Labour isn't electing the next PM - it's electing the next Neil Kinnock
Recently, much of the discussion in the Labour leadership contest has focused on the need to abandon factionalism — the current front-runner, Keir Starmer, is the latest to make that point. But despite the warm words from all the candidates, it is not certain whether this is possible or desirable, and, if it is, who will make it happen.
There is a sense from many Labour members and supporters that they are not electing the next Prime Minister, but someone to reprise the role of Neil Kinnock. The next Labour leader won’t necessarily be the one to get the party over the line and into Number 10, but the person who will do the hard work of making the party functional again. The next election will not be “one more heave” — the party isn’t in a shape to do that at present. Unfortunately, for members and MPs alike, at almost every level Labour isn’t working.