Thatcher and Starmer
Starmer has recently made comments applauding Thatcher for her style of leadership. He is Labour and she was Tory. What is going on?
Starmer made the comments in an article, saying Thatcher was one of the few modern leaders that enacted 'meaningful change in British politics'. This was not used in a sarcastic way but was his opinion, intended to win over Conservative voters ahead of the 2024 election.
However, it has led to backlash from the Labour Party and the Conservatives themselves. Labour is understandably outraged at their leader praising a leader notorious for harsh economic politics (from a liberal perspective). The Conservatives hit back stating that Starmer was 'not fit to lace Thatcher's boots', which sounds a touch classist if you ask me but they were never going to enjoy their political rivals praising their own leader.
Starmer did this in an attempt to gain votes from those in the public who admire Thatcher because of the impending election. All it has done is give him grief from both sides of the political spectrum and angered the supporters he already had. There is respecting different political differences but then openly praising a leader such as Thatcher is a political weakness. Thatcher's politics is far from what Labour intends to practice but Starmer's actions have alienated his current voters by enforcing his reputation as a man who is easily swayed with the government of the day.
I am a firm believer in effective opposition regardless of the party in power because accountability is a large part of how politics should operate. Starmer's actions are deeply disappointing and his last attempt to win over voters is not a successful strategy unless he wants to win over Tory voters at the expense of left-wing voters.
What was said as a tactic to expand the Labour voter base has backfired. We will see how the public reacts in the 2024 election.
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