Boris Johnson won the biggest Tory majority in a generation three years ago not just because of Brexit, but because of his boisterous - and at times anarchic- approach to British politics and the establishment. And, despite his colossal defeat, even Jeremy Corbyn brought thousands out onto the streets. Both leaders inspired voters, invoked emotions - for better or worse. People knew who they were.
But Keir Starmer appears to be struggling when it comes to these key elements of personality and policy. When I was reporting in Bury on the eve of the local elections last month, there were two things that came up frequently on the doorstep. The first was that voters simply didn’t know who Starmer was. And, a close second, voters had no clue what he believed. “At least you knew what Corbyn stood for,” said one anti-Corbyn voter. This is a feeling not just limited to Bury, but reflected across the country.
And there are anxious conversations about this in the Labour party, too. Staffers and MPs have an uncomfortable sense that something is lacking. Shadow cabinet ministers are now briefing against Starmer complaining he is “boring”. The fear is not new, it’s been rumbling on for a while - but it now seems to be coming to a head. Starmer’s paralysing caution and lack of willingness to commit to even the most inoffensive of policies is making Labour appear stale and uninspiring. And the pledge of “the best is yet to come” is wearing thin.
His approach to rail strikes has been emblematic of the issue. Starmer said he did not want them to go ahead, but deputy leader Angela Rayner gave strikers her full support. He privately told frontbench Labour MPs to stay away from strikes, yet many turned up at picket lines. And a YouGov poll published on Tuesday found 43 per cent of Brits said they didn’t know what Labour’s position was on strikes - with 21 per cent they neither supported nor opposed them. That’s extraordinary for a party built on trade unionism.
The vagueness spreads elsewhere. On immigration Starmer has provided no tangible policy alternative to the Rwanda plan, yet opposed it nonetheless. The biggest policy victory under his leadership is arguably the windfall tax - but even that was borrowed from the Liberal Democrats.
And this strategy doesn’t seem to be a winning one. Because despite the constant controversy swirling around the prime minister - a prime minister who has broken the law- when it comes to public perception Starmer and Johnson are still too close for comfort. A recent poll even found Johnson was the preferred candidate over Starmer for prime minister - something which should ring alarm bells at Labour HQ.
Perhaps the a “safe pair of hands” approach and being the “not Boris Johnson” candidate is not a such a clever idea. Big ideas and big personalities are in vogue right now. No wonder some in Labour are worried.
