There are times when centrism seems shrewd politics. Progressive enough for some lefties, permissive enough for liberals, cautious enough for conservatives and unobtrusive enough for the many voters who want politicians to “tread more lightly on your lives”, as Keir Starmer put it in his first prime ministerial speech. After years of turmoil and extremism, a centrist government – whether of the centre left or centre right – can come as a relief.
Centrism can seem inclusive: “We need to move forward together,” Starmer declared outside No 10. Centrism can seem “unburdened by doctrine”, as he pledged his government would be, instead offering “stability and moderation”. And centrism can promise reforms that are modest in scale but cumulatively uplifting: “The work of change,” he said, “begins immediately.”
