Skip to content
Search

Latest Stories

Comment: Labour’s conference message is of change – but will the public hear it?

As Labour embraces its first government term in 14 years, the challenges of public trust and fragmented expectations loom large—can Starmer transform rhetoric into reality?

Comment: Labour’s conference message is of change – but will the public hear it?
Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rachel Reeves (Photo by Leon Neal/Getty Images)

"Change begins" is the Labour party’s conference message in Liverpool. Sir Keir Starmer is the fifth new prime minister in nine years to talk about taking the country on a journey of change.

Much of the public tend to discount talk of change until they see it happen. The Labour party’s MPs and members are certainly not among those who see the moment as more of the same – with their party back in government for the first time in 14 years. Indeed, this is the first newly-arrived Labour government this century.


The mood in 2024 is strikingly different to that of 1997. The parliamentary landslide is of a similar scale and the rejection of the Conservatives was even more brutal this time around – but there the similarity largely ends. In 2024, while it was clear what voters wanted change from, what they wanted to change to was more fragmented and contingent. Labour’s campaign secured, with precision, every constituency that it was targeting, but did so while taking only a third of the national vote.

Tony Blair’s first summer in office saw his reputation soar into the stratosphere, partly through the role he played in navigating the emotional response to the death of Princess Diana.

The Blair-Brown government went on to have a honeymoon period for three years before any of the usual laws of political gravity began to apply again. The Starmer government is not yet three months old but, in these grittier times, any political honeymoon period is already over without ever having really begun.

One of the new government’s first big tests was the outbreak of rioting and racist violence after the killings in Southport. The focus on swift and visible justice did restore order. That secured broad public approval. Those who have responded to the policing and prosecution of incitement and violence with complaints about a two-tier justice system are a vocal minority, misled by a media eco-system and online bubble into believing they reflect the public mood.

But the new government has struggled to obtain the share of public voice that might be expected. Media reports about donated clothes, glasses and football tickets risk being more than a distraction to fill a vacuum. Fragile public trust in politics makes fatalism – that change is not just difficult, but impossible – a major risk for this government.

Governments have to take many decisions, big and small. There are half a dozen things this government has done that might cut through to the public – but without forming a coherent, narrative whole. It quickly settled public sector strikes in transport and the NHS; it scrapped the Rwanda plan; it had to let prisoners out early because the prisons are full; it has changed how Ofsted inspections are communicated to parents.

Chancellor Rachel Reeves announced the means testing of the winter fuel payment in isolation, ahead of other fiscal measures – such as probable tax changes on capital gains – in her forthcoming budget. This most visible early policy choice does not align with the overall message that those with the broadest shoulders will need to contribute most.

Delegates queue ahead of the keynote speech by Rachel Reeves, Chancellor of the Exchequer on day two of the Labour Party Conference 2024 at ACC Liverpool on September 23, 2024 in Liverpool, England. (Photo by Ian Forsyth/Getty Images)

The early focus on reinforcing what they had inherited from their predecessors sent a gloomy message that things were going to get worse before they got better. There is a conscious attempt in Liverpool – despite driving rain of almost Biblical proportions – to tell a more positive story about the destination too.

Starmer's core goal in Liverpool has been to refocus the public conversation on the purpose of his government. Five missions – on growth, rebuilding the NHS, shifting energy policy, reducing crime and spreading opportunity – are the prime minister's chosen device of what to prioritise. There is an effort to reorientate the government machinery around the missions. This conference had to begin to make the public case for change too.

There have already been efforts on the conference fringe to plot out the contours of the next general election. Can Labour recapture lost so-called “core voters” - including many minority, Muslim and young voters - and hold switchers too? Or will the party feel it has to choose who to appeal to? This may be mostly premature. There can rarely have been more “known unknowns” as to how far the next election will reflect the last one: including the performance of the government itself and the ability of the new Conservative leadership to restore its shattered brand. Will Nigel Farage have the stamina to stick around in Clacton – or will he find America more attractive?

Governments can act as well as talk. The government’s record on the economy, the NHS and the public realm will be central to its prospects of re-election. The public may not feel that Starmer ever offered them a honeymoon – but delivering on the challenge of change will determine whether his ambition for a decade of national renewal is cut short at half-time.

(The author is the director of British Future)

More For You

uk-railways-iStock

The package includes £415 million to upgrade the rail line between Manchester, Huddersfield, Leeds, and York, a route affected by delays and disruptions. (Representational image: iStock)

iStock

Government announces £1.7 bn transport investment for the North

THE GOVERNMENT has announced a £1.7 billion investment to improve transport infrastructure across the North, focusing on buses, roads, and rail.

The funding aims to upgrade key routes and improve connectivity across the region.

Keep ReadingShow less
 20 Years of ‘Grey’s Anatomy’ – A TV Legacy That Lives On

20 years of love, loss, and unforgettable moments—Grey’s Anatomy continues to define TV drama

Pinterest

20 years of 'Grey’s Anatomy': The show that became a lifeline

For someone who has always craved fast-paced crime shows, I never thought I’d care about a hospital drama. The scrubs, the medical jargon, the beeping monitors, it all felt distant, clinical. But life breaks you open when you least expect it. I started Grey’s Anatomy on a night when my own grief was too loud. I needed noise to fill the silence. Then Meredith Grey’s voice cut through:

“So, do it. Decide.
Is this the life you want to live?
Is this the person you want to love?
Is this the best you can be?
Can you be stronger? Kinder?
More compassionate? Decide.

Keep ReadingShow less
IPL 2025 – GT vs MI: Who Will Secure Their First Win

Both teams eager to secure their maiden win of IPL 2025

Getty

IPL 2025 - GT vs MI: Gujarat Titans and Mumbai Indians aim for first win

The ninth match of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 will take place on March 29 at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, featuring a highly anticipated clash between Gujarat Titans (GT) and Mumbai Indians (MI). Both teams will be keen to register their first win of the season after disappointing starts in their respective opening matches. This game is expected to be a closely fought contest, with each side eager to make an early impact in the tournament.

Gujarat Titans: Seeking redemption after high-scoring defeat

Gujarat Titans, led by Shubman Gill, began their IPL 2025 campaign with a high-scoring encounter against the Punjab Kings, but unfortunately ended up on the losing side. Despite some positive individual performances, the team was unable to secure a victory, and they will be keen to turn things around against MI.

Keep ReadingShow less
Why Do Muslims Celebrate Eid al-Fitr on Different Days? 3 Key Reasons

Some may celebrate on one day, while others may observe it the next

iStock

3 reasons why Muslims across the globe celebrate Eid al-Fitr on different days

Eid is one of the most joyous and important festivals in Islam, celebrated twice a year by Muslims worldwide. However, it’s common to see variations in the exact day of celebration, even within the same country. Some may celebrate on one day, while others may observe it the next. This divergence can sometimes confuse people outside the Muslim community and even among Muslims themselves. But the reasons for this variation are rooted in Islamic traditions and differing interpretations of how to determine the Islamic calendar.

Here are the three main reasons why Muslims don’t always celebrate Eid on the same day:

Keep ReadingShow less
Keir-Starmer-Getty

Keir Starmer’s communications chief has resigned after nine months in Downing Street. (Photo: Getty Images)

Getty Images

Starmer’s communications chief Matthew Doyle resigns after nine months

KEIR STARMER’s communications chief, Matthew Doyle, has resigned after nine months in Downing Street. Doyle, a Labour veteran who previously worked for Tony Blair, joined Starmer’s team as communications director four years ago when the party was in opposition.

His departure follows that of Sue Gray, Starmer’s former chief of staff, who left in the autumn. Doyle’s exit is expected to lead to the promotions of James Lyons to director of communications (strategy) and Steph Driver to director of communications (delivery), according to the BBC.

Keep ReadingShow less