A serious man from an ordinary home who through hard graft and ability rose to be one of Britain’s most senior public servants, he’s in with a fighting chance of being Labour’s next Prime Minister.
But who is Keir Starmer and what is his electorate-clinching vivid vision to win the keys to No10?
Blast from the past Peter Mandelson was accused by muttering MPs of disloyalty for screaming “too many voters have no clear idea of who Starmer is” when last autumn the Prince of Darkness taunted Corbynistas he’d got his party back.
Yet it’s also a legitimate question when Starmer’s ditched the Left-wing platform, including public ownership and higher taxes on biggest earners, to plant his flag in the Centre ground.
Presenting himself as a principled man of integrity compared with lawbreaking slimeball Boris Johnson might do the trick unless Durham plod forces his resignation with a Covid fine or ruthless Tories substitute a broken PM for a fresh face.
The energy windfall tax subsequently stolen by the Tories was a nod to past Gordon Brown economic and social justice policies.
But Starmer’s Labour isn’t challenging a Thatcher legacy of failing privatisation, dangerous deregulation and the insecurity of anti-trade union laws.
Damaging Brexit is largely ignored, Starmer terrified of being portrayed as a General fighting the last war instead of the next.
Tory taunts he’s boring are a joke when Starmer in private is dryly amusing, laughing at absurdities in politics and life generally. One aide suggested he needs to display the humour in public, even mocking his supposed wetness.
Anyway, the nation’s discovered the hard way that picking a joker isn’t funny any more.
Germany’s Olaf Scholz, who is arguably dull, and particularly Australia’s unflashy Anthony Albanese with his “we can do better” successful campaign provide ways forward.
But not being jaundiced Johnson and the toxic Tories isn’t enough.
Two MPs who backed Starmer for the leadership told me they fear the former chief prosecutor will repeat Ed Miliband’s 2015 mistake by playing too safe, muzzling radical instincts.
Taking the “labour” out of Labour, instructing senior party folk not to join rail picket lines, signalled to many of his MPs that Starmer’s scared of Tory taunts, losing a gut instinct to be on the right side.
Find his voice, give people bold reasons to vote Labour, and he should be PM.
The country’s crying out for real change. Keir Starmer needs to convince it that he’s the man to deliver it.
