portrait
If there were an election in the UK today, Labor would probably win clearly. Party leader Starmer is opting for a centrist course. But his rejection of populism could become a problem for him.
Keir Starmer tells a story very, very often – the story of his origins. His father was a toolmaker who worked in a factory, and his mother worked in the state health service before becoming seriously ill.
It is the story of a politician who was not born with a degree or a career. Who nevertheless studied law and rose to a top position in the public prosecutor’s office, is now leader of the Labor party and may soon be prime minister.
This Keir Starmer talks about the glass ceiling that separates the upper class from the lower class, which he wants to break through. “The future of young adults is more influenced by what their parents earn than by their abilities. That’s unforgivable. That’s why I’m passionate about changing that,” he said in an interview with the BBC.
The entertainment factor
It is a classic social democratic narrative of equal opportunities, justice and social cohesion. And she is important to him. British society is more rigid than anywhere else.
Boris Johnson, for example, as Prime Minister understood how to appeal to many Labor voters with his shirt-sleeved manner, despite his background in wealth and even though he attended the elite school Eton.
The political culture in the UK is one of populism, of simple messages. Starmer doesn’t always succeed in this game. He speaks in a more differentiated manner and seems boring.
Many voters would have liked to have a beer with Boris Johnson – an explanation for his success. Keir Starmer is less into fun pub evenings.
Struggle for recognition
In a survey by the polling institute YouGov, 46 percent of those surveyed said no when asked whether Starmer had a connection with normal people. Only 26 percent said yes.
The party leader, who is allowed to wear the title “Sir” because of his performance as a public prosecutor, who has a really authentic story to tell – many people don’t believe him.
Starmer has recognized how important this rise story is, says Karl Pike, a lecturer at Queen Mary University in London, which is why he repeats it so often. But: “If you listen to it again and again, you’ll probably be bored by it.”
The governing Tories are handing out these flip-flops with Starmer’s likeness – a foretaste of the upcoming election campaign.
Labor moved back to the center
But Starmer ignores this in the fight for his image. The top politician has had to fight a lot in recent years. In 2020 he replaced Jeremy Corbyn as party leader. With his clear left-wing course, he had badly lost the 2019 elections, Starmer moved the party back to the center.
Labor stands united ahead of the party conference starting today in Liverpool. No more trench warfare over a left-wing tax policy that was never able to win a majority or even over the United Kingdom’s NATO membership.
As opposition leader, Starmer will benefit from his experience as a lawyer – so far he can hope to become the next prime minister.
Black bread – but successful
Starmer wants to be the person who is believed to be able to govern well, to end the Tories’ chaos. He promises economic growth, a pragmatic approach to the European Union without offending Brexit supporters, opportunities for advancement, and a new housing policy.
That doesn’t sound visionary either, more like brown bread. But the polls for Labor are excellent, benefiting from the Tories’ weakness. 46 percent of voters would vote for him, the conservatives only get 27 percent, says the polling institute Savanta.
The main thing is to stay accident-free
Starmer simply needs to make it to the next elections, which must take place by the end of 2024, without an accident, the party says. He simply had to “carry the Ming vase safely across the finish line.”
However, despite the current lead in the opinion polls, this is likely to be a balancing act: “If he relies too heavily on security, he excludes a lot. And then he comes into government and has no more leeway. But if Starmer is too cautious, he decides “The conservatives always have the agenda”, says political scientist Karl Pike. And the election campaign could then become populist and shrill.
This would not be the ideal terrain for Starmer, who cannot counter populism with even more strident statements, but rather with objectivity. Playing with the valuable vase – it’s not that easy.