Sir Keir Starmer is to publish a book about Britain under a Labour government, originally written as a private collection of his thoughts, in the face of claims that he has failed to communicate his vision.
The leader of the opposition has been paid about £18,000 as part of an advance for the book, and will donate the sum to charity. It is due to be released later this year.
He started writing it in his office at home in Kentish Town, north London, during lockdown and initially intended it to be a space to organise his ideas.
Starmer has been criticised for failing to communicate what Britain under Labour would look like, and party insiders have said they understand why some may think there is a shortage of new ideas. At a recent shadow cabinet meeting, such concerns were raised by a variety of voices.
Rachel Reeves, the shadow chancellor, faltered on Times Radio when she was asked to name Labour’s next plan after celebrating victory over the government’s decision to impose a windfall tax, despite having just claimed “the big ideas in politics today are coming from the Labour Party”.
The book is expected to set out where the country is heading, how it can be improved, plans for a “renewed Britain” and what Starmer’s place is within that. It will build on the “contract with the British people” of security, prosperity and respect that he set out in January in his first big speech as leader.
While the book is expected to mention his family background, it will be more politically focused and address his priorities, shaped by his career as director of public prosecutions before entering Westminster, including tackling violence against women and girls and upholding integrity and honesty.
The payment for the advance, which is due to appear in Starmer’s register of interests next week, will be donated to causes including those supporting female victims of violence.
A spokesman for Starmer said: “The result of a project started during lockdown, Keir’s book lays out his plans for a renewed Britain, and why he believes in the vital importance of putting integrity back into public life.”
The book will not be Starmer’s first, although previous publications have focused on law and human rights.
Boris Johnson is also known for writing books. A biography of Shakespeare, due to be released in October 2016, was shelved for the “foreseeable future” in 2019 after he became prime minister.
Just get Corbin back, thanks.
Useless. This is not what is needed from the LOTO right now.
Ah yes, that will resonate with the electorate.
They used to call this a party election manifesto but now we have to pay a penny for his thoughts (or whatever the Tory inflation rate is for this)
It will be a very short book
Very nice that the next PM has the intellect and concentration needed to write a book.
“How to lose friends and alienate people – an in depth guide to blocking referendum results”
The Little Red Book of Sir Beer Korma
This is half the problem. While it’s great that Mr Starmer is capable of writing his vision, filling a whole book (policy should have detail and the rationale set out), what’s really needed is clear and succinct messaging about what labour has to offer people, that’s what wins elections.
Tony Blair (and new labour) knew this. Agree with him or not (oh god there’s so many things I disagree with him about, particularly the 2003 war), but Labour in 1997 were able to lay out succinctly how voting for them will make *your* life better because they believe in and have policies for *X, Y and Z* problems.
Is he gonna call it my struggle just to prove a point lmao
Milliband’s big stone didn’t work, working class voters didn’t trust Corbyn, so here’s a dense book from a humourless weirdo
Parties used to give out their manifesto for free. Now we have to pay for the privilege of being campaigned at.
I’d sooner he set out his vision in a tweet. Unironically
Yeah, that’s gonna work. After the BBC painted Corbyn as Stalin with a photoshopped hat, they can’t foresee Starmer being made up as Mao waving “his little red book”.
Well done.
“I’m not Boris Johnson”
2024 in the bag
One page. Half a dozen policies and your socio-economic vision. I understand the choice of exploring your vision in depth but you need talking points that will filter through to those who do not read manifestos. Make them hard hitting and be punchy. You need a 3 word slogan not a 10000 word manifesto.
17 comments
Sir Keir Starmer is to publish a book about Britain under a Labour government, originally written as a private collection of his thoughts, in the face of claims that he has failed to communicate his vision.
The leader of the opposition has been paid about £18,000 as part of an advance for the book, and will donate the sum to charity. It is due to be released later this year.
He started writing it in his office at home in Kentish Town, north London, during lockdown and initially intended it to be a space to organise his ideas.
Starmer has been criticised for failing to communicate what Britain under Labour would look like, and party insiders have said they understand why some may think there is a shortage of new ideas. At a recent shadow cabinet meeting, such concerns were raised by a variety of voices.
Rachel Reeves, the shadow chancellor, faltered on Times Radio when she was asked to name Labour’s next plan after celebrating victory over the government’s decision to impose a windfall tax, despite having just claimed “the big ideas in politics today are coming from the Labour Party”.
The book is expected to set out where the country is heading, how it can be improved, plans for a “renewed Britain” and what Starmer’s place is within that. It will build on the “contract with the British people” of security, prosperity and respect that he set out in January in his first big speech as leader.
While the book is expected to mention his family background, it will be more politically focused and address his priorities, shaped by his career as director of public prosecutions before entering Westminster, including tackling violence against women and girls and upholding integrity and honesty.
The payment for the advance, which is due to appear in Starmer’s register of interests next week, will be donated to causes including those supporting female victims of violence.
A spokesman for Starmer said: “The result of a project started during lockdown, Keir’s book lays out his plans for a renewed Britain, and why he believes in the vital importance of putting integrity back into public life.”
The book will not be Starmer’s first, although previous publications have focused on law and human rights.
Boris Johnson is also known for writing books. A biography of Shakespeare, due to be released in October 2016, was shelved for the “foreseeable future” in 2019 after he became prime minister.
Just get Corbin back, thanks.
Useless. This is not what is needed from the LOTO right now.
Ah yes, that will resonate with the electorate.
They used to call this a party election manifesto but now we have to pay a penny for his thoughts (or whatever the Tory inflation rate is for this)
It will be a very short book
Very nice that the next PM has the intellect and concentration needed to write a book.
“How to lose friends and alienate people – an in depth guide to blocking referendum results”
The Little Red Book of Sir Beer Korma
This is half the problem. While it’s great that Mr Starmer is capable of writing his vision, filling a whole book (policy should have detail and the rationale set out), what’s really needed is clear and succinct messaging about what labour has to offer people, that’s what wins elections.
Tony Blair (and new labour) knew this. Agree with him or not (oh god there’s so many things I disagree with him about, particularly the 2003 war), but Labour in 1997 were able to lay out succinctly how voting for them will make *your* life better because they believe in and have policies for *X, Y and Z* problems.
Is he gonna call it my struggle just to prove a point lmao
Milliband’s big stone didn’t work, working class voters didn’t trust Corbyn, so here’s a dense book from a humourless weirdo
Parties used to give out their manifesto for free. Now we have to pay for the privilege of being campaigned at.
I’d sooner he set out his vision in a tweet. Unironically
Yeah, that’s gonna work. After the BBC painted Corbyn as Stalin with a photoshopped hat, they can’t foresee Starmer being made up as Mao waving “his little red book”.
Well done.
“I’m not Boris Johnson”
2024 in the bag
One page. Half a dozen policies and your socio-economic vision. I understand the choice of exploring your vision in depth but you need talking points that will filter through to those who do not read manifestos. Make them hard hitting and be punchy. You need a 3 word slogan not a 10000 word manifesto.