Starmer and the limits of keeping quiet
For those Labour supporters desperate for effective leadership, Starmer looked the part. First, he removed Rebecca Long-Bailey after she cornered herself by liking a tweet condoning an antisemitic conspiracy theory - a man with brawn as well as brains. He beats Johnson at PMQs for fun. Then, in a game akin to school ground noughts and crosses, he consistently out-thinks his opponent on Covid-19 measures. Yet for all this, the polls have only moved sluggishly in his direction. The party stands roughly neck and neck with the Conservatives (39% - 39% according to the latest YouGov poll [1]). It would appear a ceiling has been reached. Labour can no longer depend on its enemy to donate popularity points. We are now down to the much tougher votes to win. Proving his competence will not be enough. He must go much further. He must prove himself on the bigger issues of the day - on which elections are won. Opinion is divided on how well he is doing. The more positive commentary portrays Starme