Starmer aims to show that he’s a serious man for serious times

By Gareth Jones, Public Affairs

This morning, Keir Starmer delivered his first party conference speech since becoming Labour leader. As party conference speeches go, it was marked change from the usual fanfare that accompanies these annual occasions. It was delivered in an empty room at the Danum Gallery, Library and Museum in Doncaster. It took place early in the morning (just after 9am) to avoid clashing with the Prime Minister’s announcement on the latest Covid restrictions and it contained no policy announcements and little of the rhetoric that comforts the party faithful. 

Instead, Starmer delivered some simple stark messages, specifically designed to set out some hard truths to his own party and to demonstrate to the wider electorate that Labour has changed. Prior to Labour’s virtual conference, it unveiled its slogan “A new leadership”, which is designed to define Starmer’s Labour against the Party’s previous leadership of Jeremy Corbyn and against the country’s leadership under Boris Johnson – and this point was very much a key theme of his speech. 

Starmer did not mention Jeremy Corbyn by name, but he offered a strong repudiation of his predecessor’s era. Notably, he said that Labour deserved to lose the last election and said that result means that Labour have to change – stating that "It’s time to get serious about winning". He declared that he will “root out the antisemitism that has infected our party” and said that “Never again will Labour go into an election not being trusted on national security, with your job, with your community and with your money” – all key weaknesses and failings that were associated with the Party under Corbyn. 

His speech was also targeted at former Labour voters who abandoned the party at the last election, particularly those in the “red wall” constituencies in the north of England and Midlands, who he urged to “take another look” at the party, stressing that "We are under new leadership. We love this country as you do”

While Corbyn was absent, Starmer did mention Boris Johnson by name, launching a fierce attack on the Prime Minister and his level of competence, claiming that he is not serious and not up to the job, adding that “Whenever he encounters a problem, Johnson responds either by wishing it away or by lashing out.” Starmer sought to demonstrate his own seriousness by comparing himself to the Prime Minister’s personal failings, noting that “while Boris Johnson was writing flippant columns about bendy bananas, I was defending victims and prosecuting terrorists. While he was being sacked by a newspaper for making up quotes, I was fighting for justice and the rule of law.”

Starmer spent much of the speech emphasising his own seriousness. In addressing issues around competence and character, Starmer is hoping to avoid taking ideological positions or controversial policies that risk alienating potential voters. He is also making a judgement that after many years of Brexit-related arguments and the ongoing Covid-crisis, that many voters will increasingly value competence and serious leadership over ideological culture wars. He also knows that such a strategy will take considerable time in changing voters’ minds – noting that “We’re not going to win back those we’ve lost with a single speech or a clever policy offer. Trust takes time.”