Where did it all go wrong for Starmer?
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How did Keir Starmer's victory lead to his resignation?
Today, a farewell to Keir Starmer, Britain's sixth Prime Minister in just under a decade.
We did it! You campaigned for it, you fought for it, you voted for it, and now it has arrived. Change begins now.
When the former human rights lawyer, full of ambition, won by a landslide in the 2024 general election, hope was in the air.
Yeah, excited for something to happen, I think. I think the country needs it. So since the Labour Party is in power now, I think the country will be more better in terms of job, in terms of safety. I think they've got sensible policies. I feel like having competent adults in the room again is going to be a big help.
So Kia Starmer had arrived on a promise to repair 14 years of Conservative damage. Just two years later, with anger and disappointment swelling across the country, he's been forcibly ejected from the job. He's a decent man, we're told repeatedly. But he's the most disliked prime minister since modern polling began.
What were the early expectations of Starmer's leadership?
As Starmer stepped out to the lectern outside Downing Street, he certainly looked the part. Elegant grey suit, immaculately slicked sidequiff, and the dignified gravitas you'd expect from a prime minister.
Thank you. Walking up this street two years ago was the proudest moment of my life. A new Labour government, the first in 14 years.
But he just couldn't deliver. It was an emotional departure. Whatever your political opinions, it was a sad moment.
And when I leave the biggest job in the country, I shall spend more time on the most important job, being the best husband I can to my fantastic wife, Vic, who has been a rock by my side through good times and bad, and being the best dad I can to my beautiful children, who are my pride and my joy. Thank you very much.
How did it all go so wrong? And will Labour now convince voters that things can only get better? From The Guardian, I'm Nosheen Iqbal. Today in Focus, will losing Keir Starmer reboot Labour?
Raf Baer, welcome back to Today in Focus.
What factors contributed to Starmer's unpopularity?
Now, you have been a political columnist for The Guardian for well over a decade. And in that time, we've seen six prime ministers. Is that unprecedented in British history? And how is your whiplash?
In the whole of British history, as far as I'm aware, it's not entirely unprecedented. I must say this isn't my speciality, but I believe in the 1760s, there was a period of great turbulence. And I read that Between 1827 and 1837, there was a 10-year period where there was a lot of chopping and changing. But no, I mean, obviously, the last seven or eight years in particular have felt extraordinarily febrile. And I think the measure of that is the sense that that point where the lectern is brought out and put in front of Downing Street and the prime minister steps up and makes one of these resignation statements, as we've seen this morning, has started to feel like a regular ritual in British politics.
Everyone knows the routine, everyone even recognises the people who come and install the lectern.
This guy here, I've seen him come out and do the testing of the microphones umpteen times over the last few years. He probably never thought that when he got that job that he would be doing it quite so regularly.
I think he's known on the internet as Hot Podium Guy, John.
So that in itself is just a measure of... quite how narrow, how short-wave the cycle has become.
Well, let's look at some of those very recent outings of the lectern, as it were. I mean, how did Keir Starmer's speech go down? What did you make of it?
How did Starmer's emotional departure impact public perception?
Because it felt like quite an unusual atmosphere on Downing Street. Like, he walked out and there was a lot of whooping and clapping and cheering. And, of course, yeah, it was a very sombre statement.
Thank you.
To an extent, it was quite standard and boilerplate in the way of these things. I think most people want to give a resigning prime minister an element of dignity and to give them the opportunity to say what they want to say. And he said the sorts of things you'd expect a prime minister to say, which is, I was elected to do certain things.
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Chapters
8 chapters
1
How did Keir Starmer's victory lead to his resignation?
0:00–1:36
2
What were the early expectations of Starmer's leadership?
1:36–3:18
3
What factors contributed to Starmer's unpopularity?
3:18–4:47
4
How did Starmer's emotional departure impact public perception?
4:47–6:37
5
What were the significant missteps during Starmer's premiership?
6:37–8:44
6
How did the Labour Party's internal dynamics affect Starmer?
8:44–10:04
7
What achievements did Starmer accomplish during his time in office?
10:04–12:15
8
What does the future hold for the Labour Party after Starmer?
12:15–25:38
Speakers
8 identifiedMore from Today in Focus
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