Something quite strange is happening in British politics right now—our Labour Prime Minister seems to be channelling his inner Tory. In fact, if his words could be trusted, he might just be the most Conservative Prime Minister in decades.
Circumstances, both external and of Labour’s own making, have given Sir Keir Starmer the chance to reshape the UK in a way that was once unthinkable for his party—and, for some within Labour, still is. After letting his Chancellor, Rachel Reeves, wreak havoc on the economy, Starmer has found himself on a real-time crash course in economics.
He’s also had the unexpected chance to play the role of a statesman, something he might not have been able to do without Brexit—ironically, the very thing he opposed. Freed from EU bureaucracy, Starmer can now sound and act like a leader in a way that would have been impossible within the constraints of Brussels, reported the Express.
Labour has been making a series of policy announcements that, funnily enough, are the kind of things you’d expect from a right-wing government—but because they’re coming from Labour, they’re getting a free pass from the liberal-leaning media. If the Tories had proposed the same, they’d be crucified.
Take Health Secretary Wes Streeting’s big move—he’s scrapping NHS England and bringing the health service back under the direct control of the Department of Health, just as it was in the beginning. That’s a major shift, dismantling an extra layer of bureaucracy in one swift move. He’s also setting his sights on other Quangos, an act that should, in theory, be a right-wing government’s dream.
Then there’s Starmer himself, who’s talking about cutting red tape and reducing the size of the state—though whether this is driven by conviction or necessity is another question. Given the economic mess Labour has created, maybe Reeves has unwittingly become a secret weapon for the Right. Perhaps she’s been put there to teach the Government a hard lesson in the realities of business, markets, and taxation. Of course, that’s a joke—but the outcome is pretty much the same.
That said, there’s a flaw in Starmer’s supposed bonfire of red tape. His plan only focuses on admin costs, which make up around 4% of the total burden on businesses. The Government’s goal to cut a quarter of these costs barely scratches the surface, amounting to just 1% of the real problem. Worse still, taxpayers will have to cough up as much as £25 million for this effort. More cash straight into the pockets of civil servants and bureaucrats.
His welfare reforms, however, are promising. The current system isn’t working—it’s bad for those on benefits, bad for taxpayers, and bad for the country. If any party can push through tough welfare cuts and survive the backlash, it’s Labour.
So, is Starmer really delivering a political reset? He might have no choice. His Chancellor’s disastrous policies, growing global trade barriers, and market reactions to further borrowing all mean there’s little room to manoeuvre.
But what’s the catch? While some of Labour’s recent moves hint at pragmatism, the long-term economic damage is already set in motion. Rising unemployment, a fractured society, and a poorer Britain will be Labour’s legacy unless something drastic changes.
The main reasons for Britain’s economic decline? Labour policies. Sky-high energy costs driven by an overzealous Net Zero agenda, refusal to tap into natural resources like gas, coal, and oil, excessive business taxes that stifle investment, and layers of red tape that kill enterprise. Employment laws that serve unions rather than workers are just another nail in the coffin.
Unless Starmer finds the guts to ditch Reeves and fully commit to real economic growth, his government will be remembered for making Britain poorer, not stronger.
There is, at least, a glimmer of hope—Kemi Badenoch is already promising to reverse Labour’s worst policies, starting with Net Zero. Maybe real change is on the horizon, just not from where you’d expect.
