It has become a common complaint among some Labour supporters that Keir Starmer and shadow chancellor Rachel Reeves are being too cautious about their spending commitments in preparing for a future Labour government. At a recent national policy forum, the leadership clashed with the party’s left, which argued against “fiscal conservativism”. Starmer’s reply was that he doesn’t mind being described in these terms.
At the forum, a majority of the participants were on his side in rejecting proposals for “unfunded” spending commitments made by the Unite union. Unite’s position on spending was not shared by other trade unions, notably the GMB, which supported Starmer’s economic strategy.
There is a logic to the criticism levelled at Starmer. If the party does not separate itself from the Conservatives’ austerity policies, then it could falter in the election campaign next year. If potential Labour supporters are not enthused by an alternative vision for the future, they may not vote at all.
