Get all your news in one place.
100's of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Politics
John Crace

Does Labour have a death wish or does it secretly enjoy the agony of self-sabotage?

Starmer takes questions against red background
In a speech on Monday, Keir Starmer told his own ‘story of the budget’, in which questions about Rachel Reeves were not a salient plot point. Photograph: Tolga Akmen/EPA

Freud has a word for it. Thanatos. Up till now it’s been tempting to give Labour the benefit of the doubt. That being in opposition for 14 years has made them ring-rusty. That they’ve forgotten how this government thingy works. Hadn’t quite realised they were supposed to be in charge.

But now it’s beginning to look like Labour has a death wish. Not that it doesn’t quite know how to run the country, more that it is hell-bent on self-destruction. This isn’t a matter of incompetence: it’s a deliberate act of self-sabotage. Almost as if it doesn’t quite believe it deserves to be in office, or is too self-conscious to be in power. The opposition benches are its feelgood safe space.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100's of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.