Why Starmer is pushing a link to his election-winning Labour forebears

His latest speech may be somewhat vague and cliched but the Labour leader wants to make it clear he believes he can bring his party back to power, writes Sean O’Grady

Keir Starmer has pledged to ‘go deeper and further than New Labour’ (PA)

Labour leader Keir Starmer is making a keynote speech to the centrist Progressive Britain Conference on Saturday, capitalising on his party’s recent success in the local elections and a solid lead in the opinion polls.

With enhanced personal authority as a result (albeit with relatively weak personal ratings), the speech is intended to show Labour on track to form the next government, having “won in all four corners of England”. The party’s media team are keen to stress Starmer’s pledge to “go deeper and further than New Labour”.

What does he mean?