‘Starmer’s strategists know they have a problem’ Patrick Maguire, Times, 20th October
The problem has got worse since then.
Starmer, elected as an MP in 2015 with no significant previous political experience, often makes play of the point that he is not a politician. Given the experience of Johnson and Truss it has had some sense as a strategy but there are limits.
The same is true of the way Starmer has run ‘his’ Labour Party, turning it from a notional broad church into a much narrower one. This of course has limited wider impact on an electorate understandbly very keen to get rid of the Tories. There are limits. Starmer often seems to run Labour as his personal fiefdom, a conduit for his personal views. While most leaders do some of that leading a political party also means promoting policies that don’t entirely coincide with the leader’s views.
The limits are being tested with the current Israel action in Gaza, where thousands have died including many children. Starmer has refused to back a call for a ceasefire, has appeared to be waiting for a lead from the US and has clearly alienated sections of grassroots Labour support and a range of the broad Muslim community. London Mayor Sadiq Khan has now added his voice
They are apalled at what is happening in Gaza (not for the first time) and disenchanted with a Labour leader who is not leading but waiting for word from Joe Biden.
There are historic comparisons. Harold Wilson who was most definitely a politician (often a devious one) refused to openly back the US in Vietnam (he quietly allowed the US to use UK military bases in the far east) and to some annoyance in the US organised peace talks.
Tony Blair did back the US in Iraq in 2003. Starmer then a lawyer, did not. Blair lost a lot of support as a result and when in 2006 he backed the US over Israel’s invasion of Lebanon last orders were called on his Premiership. He had won the 2005 Election but signalled his intention to hand over to Gordon Brown in autumn 2006.
For those of use who want a ceasefire in Gaza and the ejection of the Tories from Office turning up the size and volume of protests inside and outside of Westminster is now essential.
https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2006/aug/02/foreignpolicy.syria
Leave a Reply