Who does new year Keir look like after his reset? Last year Keir and that's a huge problem | John McTernan

"Throughout the lengthy exchange the real Starmer was on show as he calmly and doggedly fielded all questions. And that was the problem. This wasn't an attempt to reframe the political narrative for the coming year, nor was it a clear exposition of Labour's soft left political economy nationalisation, workers' rights and the green transition. There was a complete absence of storytelling, just reliance on a handful of carefully practised phrases, the abiding sin of this Labour government: the elevation of tactics above strategy."

"Responding to questions about his own, and his government's, deep unpopularity, Starmer planted himself firmly and repeatedly on a five-year mandate that he argued was in the national interest for him to see through. Growth was mentioned as a touchstone, but without any analysis of growth for what or for whom, even though distributional consequences are the modern religion of socialism. A variety of questions about voters' frustrations met the same response: the country is turning a corner."

A 45-minute BBC interview presented a composed and practiced Keir Starmer who repeatedly relied on rehearsed phrases rather than narrative or ideological clarity. The exchange resembled an AMA-style format and highlighted a communications shift from No 10, but revealed an emphasis on tactics over strategy. Starmer anchored his position to a five-year mandate and referenced growth as a goal without explaining whom that growth would benefit. Questions about deep unpopularity and voters' frustrations were met with assurances that the country is turning a corner and that upcoming local votes are local rather than national referendums. Few passionate moments punctured an otherwise measured performance.

Read at www.theguardian.com