There is a clammy, sticky feeling of shame I can’t shake when I consider Westminster now. Cowardice, bullying, lying and ambition oozes out of every antiquated orifice. Sexual aggression, an out-of-control drinking culture, ministers who are free to throw things at the staff and get away with it. Rules that are bent to buy gold wallpaper and save friends. And, of course, partygate.
Boris Johnson told us there were none. Yesterday, 83 government employees, largely junior civil servants, received multiple fines for attending 12 parties in Downing Street. Meanwhile their boss — the Prime Minister, who attended six — escaped with one fixed penalty notice for reasons we may never understand. Politically, as one senior Tory put it, “The outcome is better for him than the ‘market’ expected.”
If Sue Gray’s report doesn’t ferociously condemn the role of the PM in this Westminster lockdown fiasco, the juniors take the blame. And our trust in the workings of Government will further disintegrate.
Despite all this and the cost-of-living crisis, uneasy voters could say yes to another four years of Johnson’s chaotic leadership. In the words of one Tory Cabinet minister, “The next Labour prime minister won’t be Starmer, it will be Wes Streeting.” A Tory would say that. But the quote, revealed this weekend in a profile of the shadow health secretary, also reflects a widespread concern in the moderate arm of the Labour Party. That despite the opposition leader’s integrity, his clean family life and barrister’s grip of detail, he won’t win in 2024.
It is Streeting they may have to wait for. Why? Because although Starmer is hugely competent and likeable, he also exudes anxiety and piety, over sunny confidence. Too many PMQs bungled when he should have gone for the jugular. Not enough new policies we can easily grab hold of. He has been right on the windfall tax but Johnson can easily U-turn, stealing Labour’s only solution to this crisis. And because of Durham, Starmer cannot run the next election on the scandal of partygate. He can’t even whisper it.
It is arguable Labour might squeeze through — 14 years of Tory rule is a long time. Except the electoral mountain they must climb remains high: Scotland to win back, the Red Wall to convince. Is a London lawyer likely to achieve this? The recent local elections outside of London demonstrated voters moving away from the Tories towards the Lib Dems, not towards Starmer’s vision of the future. Johnson, meanwhile, as PM controls the levers of power: taxpayers’ money to be poured into swing northern seats, media proprietors to lean on.
In Streeting, they have a working-class kid, raised on an estate in Stepney, who got into Cambridge. He’s untainted by Corbynism, partygate, Brexit and is unfailingly loyal to Starmer. Streeting is a decision-maker — he doesn’t fudge questions on a woman’s right to her gender. He can say to those Red Wall voters tiring of Johnson’s japes, “Look where I came from, look where I got to”.
As one senior Labour member told me yesterday, “He has that rare quality of leadership that says, ‘I’ll take you to a better place’.” The 39-year-old’s sympathies are centrist, business-friendly and Corbyn-free.
Faced with the same dilemma, the Tories would be plotting, ousting their leader for an election winner if they had one. Labour will never do that. “It’s just not in our culture,” shrugged one of Tony Blair’s foremost electoral strategists. “You can’t make us into something we’re not. We allow someone to fight an election and if they fail, they go. Starmer is a man of integrity; he told us he’d stand down if he’s fined over a curry.”
Membership remains riven with Corbynites. Labour may swing back to the Trotskyism tainted with accusations of anti-Semitism. Many on the Left loathe a moderate candidate, ignoring that in 43 years of government, the only period they dominated Downing Street was because of Blair’s ability to win elections.
So, apologies for using gender here, but I fear if Labour doesn’t gird its loins and act with the kind of ruthless determination the Tories do, their dreams of transforming this country won’t come true anytime soon. It will be more years whinging on the side-lines, without power. Meanwhile, Westminster will carry on its descent to hell in a handcart, guided by a charlatan.
Britain needs more than just the wonder of Crossrail
ON Monday, I get to ride the Elizabeth line for the first time. I wouldn’t normally accept an invitation to spend much of the day travelling a double purple line between Paddington and Abbey Wood in south-east London, but from what I’ve seen this is both an engineering and political wonder.
And I want to thank TfL commissioner Andy Byford personally for helping get it completed. It is rare that big infrastructure projects get the go ahead — the Elizabeth line was the result of a coalition government. Politically they are expensive and will reap far more criticism than praise while being constructed. But once here, we can clearly revel in their vast benefits.
This Government has already cancelled the northern leg of HS2 and transport in the UK outside of London remains dismally underfunded. For true growth and levelling-up to work, infrastructure has to be prioritised.
I know which Wagatha husband I’d rather have
As the Wagatha Christie trial finally draws to its tiresome close, a smiling Coleen Rooney emerging from court with Wayne messaged she already considers herself the victor, confidently quitting the final day of proceedings to go on holiday with her children.
Rebekah Vardy must rue the day she tried to defend her reputation as it lies in tatters, whatever the outcome. But the major light in Rebekah’s corner is her handsome, loyal, talented husband. Wayne had to sit red-faced while his wife discussed his wanderings. And he’s hardly a looker. I think I know who most women would rather they were married to.
