The Labour Party: Divided or Decisive?

As a law student at Leeds, I’ve been reminded time and time again of Keir Starmer's

alumnus status. In my very first week I remember his name being mentioned in

nearly every lecture, albeit with varying tones of enthusiasm. Starmer's premiership

began on a strong footing, successfully ending 14 years of Tory rule. His 2024

manifesto promised ‘change’ which proved to be exactly what the British public

wanted. Yet, while hope for the future stood at the forefront of his campaign, a year

later the question remains, how much hope do the public have in him?

There have been numerous murmurings haunting No.10 questioning the success of

our PM. Many Labour representatives have been reported expressing critique about

the Prime Ministers actions, with words such as “delusional” and “flawed” circulating

the Westminster halls. It is no secret that the rivalry between Labour and the

Conservatives runs deep, however, perhaps his real threat is coming from inside the

party itself.

Labour’s vast majority in Parliament undoubtedly provides them with a political

advantage, however, it seems turbulent times are arising. Seemingly, every news

outlet is poised to call out any trouble Labour faces, and on every story Starmer is

positioned as the main culprit. Whether these issues alone could affect his status as

PM I'm unsure, but to say the least, Starmer has a lot more on his plate at the minute

than just a Christmas dinner.

While policy may determine political agenda, likeability plays a large role in

successful leadership, and it seems Starmer doesn't rank particularly highly amongst

the British public. Although louder doesn't always mean better, compared to the

humorous clips of Boris Johnson’s comebacks or the confident yet controversial

manner of Farage, it seems that Starmer as a leader appears lacklustre. While

surely intelligent, dedicated, and capable, many critique his ability to communicate: a

senior party figure said that he “doesn't think like a leader”. As head of the Labour

party, and the country at that, I believe intelligence can only get him so far. In some

cases, it seems intelligence hardly plays a part at all. Public persona is a

fundamental political decider, and it appears Starmer hasn't quite got it.

Chancellor Rachel Reeves’ announcement of the Budget was a fundamental time in

recent politics. The Budget isn't simply a declaration of the upcoming fiscal policy, it

is a chance for the party to prove its stability, power, and promise for the future.

Details of this year's Budget were splashed on every front page you could possibly

find. However, my personal takeaway, and I'm sure a key point for many, was not

about the policy itself, but rather the technical issues that undermined Reeves’ big

day. Moments before the Budget was announced, numerous leaks spread of its

contents. With already so much speculation for the policy, it is no wonder Reeves

appeared so frustrated as she delivered her speech. With rumours of already

unstable party relations, any sign of dissonance will, and arguably has, reflected all

too poorly on Labour. Reeves said herself that the leaks were incredibly damaging,

but only time will tell just how damaging they were.

What this all boils down to is a potential leadership race. There seems to be five

main Labour factions gunning for Starmer's place, all of which gaining varying

traction. There are the longstanding Blairites who seem particularly fond of Wes

Streeting. The hard-left, although small, appear unsatisfied with Sir Keir’s

increasingly centralist position. Old Labour who remains aligned with industrial

unions support Mahmood. Scottish MPs appear hesitant of Labour’s standing for the

next Holyrood elections. Then finally remains the largest faction, the soft-left, who

have been harbouring big names including Miliband, Rayner, and her successor

Lucy Powell. Whether one of these groups come to greater prominence is a question

beyond my knowledge. Any real consequence would need the backing of 81 MPs

to trigger a party election. So as pressure weighs on Starmer we can only wonder,

will he remain strong in No.10, or will he be defeated by some of his closest allies?

Labour emerged from the general election united and powerful. However, as they

continue to navigate through the economic mess the Tories left, their unity seems to

be wavering. Pressures are building for the party, and many seem to be quick to

point fingers at our PM. While Starmer's name may be cemented in the Liberty

Building, I'm not sure his future as a leader is quite so secure.

Words by Chloe Wu, she/her