It is foolish to make a prediction in this unruly era of populist politics, however certain something might appear. But it looks likely Sir Keir Starmer’s premiership is teetering to its inglorious conclusion, less than two years after he led Labour to a massive majority in Parliament – and that he will probably be succeeded by Andy Burnham, following the former Manchester mayor’s impressive defeat of the hard-right in last week’s Makerfield by-election. So, post-Brexit Britain will continue to look like a chaotic basket case of a country with its sixth leader in a decade, while corrosive problems fester unresolved amid the political games at Westminster.
The irony of such political churn is that it benefits the dark forces stoking dangerous fires of populism by capitalising on public contempt for politicians. As long-serving prime ministers have pointed out, it takes time to get to grips with the dynamics of Downing Street. “You start at your most popular and least capable and you end at your least popular and most capable,” said Sir Tony Blair, explaining this paradox of power. And such are the problems paralysing democracies that Starmer has more favourable ratings than both the long-serving French President Emmanuel Macron and the more recently elected German Chancellor Friedrich Merz.
As I wrote 10 months ago, suggesting Burnham might oust Starmer, the dreadful premiership of Boris Johnson showed it is far easier to be a popular figure as a mayor than as prime minister, forced to confront huge issues both at home and abroad. Burnham was an insipid Cabinet minister in three posts, but has grown in confidence during his stint in Manchester, communicates well and claims to have seen the failures of Westminster more sharply from being outside its bubble. So, let us hope that if he wins the top job, he acts on one of his more astute diagnoses of its problems; the urgent need to reform a party whipping system in Parliament that stifles debate and is anachronistic in a digital age.
You might think focusing on a centuries-old system to enforce party discipline is a minor issue amid all the chronic economic, social and international problems facing whoever leads our nation. Yet, without the whipping of MPs into line, Britain might have avoided the two biggest disasters this century that did so much to undermine Westminster and divide our country: the Iraq War and Brexit debacles. The system is infamously reliant on bullying, bribery – for jobs and spending – or blackmailing of backbenchers by a team with status of ministers but lacking accountability. After former Army officer Johnny Mercer became an MP, for instance, he was stunned to get a text from an ex-comrade warning that Tory enforcers were “trying to tap me up for dirt on you”.
Last year, Burnham talked about scrapping this system, along with the dismal way that droning party loyalists spew out spin dictated by party bosses, arguing it would raise the esteem of parliamentary politics if MPs could speak more freely and authentically. “I don’t see what’s so dangerous about it – 19 times out of 20 Labour MPs would support the party,” he told Labour List. “In the social media age, people want to see people being true to themselves. It would seriously make politics connect better with the public, if people could say, ‘I believe this so therefore I’m going to do X and Y.'”
He is right – yet, Burnham added that this idea of people speaking honestly seems so radical in politics today that “people almost spit their coffee out when I say that”. I saw this myself during my brief time in politics, since I suggested the same idea to David Cameron on the day the coalition government deal was agreed in 2010. I urged him to use this moment of remoulding politics to give ministers and MPs more freedom to speak their minds, arguing that technology was reshaping the media and public discourse. He paused for a moment to think, then shook his head, saying the idea would never work.
One of Starmer’s daftest moves soon after taking office was removal of the whip from seven MPs for voting to scrap the two-child benefit cap that he ditched himself earlier this year. Now, Burnham talks about only “loosening” the “straitjacket” of the whipping at the heart of Westminster’s system – perhaps seeing how it might make his life easier if he reaches Downing Street. Yet, he still says even this shift could raise the status of MPs by allowing them to be more authentic to themselves and constituents. “Don’t punish them for taking a position that actually connects with people they are serving. Don’t send them into TV studios with lines to take on everything.”Debate and dissent are crucial in a robust democracy – and a real leader would not be scared of letting MPs off the leash. Many politicians are decent and interesting people, as shown often after retirement from Westminster, yet, they are forced into robotic obedience that turns off voters.
Imagine if leaders had to rely on the force of argument and strength of evidence to push reforms and win parliamentary votes, not crude arm-twisting, patronage and party loyalty. This might also help break the toxic tribalism that prevents much-needed reform in areas such as social care, planning, prisons and drugs – another issue where Burnham talks a good game about the power of pragmatic cross-party co-operation based on his Manchester experiences.
Perhaps Burnham will jettison these radical ideas if he reaches the pinnacle of politics. Certainly, if he does succeed Starmer, he will find himself confronting the same chronic problems at home and abroad – and odds are his popularity will crash to similar levels. But if he dares smash the spin machinery and shackles of whipping, combined with reform of the voting system for a multi-party age and more devolution of power, he would at least leave a legacy of a modernised political system that makes it easier to crush the sinister forces threatening our country.
Hence then, the article about the one thing burnham must do to kill the curse of downing street was published today ( ) and is available on inews ( Middle East ) The editorial team at PressBee has edited and verified it, and it may have been modified, fully republished, or quoted. You can read and follow the updates of this news or article from its original source.
Read More Details
Finally We wish PressBee provided you with enough information of ( The one thing Burnham must do to kill the curse of Downing Street )
Also on site :