Commentary
Peter Kellner
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Source: Getty
In The Media
How Will Keir Starmer Use His Complete Control of Labour?
The new leader of the Labour Party has already established full control of his party. He now has the power to set its course for the next years—but he must deal with two urgent challenges first.
By Peter Kellner
Published on May 4, 2020
Source: Prospect Magazine
It is hard to overstate the significance of Jennie Formby’s departure as the Labour Party’s general secretary. She was the last important survivor of the Corbyn era. Keir Starmer has taken just one month to dismantle the ancient regime and establish complete control over the party. He now has the power to set its course for the rest of this parliament. He must decide how to use it.
The speed with which he has acted so far has been as admirable as it has been brutal. On the day of his election as party leader, three pro-Corbynites were voted off the national executive and replaced by Starmer loyalists. This gave him a majority on the national executive committee. During the first week, he sacked prominent Corbynites such as Ian Lavery, John Trickett and Shami Chakrabarti from the shadow cabinet. With others choosing to stand down, such as John McDonnell and Diane Abbott, the ideological makeover was made complete. Of those close to Corbyn, only Rebecca Long-Bailey remains at Labour’s top table, and she has been demoted from the business and energy portfolio to education.However, while Formby remained in office, Starmer did not fully have control of the party organisation. Now, in the wake of her resignation, he has. He can count on the loyalty of all three of Labour’s pillars—shadow cabinet, national executive and party machine. It is an important moment in Labour’s history; and if the Johnson administration stumbles, it could prove to be an important moment for British politics as a whole.
What now?
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About the Author
Peter Kellner
Former Nonresident Scholar, Carnegie Europe
Kellner was a nonresident scholar at Carnegie Europe, where his research focused on Brexit, populism, and electoral democracy.
- The Moment of Truth for a UK-EU Reset
- The UK Braces for a Change of DirectionCommentary
Peter Kellner
Recent Work
Carnegie does not take institutional positions on public policy issues; the views represented herein are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of Carnegie, its staff, or its trustees.
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