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?
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.
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