The ruling Labour Party’s dire results in local and regional elections in the UK late last week had damaged Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s authority and could lead to policy shifts, Chinese experts said. While some in Starmer’s party might push for changes in policy towards China, a U-turn on the government’s pro-engagement strategy was unlikely, the observers said, arguing that Britain’s economic position would make this move too costly. More than 5,000 seats across 136 English councils and six.