Keir Starmer somehow has to convince the electorate Labour can fix the UK’s economic malaise while stressing how severe it is
(Picture: Stefan Rousseau/PA Wire)Sir Keir Starmer is the man with the most to hope for – and something to fear – after the hasty arrival of Rishi Sunak in No 10 as the “emergency” prime minister. Speaking to his shadow cabinet this morning, the message was “no complacency just confidence in our positive offer” and “no caution” – with a promise of “relentless focus on what we need to do to win”. The attack message was clear and shifted rapidly from Truss to Sunak as the chancellor “who gave Britain the lowest growth of any developed country and the highest inflation“. Targeting economic recovery, however, makes clear the daunting task for the party hankering to end 12 years of Tory rule: if things are so bad, how credible is the offer to fix them?
As prime ministers abruptly swapped over this morning, with the defeated one giving a terse goodbye flanked by her family and Rishi Sunak sweeping in, the dramatic “Trussfall” has put Starmer firmly on course to be next through the door.
