When British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak announced the UK general election outside 10 Downing Street in the pouring rain last month, the ignominy of the moment was compounded by the sound of a protester playing “Things Can Only Get Better” by D:Ream.
The song had been adopted by Tony Blair’s “New Labour” as its anthem during the 1997 election, which Labour won in a landslide. It was Labour’s last win from opposition in a general election.
The current Labour leader, Keir Starmer, is now looking to put an end to another extended period of Conservative Party rule in the July 4 election. Like Blair, he’s also promising change, but this is where the similarities with 1997 may end.
