Good morning.
Keir Starmer has undergone a political transformation since he became leader of the Labour party. During the leadership contest, he positioned himself as a “colleague and friend” of former leader Jeremy Corbyn, in whose shadow cabinet he had served. His list of policy pledges presented him as a more competent version of Corbyn, with none of the political baggage.
Three years later, the picture could not look more different. Starmer’s leadership, in tone and subject matter, has pivoted away from the leftwing agenda that he laid out then. As Starmer himself said earlier this year: “Our message at the next election must be we are different to the party Britain rejected in 2019.” To that end, barely a day goes by without a previous policy position being ditched. And, of course, Corbyn is still sitting without the party whip, after his failure to offer a full enough apology for the antisemitism scandal, and is barred from standing as a Labour MP at the next general election.
The primary justification for this policy shift has been that the country is in a different place now. When Starmer became leader of the party, the pandemic had not yet happened, Russia had not formally invaded Ukraine, Liz Truss had not tanked the economy and the cost of living crisis had not taken hold. And Starmer’s allies and supporters are quick to point out that this strategy seems to be working for them in the polls – it now looks like the Labour party is on its way to its first general election victory since 2005. But to get here, Starmer has alienated a significant swathe of the people who voted for him in that Labour leadership contest, and has been accused of dishonesty and betrayal.
Today’s newsletter goes through Labour’s key U-turns. That’s right after the headlines.
Five big stories
NHS | Seven in 10 people in the UK believe charges for NHS care will creep in over the next decade, ending the health service’s record of being free at the point of use, polling has found. Ahead of the service’s 75th birthday this week the Guardian also asked five experts for their ideas on how to make the NHS thrive again.
House of Lords | Two British peers were among 50 people who attended a party organised by the Russian ambassador to the UK at his opulent residence in west London last month. The event was to mark the creation of a Russia independent of the Soviet Union.
Scotland | Orkney could leave the UK to become a self-governing territory of Norway after its council opted to explore “alternative forms of governance”. The archipelago off the north coast of Scotland will also consider changing its legal status within Britain as it seeks to provide more economic opportunities.
Israel | As many as 50 Conservative MPs are threatening to rebel against a government proposal that would impose fines on public bodies, including local councils, that seek to mount boycotts against Israel. The scale of the unease on a foreign policy issue has caught government whips by surprise.
France | The riots over the police shooting of teenager Nahel M appeared to ease after five nights of unrest that have seen thousands arrested and widespread destruction. French media reported that police made 49 arrests nationwide yesterday, down significantly from more than 2,000 over the previous two days.
In depth: Moving on from policies past
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Tuition fees
Since Tony Blair’s government introduced tuition fees in 1998, almost every political leader has promised to roll them back, only to turn on that promise once they got to office. Keir Starmer has gone one better, ditching the pledge even before he has won a general election. Despite adopting Corbyn’s key promise to abolish university tuition fees in his leadership campaign, in May he argued it was necessary to “move on” from the idea because of the economic situation the country finds itself in. Supporters of Starmer said it was a necessary decision, arguing that money is better spent elsewhere.
Starmer has said that he is instead “looking at options for how we fund these fees”, though he has not made clear what these options are.
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Green investment
In 2021, Labour laid out an ambitious plan to invest £28bn a year in climate-friendly investments until 2030. It was a prominent promise, one that clearly differentiated the Labour party from the Conservatives. Rachel Reeves, the shadow chancellor, even said she would be the UK’s first “Green chancellor” if Labour were to win the next general election.
Now Reeves has said that Labour would instead “ramp up” towards the £28bn figure in the second half of their parliamentary term, kicking the agenda further down the line. She added that she could not have predicted what Liz Truss’s time in office would do to the economy and interest rates. To the new version of the Labour party that prizes fiscal discipline above all else this was a necessary decision. But it looks like this is just as much a political calculation as an economic one, as Reeves tightens Labour’s budget in anticipation of further Conservative party attacks on their fiscal irresponsibility before the general election.
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Income tax
Keir Starmer said in an interview last week that in principle he “obviously wants lower taxes” and to “stimulate growth in the economy”, indicating that he will not raise taxes for the top 5% of earners (which was the first pledge he made in his list of priorities in 2020). His paramount ambition is to secure the highest sustained growth in the G7 group of advanced economies if he wins the next election.
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Nationalisation
Even overwhelmingly popular policies are facing the axe. Despite repeatedly promising to keep nationalisation of key services on the table, the Labour party has suggested that it will be backing away from bringing important utilities into state ownership. In 2021, Starmer ruled out nationalisation of big energy firms and less than a year after that, Reeves added that other sectors would also remain in the private sector. Both Starmer and Reeves stressed that they needed to be “pragmatic” and not “ideological” about nationalisation. However, after swift criticism, the Labour leader added a caveat: public ownership of the rail network was still on the table. This, at least, is not a risk for them to take on – the Conservative government has already nationalised a chunk of the railway networks.
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Freedom of movement
At one point Keir Starmer was a second-referendum supporting, EU flag-waving remainer. That version of the Labour leader may not recognise the man who is trying to become the next prime minister. Within two years of pledging to protect free movement if he made it to No 10, Starmer said that it had become a “red line” for Labour that it would not cross. Putting free movement back on the table is not an option any more as it would mean they would have to reopen the Brexit deal and that could lead to years of arguments with Brussels.
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House of Lords
Despite promising to abolish the House of Lords and replace it with a smaller democratically elected chamber as part of plans to “restore trust in politics”, Starmer reportedly plans to appoint dozens of peers to the upper chamber. The argument is that it is the only way to get its legislation through parliament, as the Conservatives have packed the Lords. Critics, among them the Scottish National Party, have accused Labour of hypocrisy given Starmer’s strong stance against an unelected chamber.
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Rent control
I can personally attest to the hell-scape that private renting has become. Renting a room in London is up 20%, with the average monthly bill hitting £952 in the first quarter of 2023. And tenants across the rest of the country are facing an average increase of 14%.
Even with this squeeze, Labour ruled out rent controls as a policy option. Just last year Lisa Nandy had suggested that she was interested in the idea. Nandy said it was a “sticking plaster” solution to the UK’s housing crisis. A sticking plaster that would nonetheless be appreciated by many renters who would like some disposable income.
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Everything else …
In addition, Labour has U-turned on: a £3bn tax on big tech, universal free childcare and the reinstitution of the Department for International Development. Starmer is not wrong to note that the country today is not the same as it was nearly four years ago, and the economic conditions much tougher. But his ruthless realignment of the party has been criticised as being “cold”, “paranoid” and lacking vision. Those in his own party have questioned whether some of his decisions are “democratic, transparent and fair”. While Starmer may well win the next general election, and possibly with a large majority, it’s unclear what policies will be left.
What else we’ve been reading
Emine Saner’s interview with Ellie Simmonds is an emotional read, with the Paralympian discussing her new documentary about disability and adoption – and tracking down her own birth mother. Hannah J Davies, deputy editor, newsletters
Working from home has its upsides: there’s the flexibility, the lack of a commute, the comfort and the fact that you spend less money on iced coffees and overpriced sandwiches. But, as time as has gone on, it is becoming clearer that the convenience comes at a cost, writes Martha Gill. Nimo
The latest of Joel Snape’s Should I Worry? health columns is all about running. Is it a surefire way to end up with a dodgy knee? Hannah
Nosheen Iqbal’s interview with Yomi Adegoke provides interesting and funny insights into the life of the journalist turned novelist. The pair unpack her career, which is going from strength to strength, and her growing reluctance to offer up hot takes. Nimo
“I don’t know if he changed abruptly or if I was sleeping with a stranger for two decades”: a quietly unsettling New York Times (£) Modern Love this week, proving that this long-running series still has steam in it yet. Hannah
Sport
Cricket | England fell 43 runs short in the second Ashes test at Lord’s. Despite a heroic 155 runs from captain Ben Stokes (pictured above), the hosts could not stop Australia from taking a 2-0 lead, leaving England in need of a miracle to win the series. There was controversy over the dismissal of Jonny Bairstow however, with Stokes commenting “Would I want to win a game in that manner? The answer for me is no.”
Cycling | French cyclist Victor Lafay won the second stage of the Tour de France. Britain’s Adam Yates held on to his overall lead in the race after he safely negotiated the longest leg of the 2023 Tour.
Football | Liverpool have completed the signing of Dominik Szoboszlai from RB Leipzig in a £60m deal, subject to a work permit. The 22-year-old Hungary international has signed a five-year contract, arriving fresh off the back of an excellent season in which he managed six goals and eight assists in the Bundesliga.
The front pages
The Guardian leads with concerns about the future of the NHS with “Fears mount that NHS will be forced to charge for care”. The Times also focuses on the health service, reporting that “Doctors win pay pledge if they call off strikes,” while the Daily Express says “Doctors raise spectre of NHS strikes until 2025”.
The Daily Mail urges the government to “Put brakes on ‘damaging’ 2030 petrol car ban’ while the Daily Telegraph’s headline says “Banks must respect free speech of customers”. Other dailies are looking at the latest Ashes row, with the Metro reporting “It’s just not cricket!”, and the Sun saying “Out .. of order”
The top story in the Financial Times is “Bond fund giant Pimco prepares for ‘harder landing’ in global economy” while the Mirror leads on Labour’s promise of “‘Super teacher’ hit squads for schools” and the i says “Voters turn on Sunak over ‘poor’ handling of inflation”.
Today in Focus
Tuvalu – how do you save a disappearing country?
The Pacific Islands country could be lost to rising sea levels in just 50 years. Now its citizens have come up with a surprising plan to preserve their nation.
Cartoon of the day | Ben Jennings
The Upside
A bit of good news to remind you that the world’s not all bad
Who says a “gap year” adventure is only for the young? Teacher Jacqui Hodder certainly doesn’t think so. She decided to embark on a transformative journey after hitting 60, and went to rescue sea turtles for a month in Costa Rica. Although she had initial concerns regarding her health and fitness levels, Hodder embraced a new training program and began to get fit. She found that she was accepted and supported by younger volunteers, and overcame age-related anxieties. “They swept me into their embrace,” said Hodder, in the latest of the Guardian’s a new start after 60 stories. “It’s not always easy to feel a sense of belonging, especially as some people were 40 years younger than me.” Hodder feels stronger emotionally as well as physically now that she is back in the classroom. “I remember walking to school and telling myself: “I’ve been to Costa Rica – I can do anything. I can go to a brand new country on the other side of the world and it’s OK.”
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Bored at work?
And finally, the Guardian’s puzzles are here to keep you entertained throughout the day – with plenty more on the Guardian’s Puzzles app for iOS and Android. Until tomorrow.
