What does Starmer really stand for?

Keir Starmer is no longer a leader under pressure – at least for now. When he set out his ‘Five Missions for a Better Britain’ yesterday during a speech in Manchester he did so from the vantage point of a huge Labour lead in the opinion polls and an election victory seemingly in the bag. A few days ago, he consigned his troublesome predecessor Jeremy Corbyn to history by confirming he would not be allowed to stand at the next election. Starmer dominates his party like no Labour leader since Tony Blair in his pomp. But when Blair became prime minister, everybody thought they were clear what Blairism was about. However less than eighteen months from a general election there are still big questions about what Starmerism represents. When voters are asked what they associate with Starmer many simply reply he is boring and that they just don’t know what his party stands for.