The most interesting moment from Keir Starmer’s big set speech today came during the questions. The Labour leader had just set out his ‘five missions’ to fix the NHS, economy, crime, energy and education systems – the issues on which Labour hopes to fight the next election. But journalist after journalist preferred to ask Starmer instead about the last election he fought – the leadership contest to succeed Jeremy Corbyn. How, they asked, can voters trust the Labour leader’s promises, when he’s broken so many that he made to his own member? Starmer’s answers were clear: the goal is a Labour government, anything else is an irrelevance. The old Fortress Twickenham slogan could have been tattooed on his forehead: ‘Winning – that is why we are here.’
And that ruthless pragmatism was evidenced in the content of Sir Keir’s speech. His ‘five missions’ are to ‘secure the highest sustained growth in the G7’, ‘build an NHS fit for the future, ‘make Britain’s streets safe’, ‘break down the barriers to opportunity at every stage’ and ‘make Britain a clean energy superpower.’ In his half-hour address, Starmer talked about his five missions being ‘laser-targeted’ on the problems facing Britain. They might better be described as being ‘laser-targeted’ for Labour campaigns. His priorities are an attempt to pick the terrain on which the next election will be fought – and ensure that it is as favourable to him as possible. There was no mention of ‘stopping small boats’ for instance – one of the ‘five priorities’ which Rishi Sunak laid out last month. The word ‘immigration’ featured just once in Starmer’s address. Instead, his own priority on law and order preferred to centre on ‘reforming the police and criminal justice system’ and increasing investment. These are areas where Labour will feel much more comfortable on than if they tried to outflank the Conservatives on asylum seekers. The focus too on green energy has appeal across the Labour party and bolsters its ‘security’ credentials by giving Britain ‘independence from tyrants like Putin’ in Starmer’s words.
Still, that focus on electorally fertile ground didn’t stop Starmer from trying a few bold ploys in the speech. In one passage he suggested that voters have been willing to make sacrifices and unite in the national interest – but that those in Westminster keep letting them down. ‘People have listened to politicians and pulled together before… They might even have done it after Brexit. But nobody in charge could find the words to ask.’ That is a somewhat audacious claim for Jeremy Corbyn’s shadow Brexit Secretary to make. But it is typical of the pragmatic approach with which Starmer and his team are approaching politics. He is, for instance, keen to talk about his experience running the Crown Prosecution Service– but not his much more recent tenure under Corbyn, pushing a second referendum.
Ultimately, this is the crux of Starmer’s issues around trust. Will voters care that he’s an expedient politician, willing to be inconsistent if it achieves his goals? Or might they actually reward him for his opportunism? Judging by the current polls, it looks like the latter.
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