After Thursday’s local elections in the UK, it is time to question it. Keir Starmer, the leader of Labor, the main opposition party in the United Kingdom, announced on Sunday May 9 a reshuffle of his “Ghost cabinet”, trying to breathe new life into the party.
Labor did little in these local elections, especially in England, and Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s Conservative Party even took its stronghold in Hartlepool (north-east), which had always voted Labor since the 1970s.
“Bitterly disappointed”, Keir Starmer had promised that he would do “All that is possible” to regain the confidence of the popular classes. He announced to oust Anneliese Dodds, Member of Parliament for Oxford East, who was in charge of the economy and finances. She is replaced by former economist Rachel Reeves, MP for Leeds West (north of England). The person in charge of discipline within the party, Nick Brown, is replaced by Alan Campbell.
“The Labor Party must be the party that embraces the demand for change across our countryKeir Starmer explained in a statement. It will require bold ideas and a constant focus on the priorities of the British people. Just as the pandemic has changed what is possible and what is needed, Labor must change too. “
Concerned “To learn” failures suffered by the party in some constituencies, Mr. Starmer said in a statement that he “Look forward to working with our new team to meet this challenge, bring about this change and build the ambitious agenda that will give birth to the next Labor government.” “
Angela Rayner replaced
Angela Rayner, sacked Saturday as president of the party and coordinator of the elections finally finds an important position within this shadow cabinet where she is in charge of coordination. His dismissal, the first measure announced after Labor’s defeat in the Hartlepool by-elections, had raised criticism from the left wing of the party.
Labor MP Diane Abbott ruled the decision “Unfair” Sunday, in an interview with SkyNews.
Another figure of Labor, situated as Mme Abbott leftist John McDonnell lashed out at centrist Starmer, believing he had made a “Huge mistake”.
“The party leader said on Friday that he took responsibility for the outcome of the Hartlepool election and then takes Angela Rayner as a scapegoat, I think a lot of us think it’s unfair”, Mr McDonnell told the BBC.
In addition to the reshuffle, Keir Starmer has hired former Prime Minister Gordon Brown’s former poll chief Deborah Mattinson as chief strategy officer. She wrote a book explaining why Labor lost in the 2019 parliamentary election on “Red wall” Labor, those regions of northern England affected by deindustrialisation and favorable to Brexit.
Some “good performances” from Labor
On the ‘Super Thursday’ election, the Tories advanced in England, winning over 200 more advisers. In addition to the stinging defeat at Hartlepool, Labor lost control of Durham (northeast) council to the Conservatives for the first time since 1925.
The party however retained several important strongholds, notably in London where Sadiq Khan was re-elected against the conservative Shaun Bailey or in Manchester, Liverpool (north) and Bristol (west). Labor can also boast of very good results in Wales where the Welsh Labor Party obtains 30 of the 60 seats in the local parliament, against 16 for the Conservatives, which allows it to remain in power.
For Keir Starmer, these good performances “Give us optimism and inspiration for the future”.
