At Labour’s 2025 convention, Starmer’s selected political narrative has been to attract a line between himself and Nigel Farage, between Labour and Reform – a call between “decency and decline”. Labour represents a modern patriotism and nationwide renewal – and Reform a backwards-facing “politics of grievance”.
Setting up a transparent line that separates Reform from Labour (and from as a lot of the voters as conceivable) is all of the extra pressing a role since the most recent polling suggests 29% of citizens make a choice Reform and handiest 21% Labour. Judging via how regularly Reform have been discussed in Starmer’s speech, against this with the Tories (about whom Starmer quipped, “Remember them?”), Labour seems to have permitted Reform as the primary opposition.
Whilst this determination is partially because of polling, it might also derive from a broader belief of Reform as Labour’s greatest existential danger. “The politics of grievance,” Starmer informed the target market, obviously regarding Reform, “is the biggest threat we face.”
Starmer’s convention speech welded Labour’s narrative to Reform: for him, victory for the previous will have to come on the expense of the latter. Starmer would almost certainly steer clear of this terminology individually, however the narrative could be very a lot “us versus them”. Communicate of a “dividing line” is also placing it too mildly, finally. Starmer now speaks of a “a fight for the soul of our country”.
And how much nation does the top minister need the United Kingdom to be? At the morning of Starmer’s speech, his senior minister Darren Jones promised convention attendees that the PM would provide an explanation for the “journey” that we’re all about to move on. Lest we overlook – as BBC leader political correspondent Henry Zeffman identified – we’re handiest 14 months after a huge Labour election win.
Stay your enemies shut
Labour’s narrative is outlined via Reform to an enormous extent, now not simply in electoral technique however in fundamental rhetoric. When you noticed a transcript of a speech about “national renewal”, and heard a political candidate assault complacent adherence to a establishment of globalisation and loose motion, you’d most likely think it got here from the political correct.
Starmer obviously desires to combat a story of “renewal”, “patriotism”, “national pride”, clear of the right-wing and rebrand them as conventional Labour values. He connected similar phrases have been to the NHS – and offered Reform as a right away danger to that establishment.
It’s important that, for all of the summary communicate of a battle for the soul of the rustic, the antagonists have been particular. A left-right battle was once carried out away with for a fight on a distinct entrance. Starmer took goal at “snake oil merchants on the right, and on the left”, absolutely mindful that threats to his premiership (and to Labour itself) exist on all sides of the political spectrum.
Starmer additionally argued that he’d heard “enough lectures from self-appointed champions of working people”. Even though this was once explicitly directed against figures like former top ministers Boris Johnson and Liz Truss, it will also be understood as a rebuke to a few at the left.
The convention corridor was once a sea of flags.
Alamy
That is, on some stage, additionally a fight for the running elegance – and sophistication was once explicitly discussed time and again. Starmer stated he made no apology if his plans “lean towards the working class” and said that too regularly, other folks were overpassed and left out via politicians in particular as a result of their elegance.
Previously, Starmer has drawn on his personal lifestyles tale when speaking about elegance, however this time pulled clear of that, every now and then for comedian impact, as an example announcing that the target market almost certainly already knew what his father did for a dwelling. This was once very a lot a speech in regards to the birthday celebration’s long term, and the rustic’s long term, now not about Starmer’s previous.
Probably the most rules of excellent storytelling is understanding your target market. It’s all of the extra important that the Labour convention has now not been the jubilant surroundings we may have anticipated for a birthday celebration so just lately elected to executive. Starmer knew that he needed to unite the birthday celebration round a not unusual motive, and within the face of a not unusual danger. We now know precisely who, and what, this is.
