The vibe was almost rock’n’roll – but Starmer’s speech was serious business

Tue 10 Oct 2023 20.01 CESTwas due to give his leader’s speech the conference hall was rammed – even the standing room was oversubscribed. Keir could have sold out the arena two or three times over. Not so long ago, Labour had to beg its supporters to fill the seats. The vibe was almost rock’n’roll. But this was no mere entertainment. This was deadly serious.

Keir looked momentarily confused. Stunned even, as security guards dragged the protester away. He tried unsuccessfully to brush the glitter off his jacket before a woman stepped up on stage and got him to remove it. Weirdly, this seemed to free him up. Gave him a chance to assert his control, his authority. He rolled up his sleeves and leaned forward on the lectern. Now he could channel his annoyance at the interruption. Looking every bit the leader who was ready for business.

But at its core, it made the important argument. It was well constructed and hit home. Where Sunak’s speech in Manchester had never been more than an increasingly desperate plea to be given another chance. He knew he had done nothing to deserve it, but he just wanted it anyway. He couldn’t stand the personal failure. Starmer offered so much more. Not just intellectual depth but emotional intelligence. He knew this was both all about him and nothing about him. He was the mere figurehead.

An attack on nimbyism by building on bits of the grey belt. An idea stolen from under the Tories’ noses . Full speed ahead on renewables. The climate crisis was an opportunity to be embraced, not to be shrunk from. A new reformed NHS. We were veering into territory seldom seen in British politics in recent years: hope. Starmer was making Britain sound like a place where you might want to live. Not just survive. The applause was ecstatic. For Sunak last week it had merely been grudging.

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