Voices: After Labour''s first year, Starmer could still learn from ''one-term Attlee''

Published in Politics and Government on Wednesday, July 23rd 2025 at 7:53 GMT by The Independent US
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COMMENT: The current prime minister would be wise to study Clement Attlee''s post-war premiership, which also started with a landslide election but, mired in economic uncertainty and internal conflict, quickly ran out of steam, says historian Alun Evans

Voices: Labour First – Why Keir Starmer Could Be the Most Radical Prime Minister in Decades

In the ever-shifting landscape of British politics, Keir Starmer stands as a figure often misunderstood and underestimated. As the leader of the Labour Party, he has been painted by critics and supporters alike as a cautious centrist, a safe pair of hands more interested in stability than sweeping change. Yet, beneath this veneer lies a potential for radical transformation that could redefine the United Kingdom in ways not seen since the post-war era of Clement Attlee. This perspective isn't mere speculation; it's rooted in Starmer's policy blueprint, his personal history, and the seismic shifts he proposes for a nation grappling with inequality, economic stagnation, and institutional decay. If Labour secures victory in the upcoming general election, Starmer could emerge as one of the most transformative prime ministers in modern history, prioritizing "Labour first" – a mantra that places working people at the heart of governance.

To understand Starmer's radical potential, one must first examine his origins. Born into a working-class family in Surrey, with a toolmaker father and a nurse mother, Starmer's early life was steeped in the realities of modest means and public service. His path to prominence – from human rights lawyer defending death row inmates and trade unions, to Director of Public Prosecutions – reveals a man deeply committed to justice and equity. This isn't the background of a detached elite; it's the story of someone who has fought in the trenches against systemic injustices. Critics who label him as "Sir Keir" – a nod to his knighthood – often overlook how this experience fuels his vision for a Britain where opportunity isn't dictated by birthright but by merit and support.

At the core of Starmer's agenda is an ambitious economic overhaul that challenges the neoliberal consensus of the past four decades. Labour's "New Deal for Working People" promises the most significant expansion of workers' rights in a generation. This includes banning zero-hour contracts, which trap millions in precarious employment, and introducing a living wage that genuinely reflects the cost of living. Starmer's plan goes further, advocating for sectoral collective bargaining to empower unions across industries, reversing the erosion of labor power under successive Conservative governments. Imagine a Britain where gig economy workers, from delivery drivers to freelance creatives, have statutory rights to sick pay, holidays, and fair dismissal processes. This isn't incremental tinkering; it's a fundamental rebalancing of power from corporations to employees, echoing the spirit of the 1945 Labour government's welfare state reforms.

On the environmental front, Starmer's Green Prosperity Plan positions him as a bold architect of sustainable growth. With a pledge to invest £28 billion annually in green industries, Labour aims to create hundreds of thousands of jobs in renewable energy, insulation, and electric vehicle manufacturing. This isn't just about meeting net-zero targets; it's a radical industrial strategy to wean the UK off fossil fuels and foreign energy dependencies. Starmer has committed to establishing Great British Energy, a publicly owned company that would generate clean power and compete with private giants. In an era of climate crisis, this public intervention harks back to the nationalizations of the Attlee years, but with a modern twist: leveraging state power to drive innovation and equity. Critics argue it's too ambitious, but Starmer counters that the cost of inaction – rising energy bills, environmental degradation, and lost opportunities – is far greater.

Healthcare, the jewel in Britain's crown yet battered by years of austerity, is another arena where Starmer's radicalism shines. Labour's blueprint for the NHS includes recruiting 7,500 more doctors and 10,000 more nurses, funded by abolishing the non-dom tax status that allows the ultra-wealthy to evade full contributions. But it's not just about numbers; Starmer envisions a preventative health model, integrating social care with the NHS to address root causes like mental health and obesity. This holistic approach could transform public health outcomes, reducing waiting lists that currently stretch into millions. By taxing windfall profits from private health firms profiting off NHS backlogs, Starmer signals a willingness to confront vested interests, a move that could redistribute resources to frontline services. It's a direct challenge to the market-driven fragmentation that has plagued the system since the Thatcher era.

Education reform under Starmer promises to dismantle barriers that perpetuate inequality. Labour's commitment to ending the VAT exemption on private school fees would generate billions to fund state education, including breakfast clubs for every primary school and mental health support in every institution. This policy strikes at the heart of class divides, aiming to level the playing field for children from all backgrounds. Starmer's vision extends to lifelong learning, with free adult education and apprenticeships to reskill workers displaced by automation and globalization. In a knowledge economy, this represents a radical investment in human capital, ensuring no one is left behind in the transition to a digital future.

Foreign policy and constitutional reform further underscore Starmer's transformative ambitions. On the international stage, he advocates for a "progressive realism" that rebuilds alliances strained by Brexit, while prioritizing ethical trade deals that protect workers' rights globally. Domestically, Labour's plans include devolving more power to regions, reforming the House of Lords to make it elected, and strengthening protections for human rights. These changes could fundamentally alter the UK's governance structure, making it more democratic and responsive. Starmer's stance on voting reform – exploring proportional representation – hints at a willingness to upend the first-past-the-post system that has long favored entrenched parties.

Of course, skepticism abounds. Detractors on the left accuse Starmer of purging Corbyn-era radicals and diluting socialist ideals, while conservatives portray him as a wolf in sheep's clothing, ready to unleash unchecked state intervention. His U-turns on policies like the £28 billion green pledge have fueled narratives of pragmatism over principle. Yet, Starmer defends these as necessary adaptations to economic realities, such as the fallout from Liz Truss's mini-budget and global inflation. In interviews, he emphasizes that his radicalism is "mission-led," focused on five key goals: economic growth, clean energy, crime reduction, education, and NHS revival. This framework allows flexibility without abandoning core values.

Comparisons to historical figures illuminate Starmer's potential. Like Tony Blair, he seeks to modernize Labour for electoral success, but unlike Blair, his agenda leans more interventionist, less enamored with markets. Echoes of Harold Wilson’s "white heat of technology" revolution are evident in his innovation-driven policies, while Attlee's legacy of building institutions like the NHS inspires his state-led reforms. If elected, Starmer could surpass them by addressing 21st-century challenges: AI ethics, digital inequality, and post-pandemic recovery.

The "Labour first" ethos encapsulates this vision – putting working people, not ideology or elites, at the forefront. In a Britain weary of division, from Brexit to culture wars, Starmer offers stability with substance. His radicalism isn't about grand gestures but sustained, systemic change. As polls show Labour leading by double digits, the question isn't if Starmer will win, but how profoundly he will reshape the nation.

Critics may scoff, but history favors the bold. Starmer's tenure could mark the dawn of a new social contract, where prosperity is shared, opportunities are equal, and the state serves as a force for good. In decades to come, we might look back on him not as a cautious operator, but as the architect of a fairer, greener, more united Britain. The radical prime minister hiding in plain sight. (Word count: 1,048)

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