Twenty warnings for Sir Keir Starmer from new deputy leader Lucy Powell
Sky's Jon Craig breaks down what Labour's Lucy Powell said - and what she meant - as she was crowned the party's new deputy leader after a closely fought race against Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson.
Labour's new deputy leader Lucy Powell promised to be Sir Keir Starmer's ally.
Yet in her victory speech she criticised his government and its record no fewer than 20 times. And told him to raise his game, or else.
All we learn from this is that Lucy Powell's approach is to be more assertive and hard-nosed when pressing ahead with changes which won't work, never have worked in the past and aren't going to work in the future. More of the same but louder seems to be the message.
Powell is attempting to distance herself from failure by insisting on a need for much more assertive presentation and a greater determination to implement vague ideological ambitions. It's all too facile, tottering precariously on wobbling planks of misplaced confidence.
Distancing herself from her party leader without distancing herself from his practical and ideological difficulties isn't going to work. Powell hints that distancing herself from Starmer is enough to extract the party from failure. It isn't enough, there is much more to do.
The things which weigh heavily upon my mind are
these—failure to improve in the virtues, failure in discussion of what is
learnt, inability to walk according to knowledge received as to what is right
and just, inability also to reform what has been amiss.
Analects of Confucius
6 comments:
As she is the new deputy leader, does this make her the new deputy PM as well, or is Mastermind Lammy still a heartbeat away from continuing to destroy the country? Need to know whether to convert my meagre savings into West African Gumbo beans, or Yuan.
Penseivat
As Napoleon said, "When the enemy is making a mistake, do not interrupt him". If Powell wants Labour to make mistakes more loudly, great.
Indeed. "Keep digging" would be my message to them.
"More of the same but louder seems to be the message."
In one, AKH. Going to refer to this in a short while.
Best political advice ever: "When you find yourself in a hole, stop digging."
Worst political advice ever: "When you find yourself in a hole, dig faster."
Advising Starmer to soften his stance on immigration(!) might win more fellow lefties to backing your career but it is likely to harm Labours' popularity with bigger chunks of the electorate.
Penseivat - as I understand it, Mastermind Lammy is at the front of the queue, but I don't fancy his chances if Starmer goes.
decnine and Peter - yes, with luck it could be a damaging move.
James - thanks, I'll be over later.
DJ - yes it's a political hole with no way to stop digging. The danger for Labour is that it could become permanently identified as a fringe party on this issue alone. Good.
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