David Vance SubstackRead More
With the new political year in full swing, UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer tried to set the agenda by going on the BBC and trying to impose his leadership of the Country. Like everything else he has tried, it just didn’t work and I almost felt sorry for him. But I feel more sorry for us.
On several occasions he insisted that he’d be “judged at the general election”, insisting no one would take his five-year mandate from him – even if the best chance of stopping Nigel Farage and Reform UK getting to No 10 might be for Labour to switch leader. He said he would NOT step down regardless of how dreadful the May elections are for his Party in Wales and Scotland. In short, he insists a la Gloria Gaynor that he will survive! But isn’t this just whistling walking past the graveyard? Does anyone believe he can survive the imminent May meltdown in his Party’s fortunes?
From my perspective, he has three fundamental problems;
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His personality. Starmer comes across as an adenoidal robot but with less charisma. He is of the managerial/administrative class, not a leader. He also lacks the common touch and so people don’t relate to this stern faced bot. He cannot change who he is and that is an existential problem. He pretends to be “competent” but his Government exudes incompetence.
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His Party. Labour is at least 50% hard left pro Gaza anti Trump pro EU zealots. Trying to lead such a Party AND keep good relations with the Trump regime is difficult. Labour is a coalition, not a united Party and that means whoever leads it has a problem from the get go.
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The Electorate; The British people see getting to grips with illegal migration as a primary issue. They also feel less well off under Labour. All the vanity talk about “smashing the gangs” and making you “better off” has been exposed as bluster. Yes, certain groups are becoming better off, primarily Migrants and the workshy. That cannot save Labour’s fortunes.
It seems to me that Starmer is doomed and that he will be replaced. All his defiant words will vanish in May as the Labour Party is judged by the electorate and found wanting. At that point, he will resign. The hyaenas in his Party are already circling and he knows it.
