LONDON — Maurice Glasman, the influential peer behind the “Blue Labour” movement, has issued a stark warning to Britain’s Prime Minister Keir Starmer: he has just six months to revitalize his government following a significant setback over its flagship welfare reforms. Speaking on POLITICO’s Westminster Insider Interview podcast, Glasman expressed skepticism about Starmer’s ability to lead Labour into the next general election amidst rising criticism of his leadership and that of Chancellor Rachel Reeves.
“I don’t know about the next election,” Glasman told host Anne McElvoy. “There has to be a very significant change, and we’re going to find out in the next six months whether he’s got it or not — and he’s got to make decisions over the summer about the Cabinet and the direction of policy.”
Challenges and Criticisms
As the architect of “Blue Labour,” which combines left-wing economics with social conservatism, Glasman holds considerable influence over a growing faction of Labour backbenchers. His insights are particularly significant given his regular interactions with Morgan McSweeney, Starmer’s chief of staff. Glasman was the only Labour politician to attend President Donald Trump’s inauguration earlier this year, underscoring his connections to key figures in international politics, including Trump’s Vice President JD Vance.
Glasman was particularly critical of the government’s handling of its welfare bill, describing it as “half-baked.” He emphasized the need for a comprehensive plan to transform the welfare system, warning, “They have made a double blunder. Be careful what you wish for. This could be a lot more radical when [the Timms review into Personal Independence Payments assessments] comes back — because if the government don’t do this, they’ve got no chance of being a transformative government and the judgment of the electorate will be merciless. Credibility is already on the line.”
Starmer’s Leadership and Strategic Decisions
As Starmer marks his first year in office, Glasman acknowledged his adept handling of the war in Ukraine and his strategic partnership with Trump. However, he cautioned that the controversy over the welfare bill represents “a turning point” for the prime minister. “Can he genuinely grasp what the new era is about?” Glasman pondered. “He’s not an ideological fanatic like Blair, for example. Tony Blair was absolutely — still is — cosmically committed to globalization, no borders, EU … I sense that Keir Starmer is more of a tragic figure in that he’s got to turn against fundamental things about human rights law and the rules-based order that are very precious to him.”
Glasman argued that Starmer must now adopt positions that are “deeply uncomfortable” for him. “He’s quite a placid person, and the volatility of the electorate, the rage in the electorate is something that he has to absorb,” Glasman said.
Support for Rachel Reeves
Despite the challenges, Glasman expressed sympathy for Chancellor Rachel Reeves, following her emotional appearance at Prime Minister’s Questions. “Rachel’s another one who thought things would be one way, and they’re turning out to be drastically different. I actually have respect for her,” he noted.
Meanwhile, Morgan McSweeney, Starmer’s chief of staff, has also come under fire. Glasman defended McSweeney, stating, “If Morgan McSweeney goes, that’s an absolute disaster for this government,” highlighting his role in addressing the concerns of working-class voters drawn to Nigel Farage’s Reform UK.
Lessons from Reform UK
Glasman suggested that Labour could learn “a huge amount” from Farage, describing him as the most significant politician of the last 20 years. “In terms of articulating a politics of rage, articulating a discontent concerning immigration, concerning national sovereignty, he’s been completely on the right path,” Glasman said, despite disagreeing with Farage’s views on the economy and the war in Ukraine. “The next election, unmistakably, will be Labour versus Reform.”
Controversy at the BBC
Elsewhere in the interview, Glasman criticized the BBC’s decision to broadcast a controversial Glastonbury Festival set where the punk band Bob Vylan led a chant of “death, death to the IDF [Israel Defense Forces].” As a prominent Jewish intellectual, Glasman was vocal in his criticism of how former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn handled antisemitism accusations. “Heads have got to roll” at the BBC, he insisted, including that of Director General Tim Davie, who “had 24 hours to act and didn’t.”
Following Davie’s statement that the corporation would ensure “proper accountability” and make changes to its livestreaming practices, Glasman reiterated his stance. “I stand by comments that he should go even more — I still think he should be sacked. He had 24 hours to act and he didn’t. Now his concept of actions is new procedures,” Glasman said.
As the Labour Party navigates these turbulent waters, the next six months will be crucial for Starmer’s leadership and the party’s future direction. The political landscape is shifting, and the decisions made now could determine Labour’s fate in the upcoming general election.