'Is Keir Starmer a Neoliberal?': A Note on Keir Starmer's Political Rhetoric

12 Pages Posted: 25 May 2021 Last revised: 15 Jun 2021

Date Written: May 20, 2021

Abstract

This paper examines the cliams of Keir Starmer's election to the Labour Party leadership as a Blairite and neoliberal "restoration" by way of an examination of two of Starmer's key statements, namely his ten pledges in the party's February 2020 leadership contest, and his February 2021 "New Chapter for Britain" speech. This paper concludes that while in the earlier pledges there was a definite leftward movement as compared with the neoliberal line the party took under Blair, Starmer subsequently proved less consistent in this departure, as shown in the "New Chapter" speech--ultimately stronger on rhetorical evocation of Old Labour's "spirit" than its approach to problems, to go by his prescriptions.

Keywords: Keir Starmer, Labour Party, New Labour, Tony Blair, Neoliberalism, Blairism, British Politics, British Political History 2007-, Political Rhetoric

Suggested Citation

Elhefnawy, Nader, 'Is Keir Starmer a Neoliberal?': A Note on Keir Starmer's Political Rhetoric (May 20, 2021). Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=3850099 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.3850099

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