Keir Starmer has a huge problem with the ‘F’ word

The Labour leader has been accused of ‘flip-flopping’ on policies, writes Andrew Grice. But while Starmer will call his approach pragmatic, will voters see him as just another fairweather politician?

Starmer will need to address his F-word problem at some point before the election (Antony Medley)

One big question Keir Starmer did not address in his impressive Labour conference speech was the Conservatives’ claim he is a “flip-flopper” who will say anything to get into power and then do something else when he gets there.

I can see why Starmer dodged the issue, even though private conversations here at the Liverpool conference confirm it is on many Labour minds. He didn’t want headlines in Tory-supporting newspapers that included the words “Starmer” and “flip-flop.”

True, a good rule in politics is: never fight on your opponents’ favoured territory. By acknowledging he has a problem, Starmer have might magnified it.