Could Labour pull off the impossible at the next election?

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer issues a statement outside his home in north London. Photograph: Aaron Chown/PA Wire. - Credit: PA

Readers give their views on Keir Starmer’s leadership so far, and dare to dream about the next general election.

James Ball’s insightful article on Keir Starmer (‘Opposition rediscovers its mission’, TNE #195) echoed my view that, under the unique set of circumstances, Keir couldn’t have done a better job thus far.

The arithmetic does indeed make it very difficult for Labour to win in any form in the next election, but it won’t be impossible. Let’s dare to hope that this rotten government will expire in the next four years.

Sebastian Monblat

Sutton





Have your say


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I just hope the left of the Labour Party will remember, and give Keir Starmer credit for, his unstinting loyalty to Jeremy Corbyn while he was shadow secretary of state. No surreptitious, underhand briefings from him, unlike the unlamented Tom Watson!

Peter Bourne

Wandsworth Common

It is time for Keir Starmer and Sir Ed Davey to join forces and hit hard against this shambolic government.

After the disastrous handling of the Covid-19 crisis and the Dominic Cummings affair, we face the prospect of no-deal with the EU. Starmer and Davey, joined by the SNP, should make it clear that they will reopen negotiations after the next general election to obtain a beneficial trade deal.

They should also have a programme of reform with regional government and proportional representation for the House of Commons using the same system as already exists in Scotland and Wales.

David Hogg

Bristol

I voted for Keir Starmer in the recent Labour leadership contest and am really pleased he’s got off to such a good start as leader of the opposition at this critical time for our country.

After the general election I thought Labour could be out of power again for another decade; but Starmer has got Boris Johnson and the Tories rattled and despite only having just over 200 seats all is to play for.

In the words of his leadership campaign, and if Labour continue to get their act together in the post Covid-19 world that we emerge into, ‘another future is possible’.

Tom Engel

Herts