Grown-ups? Are you kidding?
IN JULY 2024, Labour was returned to power on a promise that — after years of political chaos — the “grown-ups” would be back in charge.
Voters exhausted by the drama of ever-changing occupants of Number Ten were also assured that the needs of the country would once again be put before internal party feuds.
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Voters were promised stability under Keir Starmer, but instead have been met with chaos and shuddering incompetence Credit: Alamy
A nation crying out for leadership is left hanging on Angela Rayner’s musings, Ed Miliband’s nods and winks and whether Andy Burnham is on the train to London Credit: Getty
The shambles that has followed is scarcely believable.
Broken promises. Scandal upon scandal. Ministerial resignations and sackings. Plummeting poll ratings and a hammering in the local elections.
A public that wanted politicians to stay out of their lives confronted with endless meddling and brutal tax rises.
Voters had a right to expect at least some headway would have been made in tackling the myriad problems facing the nation.
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Yet as household bills rocket, illegal migrants land on our shores daily and welfare spending balloons, we have a Government in paralysis.
All ministers talk about is who will challenge Sir Keir Starmer, if there’s any chance he can survive — and what jobs they might bag for themselves in a future Government.
A nation crying out for leadership is expected to hang on the garbled musings of Angela Rayner, nods and winks from eco fanatic Ed Miliband about his intentions and news of whether Andy Burnham is on the train to London from Manchester.
It’s utterly pathetic — and Labour is unlikely to be forgiven.
Sadly, however, we are where we are.
So what next in this desperate political soap opera?
After days of will-he-won’t-he pantomime, Health Secretary Wes Streeting yesterday resigned from Government — but could not muster enough MPs to run for the top job.
Rayner claims she has been cleared of deliberate wrongdoing over her purchase of a second home in Hove — but can’t escape the fact she shortchanged the taxman of £40,000.
Burnham last night persuaded a Labour MP to step aside so he can run for Parliament, and ultimately No10.
Starmer is too weak to block him this time. Yet there’s no guarantee he can beat Nigel Farage’s Reform in the by-election for Makerfield.
In other words, the bedlam could go on for weeks or even months to come.
What’s certain is that — if Starmer is forced out of No10 — his replacement will not have any kind of mandate to drag Britain to the Left, as looks inevitable.
The country must be given a General Election . . . and the chance to pass verdict on two years of mayhem and shuddering incompetence.
