12.10.2024, 04:11
The joy is enormous. The applause was thunderous as Keir Starmer addressed Labor supporters in London in the early hours of July 5th. The newly elected Labor Prime Minister comes to the podium beaming and reiterates his election promise: “Change begins now!” The Conservatives failed because of the economic turbulence after Brexit, their erratic government style and the many scandal stories.
“We will do better,” promises Keir Starmer. “Politics must be at the service of the people again.”
Keir Starmer’s poll numbers are in free fall
Only 100 days in office, disappointment is setting in. In the latest YouGov poll, just 12 percent of respondents said their hopes for the Labor government had been fulfilled. 30 percent say they are disappointed. What Starmer has to worry about is the many disillusioned Labor voters: 47 percent of them say they expected Labor to do well – and were disappointed.
Starmer’s popularity ratings are even bleaker: only 27 percent of those surveyed have a positive image of him; 63 percent have a negative image, more than ever before.
How is that possible? In short: the new head of government and his team have made serious mistakes.
Fashionable skirts, suits and a VIP box
The first happened to Starmer shortly after taking office: he failed to properly declare as gifts the fashionable skirts and perfect make-up that his wife wore shortly before, during and after the Labor election victory. Starmer’s party colleague, Lord Waheed Alli, has provided the first lady with outfits worth thousands of pounds.
The Labor leader himself also lets the media entrepreneur give him new suits, glasses, ties and free overnight stays in a luxury apartment in central London. In the current year alone, Starmer has accepted gifts from Lord Alli worth £39,000, Sky has calculated. Over the last five years, Starmer has accepted over £100,000 in donations. Such gifts are legal. And they were correctly declared by Starmer.
But the damage to the image has been done: the conservative media, especially “The Telegraph” and “The Mail”, have been bringing new details to light almost every day for weeks. Other Labor government members received gifts. The thought has taken root in the minds of many Britons: “Labour is no better than the Conservatives and their scandal stories.”
The disappointment is compounded by a communication blunder: the Labor government announced at the beginning of August that it would no longer subsidize pensioners’ heating costs. For savings reasons. In the future, only pensioners in need will receive a heating subsidy.
This is economically and socio-politically justifiable. But politically it is sensitive. It arouses envy, which is cleverly managed by the conservative camp during the summer slump: “Labor people accept expensive gifts and are hard-hearted towards old people,” is the tenor.
Starmers Keep-calm-Strategie
What does Starmer do with the criticism? He appears calm – and says he didn’t go into politics to be popular, but to make a difference. He probably hopes that his popularity problem will solve itself when the living conditions of the British people begin to improve. It’s not that far yet.
Michael Gerber
Great Britain correspondent
Michael Gerber has been a TV correspondent for Great Britain and Ireland since spring 2022. Previously, he was coordinator of the SRF foreign editorial department and special correspondent. From 2011 to 2017 he reported as a correspondent from France. Previously, he was a correspondent in French-speaking Switzerland and an editor and reporter for “10vor10”.
