Editorial: A decent Labour opposition can be good for the Tories, too
In December 2019, this newspaper ran an editorial which – in no uncertain terms – said that a Labour party led by Jeremy Corbyn didn’t deserve your- our readers – votes. The party had descended into a pit of anti-semitism, infighting and backstabbing. If Theresa May once warned the Conservatives they had become seen as the nasty party, the Corbynista mob at the top of Labour had seemingly taken it upon themselves to nab the nickname.
Yesterday, finally, Sir Keir Starmer moved the party on from a sorry period in Labour’s, and perhaps Britain’s, history.
That Corbyn could ever have been as close to power as he was, with British Jews warning they would leave the country if he was elected, is a harrowing thought. Even on policy terms, the sheer idea of him in charge during the Covid-19 pandemic is terrifying: one suspects vaccines made by private firms would have simply been anathema.
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But that is, thankfully, the past. And goodness knows, Britain needs an opposition. A strong opposition underpins a strong government. An opposition leader who can get under the Prime Minister’s skin is accountability. Even though he does not know it, an opposition leader with muscle will force Boris Johnson to be better.
The hoopla surrounding the Conservatives own conference next week will seem so devoid from reality as to be surreal. We will hear much about Britain’s great future, no doubt; just as economists predict a slowdown in recovery. We will hear about our great cities, just as the bars and restaurants and businesses that make them world-leading complain that they quite literally cannot get the staff. And perhaps we will hear about our brave new trading future, just as our existing exporters face increasing paperwork and uncertainty. We believe in those things, too – we believe Britain’s best days are ahead of it, too. Labour may not have better solutions – they certainly don’t have history on their side – but even a misguided opposition is better than missing in action on the front benches.
Keir’s successfully finished off the left of the party with a suite of reforms to prevent hardliners gaining power. Heckling and melodramatic resignations reminded us Corbyn’s lot were only even kindergarteners playing dress up.
But now, Keir has to face up to his real opponent and force coherence out of a government which has for 18 months traded solely on the strength of their majority.
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