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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Politics
Pippa Crerar Political editor

Starmer feels the effects of setting high standards for his party in opposition

Keir Starmer and Rachel Reeves in deep conversation
The PM, Keir Starmer, now has to take a hard line on his chancellor, Rachel Reeves, who has admitted making an ‘inadvertent’ mistake letting her family home. Photograph: Chris Jackson/Getty Images

There is a theory in British politics, often attributed to Tony Blair, that you need to be careful about throwing a boomerang in opposition, because when you make it to power it could come back and hit you in the face.

As opposition leader, Keir Starmer became adept at landing blows on the Conservatives. Over the Partygate scandal in particular, he called for Boris Johnson to quit over his rule-breaking. “You cannot be a lawmaker and a lawbreaker and it’s time to pack his bags,” he said.

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