The Labour Party is warily watching the nationalist surge across Europe and America. In his most forthright comments on the topic so far, Keir Starmer told the New Statesman’s summer party that Britain “is not immune from that populism and nationalism”. Here’s his quote in full:
You only have to look across the Channel at Europe and you see nationalism and populism in all its forms and all its strengths. And do not think for a minute that that could never happen here. It could and it might if we fail in our project of delivering change, and our project of being a government of service, which carries with it being a government that restores faith in the idea that politics can be a force of change. So we would govern in this way in any event, but we’re well aware that this country is not immune from that populism and nationalism.
Starmer told me during the campaign that he wanted “progressives” to win across Europe, including against Marine Le Pen’s National Rally in France. But he has always tended to refrain from raising the nationalist spectre with regards to the UK. Reform’s five seats, 4 million votes, 14 per cent vote share and the Conservatives’ impotence means that threat is no longer academic. Now, Farage would say he is the dam which holds back the far-right tide, but he certainly sits within the nationalist camp.
Framing his mission over the next five years in this way could help Starmer, because it creates a moral justification to deliver strong government and reduce immigration which goes beyond the usual lines around protecting public services. It’s a hopeful message, because it recognises that people only look to the relative extremes when governments don’t deliver. That makes it preventable.
Starmer has shown such instincts before. In January last year, he reclaimed “take back control” – a well-worn slogan but one most associated with Brexit – for his devolution plans. It was a recognition that the anger which reached a national pitch in 2016 warranted a response.
But his comments were his strongest articulation yet that nationalist sentiment is the fault of the government, not the people. Starmer has arrived at a new purpose for his government which demands urgency.
[See also: The rise of disaster nationalism]
Content from our partners
Related
