How will Keir Starmer use his 'huge mandate' to lead?

After both his victories in the two Labour leadership elections he faced, Jeremy Corbyn boasted about his ‘huge mandate’ from members to reshape the Labour Party. Today, Sir Keir Starmer has a similarly resounding backing from the party as leader: he won 56 per cent of the vote in the first round, compared to Corbyn’s 59 per cent and 61 per cent in 2015 and 2016 respectively.

Just as Corbyn’s leadership success was followed by the left taking over key parts of the party’s organisation, including the ruling National Executive Committee, so Starmer has seen signs of a fight-back from the centrists. In the past few minutes, the party has announced the results of elections for three places on the NEC. The ‘moderates’ won a clean sweep.

For Labour to have a role in the debate about how to rebuild society and change it for the better once the immediate crisis is over, the party needs to be taken seriously

In his acceptance speech video, Starmer focused on coronavirus, which is the task that will occupy him and his party for the next year or so.