Keir Starmer has established himself as a credible alternative to Boris Johnson

Editorial: After the mercurial Boris Johnson, the country may want a more predictable leader

(Brian Adcock)

It has been an extraordinarily difficult year for Keir Starmer, who became leader of the Labour Party in the aftermath of the 2019 general election when the party suffered its worst defeat since 1935.

There was no agreement then as to why Labour had polled so badly. Jeremy Corbyn argued that Labour had “won the arguments”, a position ridiculed by senior Labour MPs, including its former interim leader Harriet Harman. That debate, and hence discussion about the appropriate direction for the party now, continues vigorously. 

The battle to set Labour’s future direction continues within parliament, for its MPs inevitably represent the wide spectrum of opinion within the party. It also continues among Labour supporters more generally. For example, as John Rentoul reported last week, former minister Peter Mandelson told students at King’s College London: “It’s simply a myth that Labour can win from the left.” It could only win from the centre.