Right, I need to get something off my chest. Last July, I was one of those people cheering when Labour finally kicked the Tories out after fourteen years. There was a proper celebration at my local, with champagne flutes raised to “change” and all that. Now, in September, I’m scratching my head, wondering what on earth has happened to Sir Keir Starmer.
My mate David, who’s about as political as a doorknob, texted me last week: “Wasn’t your Keir bloke supposed to fix everything by now?” Harsh but fair, David. Harsh but fair.
The Honeymoon That Never Was
When Sir Keir Starmer entered the doors of Number 10 on July 5, 2024, he was a man with a plan. Remember that speech? “Our work is urgent, and we begin it today,” he added, pledging a national renewal and explicit change. Sounded brilliant, didn’t it?
Here we are, a little over a year later, and the numbers are staggering. His net favourability reached -44% in July 2025, which is ten points lower than that of the Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch. Ten points! Behind the Tories! After they’d spent the previous year imploding like a controlled demolition.
What you can’t imagine is that the approval ratings for the Labour government are at -51%, one of the least popular governments in recent history. That is not exactly the honeymoon you might anticipate after winning a landslide.
The Reshuffle That Says Everything
Just two weeks ago, something very telling occurred. Starmer unveiled a series of changes to his Downing Street team as he tries to reset himself and his government after what is being more diplomatically described as “a stuttering first year in power”. When you’re reconstituting your team 14 months in, that’s not strategic planning, but panic.
The biggest surprise came when Deputy PM Angela Rayner resigned after she was found to have breached the ministerial code. I did feel rather sorry for Starmer with that cost. Rayner was meant to be his attack dog, his link to traditional Labour voters. It was as if he’d lost his left arm, losing her.
But here’s what strikes me about the reshuffle thing: that Starmer is still thinking like a lawyer, not a politician. When things go wrong, lawyers reorganise them. Politicians know that rejigs often make you look weak, unless, of course, you are doing them from a position of strength.
The Trump Problem Nobody Saw Coming
Now we have this weird situation where Trump’s state visit is being presented as just what Starmer needs right now. Can you believe that? A Labour Prime Minister hoping for a political fillip from Donald Trump. If you’d told me that two years ago, I would have advised you to check in with a doctor.
The Americans are ploughing ahead with their 25% tariffs on British steel and aluminium, a “devastating blow” according to our manufacturers. Meanwhile, Starmer’s trying to charm his way into exemptions like he’s negotiating a plea bargain rather than representing a major ally.
My cousin works in Sheffield steel, and he’s not exactly singing Starmer’s praises at this moment. “Well, I thought Labour was supposed to be looking after British workers,” he said at Sunday roast last week. Can you blame them, really?
The Solicitor in the Big Chair
And that’s the weird thing about Sir Keir Starmer; I believe people are going to either love or hate him; he’s essentially a lawyer at heart, not a career politician. He was Director of Public Prosecutions for several years before becoming an MP in 2015. That background shows in everything he does.
When he was facing Boris Johnson at PMQs, that legal precision was brilliant. He’d take apart Tory lies as if he were cross-examining a dodgy witness. But governing isn’t a court case. You can’t simply present the evidence and expect people to come to the correct conclusion.
I remember watching him during the 2024 election campaign. Calm, methodical, reasonable. Everything that Sunak and the Tories weren’t. But being reasonable doesn’t keep the lights on when energy bills are through the roof.
Where It’s All Gone Wrong
The thing is, as I read the situation, I think Starmer’s way works a treat in opposition, but simply isn’t working in government. When you are attacking Tory failures, a sensible adult in the room’s approach is fine. When you’re the one tasked with turning those failures around, people want passion, vision, and a little fire in the belly.
Consider the recent Coalition of the Willing meeting he spoke at in Glasgow. That’s weighty stuff, international relations and all that. But did anyone who doesn’t live within the Westminster bubble notice? Meanwhile, there are people who are worried about mortgages and waiting lists at the NHS, and whether they will be able to heat their homes this winter.
My neighbour Margaret, who is a lifelong Labour voter, summed it up neatly: “He seems perfectly pleasant and all, but where’s the fight? Where is the anger about what the Tories did to this country?”
The Path Back
The bizarre thing is, I still believe Sir Keir Starmer can turn this around. He’s got three more years, and governments have come back from worse positions. But he needs to stop acting like a barrister and start thinking like a Prime Minister.
And that means taking risks, showing some passion, and possibly making some enemies. The cautious legal approach of carefully exploring every option may be an admirable one, but it isn’t exactly getting anyone’s hearts racing, does it?
And the reshuffle could actually be a good thing if there are people who, for instance, have a bit more political nous. And if he can extract something substantial from this Trump relationship, such as real trade concessions, not just photo ops, that could alter the narrative.
But time’s ticking. In politics, perception often becomes reality, and right now the perception is of a decent man out of his depth. Sir Keir Starmer needs to prove that wrong, and he needs to do it soon.
Otherwise, David’s next text might be asking when the Tories are coming back.
