Keir Starmer brings Tony Blair in from the cold as Labour leader seeks to replicate his formula for success
by 1-randomonium
Keir Starmer brings Tony Blair in from the cold as Labour leader seeks to replicate his formula for success
by 1-randomonium
27 comments
(Article)
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Sir Keir Starmer shared the spotlight with Sir Tony Blair on Tuesday, the first time a Labour leader has so publicly chosen to embrace the former prime minister since his departure 16 years ago.
The two appeared on stage together for a cosy one-on-one chat at the Future of Britain event hosted by the Tony Blair Institute for Global Change.
In a move solidifying the growing allegiance between the two, Sir Tony told Sir Keir he had “taken the Labour Party from the brink of extinction […] to the brink of government” since taking over in 2019.
Sir Keir yet echoed the former leader’s mantra “education, education, education”, telling the audience that the UK needed “growth, growth, growth”.
During his time as Labour’s head, Sir Keir has been an advocate of Sir Tony, urging his party to embrace, rather than turn away from, his predecessor’s legacy.
Under Sir Keir’s watch the Shadow Cabinet and party policy has shifted markedly towards the Blairite views that were increasingly sidelined under Gordon Brown, Ed Miliband and Jeremy Corbyn.
While past Labour leaders have appeared at state occasions alongside him, Mr Blair – who remains a deeply controversial figure for some due to his Iraq war legacy – has been kept away from Labour events for fear the public still see him as toxic.
His appearance alongside Sir Keir, however, comes at a critical time for the party, days before three crucial by-elections in which Labour is hoping to make substantial gains.
Sir Tony, who repeatedly clashed with Sir Keir’s predecessor Jeremy Corbyn, praised the current leader for “amazing” work in shifting the party’s stance.
Sir Keir joked that he was having to do the job of three former Labour chiefs – Neil Kinnock, John Smith and Sir Tony – “in one run” in order to pivot the party away from Corbynism ahead of the next election.
He said that as a result he had been “ruthless” and acted “at pace”, hinting at his decision to block former leader Mr Corbyn from being a Labour MP.
Sir Tony said Labour would face a “tough” road ahead if it wins the next election, addnig: “I think we both agree that 1997 is very different to 2024.”
He said the economic situation Labour could potentially inherit after a likely general election next year – with Sir Keir’s outfit currently riding high in opinion polls – was far more stark than when New Labour won a landslide.
The former leader backed Sir Keir’s controversial decision not to pledge to overturn the two-child benefit cap, despite pushback from his party this week.
Sir Tony said Labour leaders were always in receipt of an “inexhaustible supply of advice on how to lose the election”.
Addressing the current economic climate, he added: “In 1997, we had a lot of things to do, but on the other hand we could see that growth had stabilised and we could look forward to over 2 per cent… growth. What you are going to inherit next year, it is grim.”
Sir Keir said the current mood of the country was “pretty bleak” as he set out the need to reassure voters about the current situation while also setting out a vision for the future.
Imagine going to an event to watch these two give each other a reach-around for an hour or two.
I’m sure there will be plenty of people lined up to educate us on why Blair isn’t such a bad guy after all and how super-smart it is that Keir is doing some 4d chess bullshit.
An endorsement from Tony Blair is all I need to confirm I will not vote for someone.
There’s a long list of reasons but it makes a decision simple. At this rate I just hope there’s a good alternative when it comes to voting that isn’t Labour or the Tories.
Tony Blair should be locked away for war crimes same for Bush
Two authoritarians scheming together — what could go wrong?
I’m sure this sub thinks he’d be better off seeking advice from a Jew-hating deadbeat and 2-time loser.
And by his formula he means……..turn the Labour party into Conservative?
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Tony Blair found a way to bring all aspects of the party together. Kier Starmer is just my way or the Highway. Let’s hope he learns something from Blair, because he won’t have a party soon if he carries on the way he is.
Success here being defined by fooling the country into supporting an set of attempted unjust expansionist wars that lasted over 20 years and brought ruin in it’s wake?
Lets chat with a war criminal to show everyone were better than the tories!
What on earth is this comment section, this frothing at the mouth about an association with Blair?
Blair and Brown were the greatest political combo most of us here today have had in our lifetime. Meanwhile, this comment section reads as the death throes of some neo-marxist Corbyn shrine.
How can people who purport to be interested in politics call Starmer or Blair authoritarian or tory-lite. For Blair, it’s just plainly wrong. For Starmer, the man’s trying to win an election and painting as broader brush as possible to win. “Blair endorsement means no vote hurrrr durrrr”, congrats let’s have another 13 years of tory rule. Haven’t we suffered enough? Are you really so politically narrow-minded that you cannot comprehend that a lack of cohesion around Starmer, at this point, only serves the torys?
The only problem that Labour has is always, inevitably, Labour.
aka give up all progressive policies and replace them with corporate policies in order to not look like a “communist” and maintain some rather bland left-wing policies that won’t make any impact over the long run and won’t touch on the major crises of the British people aka the housing and food crises.
Blair is no fool, he was smart enough to step down after the 05 election as it was pretty clear he’d struggle to win the next.
Now that Labour are polling high again he can jump in and claim some of the glory.
Remember when Tony Blair and others warned Labour and the opposition parties to not ratify Johnson’s and Cummings’ 2019 general election act because it would be “an elephant trap”? You know, the general election that no one wanted and was internationally warned against because of the exact outcome we got?
So only now do they want to listen to him?
Nothing like embracing a war criminal to boost popularity I guess.
“What would you say your greatest success was, Lady Thatcher?”
*”Tony Blair and New Labour.”*
Difference is Blair had vision and charisma Kier has neither.
I think this might be the first time a PM in waiting has no clue or ideas himself about where he wants to take the union. Labour = Tories
Tony Blair was the best PM in my lifetime… which is a very sad sentence.
Kid Starver and Tory Blur – what a couple of wankers.
You can pretty much guarantee the Blair haters are all disgruntled corbynite trash
Never forget the social mobility Tony Blair has done for us. I shudder to think what would have happened to me if I was a refugee now under the Tories
Honestly at this point r/unitedkingdom is turning into a circlejerk for patting each other on the back how much they aren’t going to vote labour because Starmer is a tory. I wouldn’t be surprised if eventually the only people left in the sub are going to be the most die hard of Starmer supporters and the terminally online.
Good move kier. The most hated war criminal in the UK back into the the most woke racist party ever…
Tories will walk all over you and they are shite too.
So basically Starmer is asking Blair what the best way to befriend Murdoch is and become his best pal.
They’re all the same at this point
There we go the puppet master has been redeemed he’s back on un finished business he’s been steering this from the side lines.
The third fucking way remember that
Dear god
bring in a lying corrupt war criminal, sounds about right doesn’t it.