Should Sir Keir Starmer emerge as prime minister on Friday morning, he can consider it a job remarkably well done. In the nearly five years since securing the Labour leadership, Sir Keir has transformed the party from a parliamentary rump under investigation by the Equality and Human Rights Commission over its handling of antisemitism to the party of government. And yet, his job will not even be half done.
Today’s Standard sets out six of the big challenges that Sir Keir will face if he enters No 10. Most pressing is the fiscal situation. Current spending plans see billions of pounds of cuts baked in — where will these fall, or which taxes beyond the few already laid out will rise to prevent them?
There are further unanswered questions on immigration. We know Labour is committed to ditching the failed Rwanda scheme, but it has less to say on how it would stop small boat crossings, or on legal migration. On climate change, the party has already significantly scaled back its original £28 billion green investment plan. This may have denied the Tories an additional attack line, but what does it mean for jobs and the economy?
As the adrenaline rush of an election campaign wears off, the relentless task of governing will swiftly begin. All these questions and more will need to be answered.
Extremist threat
While the political battle in Britain remains a largely Labour versus Tory, centre-Left versus centre-Right affair, things are rather different on the continent. Marine Le Pen’s far-Right National Rally (RN) party has won the first round of voting in the French parliamentary elections, ahead of the Left-wing New Popular Front and well clear of Ensemble, Emmanuel Macron’s centrist coalition.
It remains unclear, ahead of a second round of voting on July 7, whether RN will secure an absolute majority in parliament. But several things are already obvious. First, Macron’s gamble in calling a snap election has failed spectacularly. Second, it further underlines the remorseless rise of populist and nationalist politics across Europe.
Finally, it draws attention back to the UK. If politicians of more moderate traditions fail to bring about economic growth and rising living standards for all, the extremists will be on hand with their false promises and corrosive politics.
Anyone for tennis?
The grass is cut, the strawberries ripe and the queues a parody of British sensibilities. It could only be Wimbledon. From Sir Andy Murray’s last hurrah (fitness permitting) to Emma Raducanu’s return, follow all the drama on these pages and at standard.co.uk.
