The obsession with a politicians first 100 days in the position dates back at least to Harold Wilson (after he was elected PM in October 1964)and the then Manchester Guardian. I suppose its reassuring in changing times that the same paper (minus the Manchester) is also focusing on Keir Starmer’s first 100 days as Labour leader.
A YouGov poll, always a 100% reliable barometer of popular opinion… has suggested that Keir Starmer is seen as most like Tony Blair when it comes to a range of political leaders who the public are likely to have heard of. The comparison with Jeremy Corbyn ranked almost as low as Churchill.
There is potential and a problem for Starmer here.
Being associated with the clean shaven revisionist image of Tony Blair is unlikely to be a big vote winner. While Starmer has distanced himself from the beard power of Jeremy Corbyn, hair remains central to his image. Indeed the first thing he did when lockdown restrictions were lifted was to go to a barber and have his hair cut and refocused.
Whether that makes Starmer a hirsute socialist is a matter for terminological debate.
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