Starmer must get a grip on No.10
Three months into power - Labour needs a hard reset fast. It has the tools it needs. Now it must rise to the occasion before this government is left afloat.
Labour has not yet unveiled its Budget and it's already facing a crisis. Scandals keep hitting Labour left, right, and centre. It's enemies on the right and left smell blood. There's a real chance that Labour's government will wither into before it's even begun. The Prime Minister must assert his authority.
Even though Labour won a landslide, it was a loveless one. They only gained 33% of the vote which is a very low vote share especially for a newly elected government. Voters have moved away from Labour in drabs since the election. They do not like what they see. Fortunately for Labour, being in government gives it the capacity to change the scene. Unfortunately for Labour, the right control vast scathes of the media landscape and its enemies on the left are crying for revenge after the Corbyn years.
What should Keir Starmer do? He first must find the source of the leaks and he should publicly sack all those caught leaking. Ruth Davidson is correct in asserting Downing Street must impose its authority as well as discipline on ministers and political advisors. They all should realise that their colleagues in the Labour Party are their allies and friends, not journalists. Keir Starmer must also consider the possibility of a saboteur from either members of the civil service hostile to Sue Gray and amongst from the party's left feigning support while backstabbing him. Members of the inner circle must demonstrate absolute loyalty to the cause.
On the subject matter of the cause, Keir Starmer must explain what the missions of his government are. No one knows what Labour are doing. Currently, Labour's five missions are mere goals which are vague, but most importantly aren't defining everything the government does.
Let's take the first and most important mission - Kickstart economic growth. Since entering powering, all Labour has done is lambast the £22bn blackhole in the nation's finances. Where is the budget deficit mentioned within the first mission? Mission driven government means mission driven government. Labour should focus on the means of attaining growth telling us all how the government will do it. By focussing on the blackhole, the government has let events and Tory traps dictate its business. Successful governments define the agenda of the day, not the last government or the media.
The upcoming Budget at the end of the month is the first and best opportunity for a hard reset ensuring Labour's five missions are at the core of everything, absolutely everything, it does. Anything less is not only completely unacceptable but will make this government an abject failure before its begun. At the heart of the Budget should be an investment program focussed on making Britain a clean energy superpower, a green industrial superpower, and remove all obstacles to British economic performance. Reskilling the population is key. Integrating the missions together demonstrates how accomplishing one will accomplish others. Labour fulfilling missions two and five will help accomplish mission one.
Labour promised 'Change' which necessitates charting a new course. Keir Starmer and Rachel Reeves should display the confidence in questioning the orthodox Treasury view that the budget deficit is what matters most. Invest in the economy; grow the economy; and see the debt to GDP levels decline significantly. Economic growth, not cuts, will fill the £22bn blackhole. There's nothing wrong with a productive deficit. Labour must make it one though!
Britain’s medium-term record is far less impressive, and has been driven by a growing population rather than rising productivity. Without a return to productivity growth, living standards will continue to stagnate and Britain will continue to fall behind its peers. - Simon Pittaway, Senior Economist at the Resolution Foundation
It's only through population growth via unpopular immigration policies that Britain has kept growing as Simon Pittaway argues.
Author: Nigel Driffield
What will Labour do to increase productivity? Following Nigel Driffield's advice, it should reform the Labour market prioritising focus on training and development, rather than a flexible workforce. A flexible workforce is less efficient in carrying out tasks reducing productivity, but also hurts living standards as well. Substantial investment in training and developing across all skill levels is a must. Labour must invest not just in Britain, but Britons as well.
Labour must reform the public sector as well. They emphasised the need for smart government in the manifesto. Smart governments ensure they have a highly efficient, effective and productive public sector which is more than capable of carrying out the tasks of the state and unleashing major change. The UK will not operate smartly, increasing costs unnecessarily, without addressing public sector productivity. As Baringa points, increasing productivity requires more than accurately measuring what's happening in the civil service. The Civil Service and central government requires missions and clear outcomes as well.
Baringa
This is why the New Realist demonstrated confidence in Labour during the General Election. It has the answers for moving the country in the right direction. Increasing productivity requires mission-driven government. Increased productivity will improve growth which will fulfil the missions. However, Labour must execute a mission-orientated government and not merely pay homage.