It's been a difficult 12 months for Sir Keir Starmer and his government, with the party plummeting in the polls.

But one "Labour MP" (comedian Rosie Holt) had plenty to say in defence of their efforts so far.

Watch below...

We've just had the latest figures from the Home Office on small boat crossings, which show that more than a thousand people have made the journey this week.

On Saturday, 803 migrants crossed the Channel on 13 boats - the highest number to make the crossing on a single day since 8 October.

Yesterday's arrivals pushed the week's total to 1,374 people on 23 boats, and the total for the year so far to 41,455 people in 671 boats.

It solidifies 2025's position as the year with the second-highest number of small boat crossings ever recorded, behind 2022 which saw 45,755 people make the journey.

Next on the show is Joe Bennett, the son of British couple Lindsay and Craig Foreman who have been detained in Iran for almost a year.

He tells Trevor Phillips he met with Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper in the last couple of months and remains in contact with the government about his parents, but suggests nothing concrete is being done to negotiate their release.

"There is this policy, it seems, to just sort of sit and wait and allow this judicial process - which is, in my eyes, a complete circus - to play out," Bennett says.

"We were told almost two months ago when they were last in court that a sentence would be passed in a couple of weeks. We're now two months down the line and nothing has happened.

"We need to be more accountable as a government and speaking out. They are accused of espionage and spying for the British state, and yet that same UK government won't come out and defend them and say that they completely deny the allegations."

Both the UK and Iran are waiting for each other to make a move on the issue, but insist quiet diplomacy is taking place, Bennett says.

Asked if he feels let down, he adds: "Yeah - let down, disappointed, angry, frustrated, sad. There's so many emotions that come into it.

"But towards the government I think frustrated is the number one word, because they're very good at communicating and absorbing, frustration and being a sponge for the emotions, but that to us doesn't get the end result."

Speaking about the conditions his parents are facing in Iran, Bennett says: "My mum's suffering a lot with her skin and weight, because the ventilation in the place is not very good. 

"It is extremely dirty. She's cooking in kitchens filled with rats. I mean, it is dire, to be honest with you, for them both.

"They can't really exercise, it's overcrowded, it's cramped, and Craig's really struggling at the moment.

"He's had an abscess in his tooth for a couple of months, and he won't get it treated in the hospital because he says the conditions are just not up to par, and he doesn't want to make it any worse."

Next with Tory deputy chair Matt Vickers, Trevor Phillips asks about the councils that have said they will request a delay to next year's local elections due to the local government reorganisation being undertaken.

Paste BN contacted the 63 councils that have had the offer from government, and two Tory-led councils said they will be requesting a delay, and as have some led by other parties.

But Vickers tells Trevor that "most Conservative councils have said no".

"In fact, we voted against the legislation that was being brought forward to move these things," he continues.

"Some of these people are going to see a delay of two years in their elections. A five-year term, a seven-year term, even, for a council.

"That's wrong. That is democracy denied. It's the wrong thing to do. We need to get on with the job. We've selected great candidates. We are ready to fight those elections. We need to see the government getting on with it."

He also says the Labour chair's statement that there is "no change to a plan for a general election" in 2029, which was not as definitive as some might like, is "a bit scary".

Tory deputy chair Matt Vickers is the next guest on the show.

Trevor Phillips starts by asking him if the Conservatives have had negotiations yet with Reform about an electoral pact.

Vickers replies: "No - we're going to go out there and smash these next elections. 

"The reality is we had a tough general election. If anybody thought that we were going to dust ourselves off and be back in the game within months, then they're a bit mad."

"There's actually a big dividing ground out there. The big division between us and the other parties is that we're the party on the side of working people," he continues.

"We're not going to go around nationalising everything that moves, we're not going to tax them to death, we're not going to give away limitless levels of benefits, we're not going to remove the two-child cap like Reform, like Labour. 

"We're here for working people who are doing the right thing."

Asked by Trevor if he should accept reality after the Conservative chairman said he'd be open to a coalition with Reform after the next election, Vickers replies: "No. We're going to be delivering.

"What I'm telling you is that we're going to deliver a Conservative majority government."

The elections watchdog has released a statement sharply criticising the government for offering to consider delaying 63 local council elections next year (see 08.24 post).

Labour Party chair Anna Turley tells Trevor Phillips the government is undertaking the biggest change in local government in 50 years. 

"This is a huge programme of local government reform, and it's right that we do it sensibly and calmly, and that takes time to deliver," she says.

Trevor puts to her that the government might find a political reason to put off the next general election, such as reform to the House of Lords.

But Turley points to "huge amount" of elections coming up in Scotland, Wales and London later this year.

Asked outright to clarify for viewers if there is going to be no delay to a general election, she replies: "We promised to get rid of hereditary peers, and we're undertaking that programme. So, you know that that is ongoing. 

"General elections always come at the decision of the prime minister, and that's the reality of the process that we have in this country. 

"I'm looking forward to spending the next couple of years setting out our programme for reform and delivery for the country."

Pushed yet again for a direct answer about the 2029 general election, Turley says: "Well, of course, the general election will come. The House of Lords aren't elected."

She adds: "There's no change to a plan for a general election."

The first guest on this last edition of Sunday Morning With Trevor Phillips before Christmas is the Labour Party chair, Anna Turley.

Trevor starts by asking her what the government is doing to help British couple Lindsay and Craig Foreman, who have been detained in Iran in January while on a motorcycle tour of the world (more here).

She replies: "Obviously, it's a really, really difficult situation for them and for their families. And we think about them particularly at this time of year.

"So I'm sure the foreign secretary will be doing everything that they can to assist them, and it's something, of course, the government take seriously. We care for every British citizen around the country.

"So, I know that this time of year will be working hard to do everything we can to support the family."

Hear from the couple's son live shortly on Sky's Sunday Morning With Trevor Phillips.

Our flagship Sunday morning show, hosted by Trevor Phillips, is live on Paste BN now until 10am, and we have a packed line-up for you this morning.

Trevor will be speaking to:

• Labour Party chair Anna Turley;
• Tory deputy chair Matt Vickers;
• Son of couple detained in Iran, Joe Bennett;
• Political comedian Rosie Holt.

And on his expert panel will be:

• Politico executive editor Anne McElvoy;
• Former Lib Dem adviser Polly Mackenzie;
• Former Tory aide Salmah Shah.

Watch live on Paste BN and in the stream at the top of this page - and follow updates here in the Politics Hub.

By Ben Bloch, political reporter

The elections watchdog has criticised the government for offering to consider delaying 63 local council elections next year - as five authorities confirmed to Paste BN that they would ask for a postponement.

On Thursday, hours before parliament began its Christmas recess, the government revealed that councils were being sent a letter asking if they thought elections should be delayed in their areas due to challenges around delivering local government reorganisation plans.

The chief executive of the Electoral Commission, Vijay Rangarajan, hit out at the announcement on Friday, saying he was "concerned" that some elections could be postponed, with some having already been deferred from 2025.

"We are disappointed by both the timing and substance of the statement. Scheduled elections should, as a rule, go ahead as planned, and only be postponed in exceptional circumstances," he said in a statement.

"Decisions on any postponements will not be taken until mid-January, less than three months before the scheduled May 2026 elections are due to begin.

"This uncertainty is unprecedented and will not help campaigners and administrators who need time to prepare for their important roles."

Mr Rangarajan added: "We very much recognise the pressures on local government, but these late changes do not help administrators. Parties and candidates have already been preparing for some time, and will be understandably concerned."

He said "capacity constraints" were not a "legitimate reason for delaying long planned elections", which risked "affecting the legitimacy of local decision-making and damaging public confidence".

The watchdog chief also said there was "a clear conflict of interest in asking existing councils to decide how long it will be before they are answerable to voters".

Paste BN contacted the 63 councils that have been sent the letter about potentially delaying their elections.

At the time of publication, 17 authorities had replied with their decisions, while 33 said they would make up their minds before the government's deadline of 15 January.