Is Keir Starmer the luckiest leader in Labour’s 124-year history? Is he ruthless? How did the Conservative party squander what seemed like two guaranteed terms in office? Most intriguingly, why did Rishi Sunak pull the trigger on an election when he did?
Anushka Asthana answers these questions with clarity and pace. Starmer’s victory after Labour’s bruising defeat in 2019 is presented as the result of calculated decisions that outmanoeuvred his opponents both inside Labour and across the aisle of the Commons.
Drawing on countless interviews with key figures, Asthana busts the myth of Starmer as a “lucky general”, merely being in the right place at the right time to benefit from the Tories’ implosion. She paints him instead as a strategic operator, focused above all on winning power. His rise involved seizing control from Labour’s Corbynite left, repositioning the party for key voters in marginal constituencies, and capitalising on the chaos within the Conservative party.
One thing that stands out is the makeup of Starmer’s inner team. Labour, despite its progressive posturing, was often dominated by “male, pale, and stale” figures behind the scenes. The new leadership broke that mould. Sitting around the central figure of Morgan McSweeney were key actors like Hollie Ridley, dubbed “Field Marshal Ridley” for her command of the campaign’s machinery, Vidhya Alakeson and Katie Martin, who managed business outreach and enforced discipline among shadow ministers. Alongside Marianna McFadden, a veteran of previous Labour governments, and Jill Cuthbertson, director of Starmer’s office and his gatekeeper, these women played crucial roles in shaping his victory.
Starmer’s demeanour, as Asthana presents it, contrasts sharply with the drama of the Blair-Brown years. No backroom deals or grand “Granita pacts”; his leadership bid was casually unveiled to his team in a Whitehall pub after a chat with his wife, Vic. But the chapter on Starmer’s ruthless streak is revealing. His swift removal of Labour’s general secretary, Jennie Formby, after taking over from Jeremy Corbyn, is a case in point. She had “wanted to discuss how they would work together in the coming weeks”. Just 20 minutes after being made leader, he called her to say: “We won’t”. Labour needed an overhaul, and Starmer’s team set about clearing out factionalism with efficiency.
Sections on the three prime ministers that preceded him – Johnson, Truss, and Sunak – showcase Asthana’s access to Tory high command. Descriptions of last-ditch attempts to save Johnson are fascinating; Truss’s decision to sack Kwasi Kwarteng reeks of desperation. Sunak, by contrast, comes across as more measured. His pragmatism, while commendable, often seemed too cautious for turbulent times. More comfortable with policy detail than politics, his reluctance to go on the attack left him vulnerable in a party increasingly dominated by its right wing.
The story of his decision to call the election on 4 July is told in compelling detail. Asthana unpacks the data points Sunak had to consider, and though he has since been derided for not waiting until November, there was some logic in the call he made. “The prime minister was afraid of a bumpy summer in which he would have to let serious criminals out of jail; watch boat numbers spike with the diminishing prospect of a Rwanda flight; and suffer more doctors’ strikes,” she writes. Of note is the fact that a poll on the day of the local elections in May was ruled out because of the need to protect the Tory mayor of the West Midlands, Andy Street, who wanted to differentiate his strong personal brand from that of the government. In hindsight, this delay proved costly, as the loss of so many loyal councillors diminished the party’s battalions of doorknockers in the run up to July.
Taken As Red stands out for its balance and the depth of its reporting; anyone seeking to understand how an 80-seat Conservative majority was turned into a Labour landslide over five short years should seek it out. This is the most thoroughly researched account of the last five years. Asthana has written a balanced, thoughtful narrative that reflects opinions both within and between the parties. A must-read for anyone looking to understand how we got here.
• Tom Watson was deputy leader of the Labour party from 2015 to 2019.
• Taken As Red: How Labour Won Big and the Tories Crashed the Party is published by HarperNorth (£22). To support the Guardian and Observer, order your copy at guardianbookshop.com. Delivery charges may apply.
