The tumultuous tenure of Sir Keir Starmer as Prime Minister has come to an abrupt end, marked by a final Prime Minister's Questions session on Wednesday, where he appeared more relaxed and anecdotal. This conclusion was met with mixed emotions: while some hailed his achievements in international relations and domestic policy, others lamented the internal dissent that plagued his government throughout its time in office.
Sir Keir's efforts to mobilise global support for Ukraine and navigate the UK through complex international situations have earned him widespread praise. His instrumental role in drafting the Hillsborough Law, which finally passed into legislation this week, has been particularly commended by figures such as Andy Burnham. However, these accomplishments are set against a backdrop of criticism over his government's internal coherence and ability to drive meaningful change.
The internal dissent within Labour was fueled by policies perceived as overly cautious and constrained by rigid fiscal rules, leading to difficult choices that appeared to contradict the party's core principles. The 'winter fuel allowance debacle' serves as an example of a government struggling with its identity and making policy reversals. Furthermore, Sir Keir's leadership style has been characterised as 'unpolitical' and 'technocratic', reportedly alienating both the public and members of his own party.
The outgoing Prime Minister's handling of various crises, including the situation in Gaza and the backlash against proposed cuts to personal independence payments, raised concerns among MPs that these cumulative failings could pave the way for Nigel Farage to gain power. Observers conclude that, regrettably, Sir Keir Starmer never quite managed to live up to the expectation of delivering a transformative agenda during his time in Downing Street.