We live in interesting times. I write in a week when the prime minister’s position as leader is under threat, following the catastrophic local election results, with the country just asking for what it voted for, changes that improve its lot.
With yet another announcement of a ‘reset’, Keir Starmer actually said,” incremental change won’t cut it”. Then followed the pomp and circumstance of a King’s Speech, which is clear evidence that this government can only do ‘incremental change’. It is not in Starmer’s nature to do anything radical which would actually make much of a difference. His style is managerial, bureaucratic, procedural in approach.
To take the example of the plans on the privatised water industry. The government announced that a Clean Water Bill will be introduced. What an opportunity to finally fix a broken system which the new legislation could exploit. Yet all we find is a wishy washy set of new regulations to promise a clean up of our filthy seas and waterways. Many activists have called for nationalisation to solve the problems of ever higher bills, obscenely high executive pay for failure to provide clean water and poor regulation.
For many years, people across the country have watched the decline of our seas, rivers and lakes as pure sewage is pumped into them while companies pass on the bill to consumers to pay for cleanups. Groups like WASP and Surfers against Sewage have done brilliant work in exposing the actions of these greedy water companies and must be disappointed that the Bill lacks ambition and does not tackle the underlying problem. It cannot be yet more tinkering at the edges to grab a headline. Typical of a government which fears fundamental change. Take any of the problems besetting us: lack of affordable housing, poverty, lack of opportunity for young people, low growth, it’s the same.
Starmer has also shown who he really is with displays of petulant arrogance – sacking his civil servant, Olly Robbins, over the Mandelson scandal, blocking Andy Burnham from standing in the Gorton and Denton by election, and ignoring the ‘boys club’ culture at Downing Street. All these actions signify a leader who is out of touch with the experience of the people around him.
Meanwhile we have the spectacle of the Labour Party hopelessly eating itself and a prime minister who refuses to relinquish power when clearly time’s up, Sir.
I despair.
