Starmer the technocrat not cutting it with voters
Britain’s prime minister is a cautious technocrat. A risk-assessing lawyer. Arguably his finest moment since taking office was unveiling a letter from the King and handing it to US President Donald Trump in a highly rehearsed, characteristically monotone performance.
For moments like that, where the brief is to flatter an American leader like Trump, Sir Keir Starmer’s script-following, choreographed diligence is just what is needed. But in so many other scenarios, it isn’t – and the barometer that is the recent local and mayoral elections confirms it. And so do the polls. Ipsos today shows Britons now consider Reform UK, not the Conservatives, to be the main party of opposition.
Comms is the key issue
The decisive factor is this: the communication skills of each party’s leader.
Starmer and Badenoch need to up their game
In the vacuum left by Starmer’s absence of spontaneity is Reform UK leader Nigel Farage, smiling serenely centre-stage delivering his man-of-the-people sound bites.
And right now, with Tory leader Kemi Badenoch also failing to capture the zeitgeist, he’s being afforded so much unimpeded space in the media spotlight he’s giving faux modesty a go – why not?
GB News anchor Bev Turner, when filling in a few minutes at Monday‘s VE Day celebrations in London, noticed this gear shift and asked her guest Farage: “Where’s the usual triumphalism?”
Ciggy-throated braggadocio at these moments is brand Farage at its purest. It‘s what his base votes for. It’s what people want and expect, including Bev. But where’s it gone?
Farage is finding it too easy
Truth is, it’s hiding an eighth of a millimetre below the surface, but with the distinct lack of media-savvy political pugilists available to trade blows with Farage, he doesn’t need to come out punching. At least, not right now.
Unless and until someone poses him any kind of public challenge, Farage will likely keep playing the statesman, being magnanimous, appearing reasonable.
And unless and until a media performer of equal stature steps up from the Labour or Conservatives ranks, Farage’s Reform party looks set to continue on his current trajectory.
Reform trajectory looks set to continue without rivals finding their mojo
Along with a growing number of seats in various regional authorities, this PR pivot to a less bombastic character will further his steady transition from protest party to the main challenger.
So what of Starmer? If the PM spends less time strategising and risk-assessing, and instead acts more on instinct, it is possible he could offer some resistance. If not, it could cost Labour dear.
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