Sir Keir's government assessed.

 

After almost two years in office, and with the shadows lengthening around it, now seems a good time to attempt a fair assessment on Sir Keir Starmer’s premiership.

In broad-brush terms  he has not led us into an illegal war, mishandled a pandemic or crashed the economy.  By comparison with some of his recent predecessors, these must surely count as strong plusses.  In addition he has played a respectable role in foreign affairs and steered a careful course in avoiding involvement in America’s illegal invasion of Iran and promoting independent European security.

 In a recent (15^th May) article on Guardian On-line Polly Toynbee has listed well over a dozen of what she regards as achievements appropriate for a Labour government.  The main ones are:

·       Strengthening employment rights;

·       Restricting zero-hours contracts;

·       Increasing the minimum wage;

·       Strengthening renters’ rights and ending no-fault evictions

·       Ending new leasehold tenancies;

·       Restricting  the sale of new council houses;

·       Ending the two-child benefit cap;

·       Promotion of green energy;

·       Re-introducing “Best” Start family hubs;

·       Bringing rail services back into public ownership;

·       Banning conversion therapy for gays and transgender people;

·       Providing breakfast clubs for primary school children.

However (the list that follows is mine, not M/s Toynbee’s)

·       Ending the iniquitous two child benefit cap was too late: it should have been done on the first morning of office;

·       The Overseas Aid Budget, already reduced by the Tories form 0.7% of GDP, was further reduced to 0.3%.  Even David Cameron said we should not solve the UK’s fiscal problems on the backs of the world’s poorest;

·       The negative rhetoric on migration, and in particular the “island of strangers” speech, was a disgraceful attempt to fend off  the far right;

·       The massacring of the people of Gaza remained uncondemned;

·       Civil liberties and the right to protest have been restricted.

·       The declaration of Palestine Action is a terrorist organisation, ruled illegal by the Supreme Court, is unworthy and remains Labour policy.

·       The opportunity to escape  the restriction placed on tax increases  thought necessary to win the election, was twice missed, first on the “discovery” of the £20bn “black hole” and then the withdrawal of US support for the defence of Europe.

·       Over-timid attempts to re-align with the European Union.

T  There have been  far too many "u-turns."  One or two indicates that a government is listening and prepared to be responsive.  Too may indicates poor preparation. 

Along with these lapses, unfortunate to say the least, there has been a complete lack  of any attempt to introduce the root and branch reforms which are necessary to  facilitate effective and responsible government. “Good chaps” can no longer be relied upon. We were promised “change” but all Labour has done is tinker at the edges.  Where are the measures to:

·       Reform parliament and make it an effective scrutineer of the government;

·       Stop the “churn”  in both government and the civil service;

·       Ensure responsible ownership and behaviour of the media;

·       Devolve genuine powers and responsibility to the nations, regions and local areas;

·       Reform our outdated taxation system, and end the childish delusion that we can have a decent society without paying for it;

·       Adopt an electoral system that will ensure fair representation  in a society where not two but five (and in some parts seven) parties compete?

On a scale of 1 to 10 I would give the government under Starmer about 5.  I’m not confident Wes Streeting or Angela Rayner would do any better. Andy Burnham or Ed Miliband might.