‘It is going to be one hell of a tough 12 months for Starmer’ – does Labour leader have a vision for UK?

Labour’s had a consistent opinion poll lead over the Conservatives of 20% for several months now. My prediction is that this lead will steadily and significantly be eroded over the next year.

Labour and Keir are becoming increasingly complacent. They think they’ve got the next General Election in the bag, but they haven’t. Starmer faces a number of major problems.

First, Starmer offers no vision for the country. People don’t know what he stands for or where he will take them. Admittedly, Rishi Sunak hasn’t provided a grand plan, but he has made five pledges which are now being reinforced with the electorate: half inflation, grow the economy, reduce debt, cut NHS waiting lists, and stop small boat crossing the channel.

The next problem for Starmer is that he’s on the side of striking teachers and civil servants. By voting against new anti-strike legislation, he’s ensuring schools are closed on strike days. Most parents will take the view that teachers just had two years holiday because of the pandemic, they’ll take a dim view of having to stay off work and lose money to mind the kids. Starmer is on the wrong side of that argument.

Third, Labour has taken loads of money from major Just Stop Oil donor, Dale Vince. Starmer’s now seen as backing the oil protesters who cause major disruption to hard working people who are trying to go about their daily lives.

Then there’s women’s rights. Rosie Duffield, a Labour MP, who campaigns against trans extremists was recently briefed against by one of Starmer’s aides for standing up for women’s rights. Duffield has said the way she is treated in Labour was like being in an abusive relationship. Scottish Labour voted to reduce the age of changing one’s sex to 16, without any safeguards in place. Starmer struggles to define a woman.

Finally, there’s the spectre of Jeremy Corbyn, who haunts Starmer with every TV appearance he makes. Starmer backed and defended the former Labour leader at every turn, they are both part of the North London Labour elite which controls the Party. Do the public really want to vote for a slightly softer version of Corbyn?

Harold Wilson, the election winning Labour leader, once said “A week is a long time in politics,” so it is going to be one hell of a tough 12 months for Starmer. Time will tell whether Starmer is like Wilson, or more like the election losing Neil Kinnock.