain I have taken a keen interest in the politics of my adopted country. I felt comfortable living in Andalucia, socialist since Spain became a democracy following the death in 1975 of the fascist dictator General Francisco Franco Bahamonde.
Yet, in rece
nt years everything has changed. Lifelong socialists have suddenly realised they are conservatives and have switched their support to PP and VOX.
I have been pretty much a lone voice speaking up for socialism.
Andalucia now has a regional government which is PP; Ronda council is led by a PP mayor; the village where I cast my vote is run by the PP ("aliens" may vote in local elections, BTW, but not in regional or national ones - why is that?).
[Partido Popular]
Pedro Sánchez
Pedro Sánchez Pérez-Castejón is the leader of the country I chose to move to 17 years ago.
For me he had it all when he shot to power following six years of right-wing mis-rule under the "dodgy" Mariano Rajoy.
Young, tall, good-looking and a fluent-English speaker, Sanchez was also a socialist, the secretary general and leader of PSOE.
[Wikipedia]
He first became prime minister in 2018, aged 46, after Mariano Rajoy was forced to resign; then again in 2020 as head of a coalition between PSOE and Unidos Podemos.
This ele
ctoral uncertainty coincided with the Covid-19 pandemic hitting the world with a vengeance.
Pedro Sanchez proved he had "cojones" by handling the crisis with a firm but deft touch.
Deaths from the Coronavirus were far fewer than had been predicted, largely because of brutal lockdowns demanded by Sánchez (cf. the chaos in England under Boris Johnson), which, although not popular, were supported by the majority and enforced by the police.
[Facultad Teologia]
In the general election of 2023, called two years early by Sánchez, the PP, now led by Alberto Nuñez Feijoo, received the most votes but did not win enough seats (rescañas) to govern.
He failed to form a coalition, so Sánchez had the next chance and managed to cobble together enough seats to form a coalition government with Sumar, Podemos and regional Basque and Catalan parties.
Alberto Nuñez Feijoo [El Periodico]
And this is when it all started to go wrong for Sánchez .
Meanwhile in the UK .....
The Conservative government was lurching from crisis to crisis.
The party hierarchy got rid of the incompetent Bojo The Clown; Liz Truss, who lasted five minutes and wrecked the economy; and Rishi Sunak, who was out of his depth.
All three contributed to a major lack of confidence in the Conservatives on the part of the voters .
Bojo The Clown Johnson [Facebook]
Sunak called an early general election in 2024 (Why?) and the Tories were slaughtered at the ballot box. Labour, led by former Director of Public Prosecutions Sir Keir Starmer, stormed to a landslide victory.
Sir Keir Starmer
A working class lad, Starmer was bright and did well at school.
He went on to Leeds University to read Law, gained a Masters degree from Oxford, did his articles and became a lawyer. By 2008 he was DPP, a post he held with distinction for five years.
Sir Keir Starmer [France24]
Starmer entered parliament as an MP for the first time in 2015, but quickly rose through the ranks and became party leader in 2020 following the debacle of Jeremy Corben's leadership.
I liked the "cut of his jib", and I continued to support him through all the criticism by the Tory Press, Nigel Farage, the Tory government which caused all the problems in the first place, disastrous opinion polls and the debacle of recent by-elections.
He has been effective on the international stage, but, I hate to say it, pretty hopeless at home. I've had enough.
If I had a vote in the UK - I do not - I would no longer vote Labour. I would revert to the LibDems.
Conclusion
It is appropriate that I had my personal Epiphany (acc. to Webster's dictionary "a moment of sudden and great revelation or realization") at ..... Epiphany 2026, el Dia de Reyes.
Yes, I realised that Pedro Sanchez and Sir Keir Starmer, my great hopes for the future of Europe, weren't all they were "cracked up to be".
[Calendarr]
Pedro Sánchez and his coalition government have been mired in controversy. From alleged corruption, money-laundering and sexual misbehaviour by government ministers to controversy closer to home.
His wife, Begoña Gomez, has been accused of abusing her position as the wife of the prime minister, and his brother David Sánchez has been allegedly "up to something".
For all the good Pedro Sánchez has done, it's time for him to go - sadly!
***
As for Sir Keir Starmer, while being impressive on the European and World stages, he has looked ill-at-ease and uncertain back home.
His problems with f
ormer deputy Angela Rayner, chancellor of the exchequer Rachel Reeves, a couple of defections to other parties, a Commons backbench revolt, a disastrous budget, policy U-turns, the loss of a safe seat in a by-election in Wales and terrible opinion poll ratings, the prime minister is treading on very thin ice.
Waiting in the wings to take over are the much-admired Wes Streeting, Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, and Rayner, who is very popular amongst fellow MPs.
Angela Rayner [BBC]
Sorry, Keir, you had my support for over a year. I still rate you as a statesman abroad, but you've failed dismally at home.
I'll see you at the Dole Office!
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Note on Shakespeare's play
Love's Labour's Lost is one of William Shakespeare's early comedies, believed to have been written in the mid-1590s for a performance at the Inns of Court before Queen Elizabeth I. It follows the King of Navarre and his three companions as they attempt to swear off the company of women for three years in order to focus on study and fasting. Their subsequent infatuation with the Princess of France and her ladies makes them break their oath. In an untraditional ending for a comedy, the play closes with the death of the Princess's father, and all weddings are delayed for a year. The play draws on themes of masculine love and desire, reckoning and rationalisation, and reality versus fantasy.
_______________________________________________________________________________________
Links
Spain, is it really a country lacking glamour and with beaches full of drunken tourists gorging themselves on cheap beer and sunshine? | Sur in English
Why can’t we have the vote? - Secret Serrania de Ronda
© Paul Whitelock
Abbreviations and Acronyms:
BBC - British Broadcasting Corporation
PP - Partido Popular (conservative)
PSOE - Partido Socialista Obreros Españoles (socialist)
Podemos - "We can" in English (small left-wing party)
Sumar - "Unite" in English (left-wing coalition of 20 tiny parties, key coalition partner for PSOE)
VOX - Means "voice" in Latin (extreme right-wing party, close to fascism)
Pictures:
BBC, Calendarr, El Periodico, Facebook, France24, Independent en español, Partido Popular, Wikipedia,
Thanks:
Eye on Spain, MSN, Secret Serrania de Ronda, Wikipedia,
Tags:
BBC, Calendarr, Diary of a Nobody, El Periodico, Eye on Spain, Facebook, France24, Independent en español, MSN, Partido Popular, Paul Whitelock, Wikipedia,
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