Cheer up, Sir Keir! It might never happen
Labour is too pessimistic about the backdrop it is set to inherit
Usually, politicians try to offer optimism. Sir Keir Starmer’s Labour Party specialises in despair. “This is worse than the 1970s,” said Sir Keir in one speech. “We are in a hole.” Every Labour figure emits the same dirge about Britain’s high debt, low growth and exhausted public services. Even moments of hope are tempered with warnings of misery. In a rare bout of cheer, Sir Keir promised: “A realistic hope, a frank hope, a hope that levels with you about the hard road ahead.” Hooray!
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This article appeared in the Britain section of the print edition under the headline “Cheer up, Keir! It may never happen”
Britain December 16th 2023
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From the December 16th 2023 edition
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