Since the 2024 general election, the Labour Party under Keir Starmer has demonstrated a political trajectory that, to many, appears indistinguishable from the Conservative government it replaced. While Labour’s landslide victory was widely perceived as a mandate for change, the reality of Starmer’s governance has led to growing disillusionment among those who expected a departure from Tory policies. Instead, Starmer’s Labour has entrenched a centrist, if not outright right-wing, position, leaving a vacuum for Reform UK to exploit.
Labour’s Rightward Shift: Continuity, Not Change
Starmer’s Labour has doubled down on many of the policies that defined the Conservative administration. Fiscal conservatism remains a guiding principle, with Labour showing no signs of reversing austerity measures or significantly increasing public spending. The commitment to economic prudence at the expense of public services has made Labour virtually indistinguishable from its predecessors. The party’s refusal to embrace wealth taxes or any serious redistribution efforts demonstrates its alignment with neoliberal economic orthodoxy, failing to challenge the entrenched inequalities exacerbated by years of austerity.
On immigration, Starmer has taken a hard-line stance, offering rhetoric eerily similar to that of the Tories. Labour’s failure to propose meaningful changes to the UK’s asylum system mirrors the Conservative strategy of pandering to right-wing populism. Labour’s reluctance to advocate for safe and legal asylum routes, or to challenge the hostile environment policy, reinforces the notion that the party has abandoned progressive values in favour of appeasement politics.
By refusing to support organised labour in any meaningful way, Labour has distanced itself from its traditional base, creating a vacuum that Reform UK’s lies and false promises are increasingly willing to fill. Starmer’s refusal to align himself with the exploited masses, underscores his party’s shift away from grassroots movements and towards corporate-friendly politics.
The Rise of Reform UK: A Reaction to Labour’s Failures
Reform UK, initially dismissed as a niche, single-issue party, has gained considerable momentum since Labour’s election. Disenfranchised right-wing voters, unimpressed by Starmer’s ‘Tory-lite’ politics, wronglt see Reform UK as a more authentic alternative. Under the leadership of figures like Richard Tice and Nigel Farage (whose influence continues to loom large due to continuous corporate media coverage), Reform UK presents itself as a party willing to tackle immigration, political correctness, and what it calls the “Westminster establishment.” All of this despite the fact they lie at the centre of this establishment.
Much of Reform UK’s appeal stems from Labour’s failure to offer a distinct ideological identity. Starmer’s refusal to take a bold stance on issues such as Brexit, wealth redistribution, or nationalisation has left many voters disillusioned. Reform UK capitalises on this by positioning itself as the party of radical change, albeit from the right. The lack of a clear alternative from Labour makes Reform UK’s message of defiance against the status quo all the more appealing, particularly to voters who feel abandoned by both major parties.
The Corbyn Contrast: A Labour Party with an Identity
The comparison between Starmer and his predecessor, Jeremy Corbyn, could not be starker. Corbyn’s Labour, despite the media onslaught against it, at least offered a clear ideological alternative. His manifesto proposals in 2017 and 2019, such as renationalising key industries, investing heavily in public services, and introducing wealth taxes, set him apart from the political consensus. Whether one agreed with him or not, Corbyn provided Labour with a distinctive identity, something Starmer’s leadership has systematically dismantled.
Corbyn’s Labour was rooted in a vision of social justice, worker rights, and economic transformation. His commitment to a foreign policy based on diplomacy rather than interventionism also contrasted sharply with Starmer’s more establishment-aligned stance. Under Starmer, Labour has moved closer to an uncritical pro-NATO, pro-military position that further blurs the lines between his government and the Conservatives. Additionally, Corbyn’s approach to tackling climate change, through significant investment in green energy and a transformative Green New Deal, has been largely abandoned by Starmer’s administration, which has instead prioritised market-led solutions with minimal regulatory intervention.
Moreover, Corbyn’s leadership fostered grassroots activism within the Labour Party, empowering members to shape policy and direction. In stark contrast, Starmer has centralised power within his leadership team, sidelining left-wing voices and expelling or marginalising those who do not align with his vision. This shift has alienated many former Labour supporters who saw Corbyn’s leadership as a vehicle for genuine change.
Labour’s Identity Crisis and the Future of British Politics
Labour’s drift towards the right has left many questioning what the party actually stands for. In failing to present a genuine alternative to Tory governance, Labour is not only alienating its traditional left-wing base but also enabling the rise of Reform UK as a reactionary force. The absence of a clear ideological stance from Labour creates a fertile ground for Reform UK’s populist rhetoric, which thrives on the perception of mainstream political uniformity.
If Labour continues down this path, it risks not only losing votes to Reform UK but also further entrenching the idea that there is no real political alternative within the mainstream. In this scenario, Reform UK’s growing popularity could be seen not as an anomaly but as a direct consequence of Labour’s abandonment of its historical roots. Without a radical shift in direction, Labour may well find itself remembered not as the architects of change, but as the enablers of the next populist surge. If Starmer wishes to prevent this, he must articulate a vision that differentiates Labour from its Tory predecessors, one rooted in progressive economic policies, social justice, and genuine political reform.
