People want leaders who are in touch, contends SEUN AWOGBENLE
In January 2025, I made a bold prediction that UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer may not survive the far-right onslaught and could soon be forced to resign. For context, I made that tweet barely six months into his premiership. At the time, not much had suggested he would not last in post, but I had seen enough to know his chances of seeing through his electoral mandate were very grim.
Almost 18 months after my gambit, Keir Starmer has now finally resigned and is set to depart by July 18; if there are no counter nominations to Andy Burnham. The former mayor of the Greater Manchester area, who has since been dubbed the King of the North, may now become the King of the North and South as prime minister. I will come back to Andy in a moment.
Now, I say this as someone who has watched almost all the Prime Minister’s Questions (PMQs) Starmer has had during his premiership, bar none: I think he was a fairly decent prime minister who loved his country with relentless conviction and unshakeable determination. But as we have come to see it, not only do nice men not make good politicians; good intentions are also sometimes not enough. In my assessment at least three challenges may have made his premiership almost untenable.
The first was that he was unlucky to be prime minister at a time when ultra-nationalist far-right sentiment has gained massive popularity at home and abroad. In the UK he has had to contend with the popularity of Nigel Farage’s Reform Party and now Restore UK. Abroad, he has had to deal with Trump’s version of America, which is significantly more inward-looking, especially with the introduction of tariffs. There has also been a significant breakdown in the special relationship between the US and the UK, which has endured since the end of the Second World War. So, in essence, Keir Starmer is PM in a world that is significantly different from what we used to know. For that alone he deserves some grace.
The second challenge was his series of bad judgements that constantly threw his government and party into crisis. Notable was his decision to remove the winter fuel payments for pensioners, appointing Peter Mandelson as ambassador to Washington without proper vetting or, some would say, entirely overlooking the vetting process. There was also the issue of VAT on private schools and the inheritance tax on farmers, which was later revised but only after several protests.
The last one is on the personality of Keir Starmer. He is perceived by the public as standoffish, out of touch and uncharismatic. He is heavily criticised for his style, which comes off as overly choreographed and lacks authenticity. This is contrary to the Farage-esque style, which is considered slightly more relatable. Many people believe that he had become so templated that he was sounding all and the same on almost every issue. This is in part one of the reasons he is not viewed favourably by the British public.
By July 19, the United Kingdom would be getting its seventh prime minister in a decade, with Andy Burnham expected to be coronated as prime minister. He’s possibly the most popular Labour politician today and viewed by many inside the Labour Party as someone who can moderate the influence of Farage’s reform, and that much was evident in the Makerfield by-election. He has had tremendous success as mayor of Greater Manchester, but the challenge is whether that skillset would be enough to deliver as prime minister.
The socio-economic challenges that beset the Starmer Premiership are not likely to suddenly disappear because Burnham is PM. The fundamental challenges of economic growth, cost of living crisis, defence investment, high energy bills and NHS waiting lists. These issues are going to remain, and how Burnham manages to address them would be pivotal. But with the war in the Middle East and Ukraine not likely to end soon, Burnham already has his work cut out.
In hindsight I believe that the Starmer situation presents a number of lessons for our politics and politicians. There are enough lessons on legitimacy, popularity and knowing when to bow out with grace.
There are also vital lessons on political will and the ability to deliver change within the shortest possible time. Those who are elected into office make it a priority to deliver on the change they are voted for, which is to improve the well-being and socio-economic conditions of the people – a reenactment of the true intention of politics, which is to serve the greater good and common interest.
Finally, I think the most important lesson here is on the evolution of politics. There is a new demand for politicians to be original, authentic and relatable. The people want leaders who can show that they are in touch. They are tired of overly choreographed politicians, who have the same response to everything. Those who are in the vocation of politics have to show that they understand this demand; else, they could soon be given the Starmer treatment.
Awogbenle, the Founder of Policraft, writes from the United Kingdom. He can be reached via [email protected].
