There is a simple question Starmer’s government is yet to answer: ‘Why are you doing that?' | Steve Richards

Poor communication has prevented Labour explaining just how its agenda is going to deliver a brighter future

There is nothing like conference to focus the minds of a governing party. The leading players have speeches to make, and must explain what they are doing and why. And so Keir Starmer and Rachel Reeves find themselves in the curious position of stressing that economic gloom is not an end in itself. It would be uniquely perverse to pursue such an objective. “We are planning for misery” is a slogan that would not endure for very long.

Their need to state the obvious – that they seek sunnier uplands – is partly due to previous failures of communication. Starmer and Reeves should be explaining not only what they are doing, but also why, most days of the year. The “why” question is the most important, and evidently the answer is not that they want us all to be gloomy for the next 10 years.

Steve Richards’ latest book, Turning Points, is now available in paperback

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from The Guardian https://ift.tt/8gJO6tG