Labour leader Keir Starmer has already shown how different he is to Jeremy Corbyn – leader comment

The Labour party’s new shadow Cabinet under Keir Starmer appears capable and more moderate than the frontbench under Jeremy Corbyn.

Keir Starmer on the day it was announced he had become Labour leader (Picture: Hollie Adams/Getty Images)

Keir Starmer’s victory in the Labour leadership contest and the appointments he has made to his shadow Cabinet suggest the UK now, once again, has a viable opposition.

Jeremy Corbyn simply raised too many doubts in the minds of too many potential supporters – his mixed messages over Brexit, the burning issue every politician needs to take a clear view on, concerns over toleration of anti-semitism, and spending pledges that flowed too freely.

In contrast to his predecessor, Starmer impressed during the Brexit debates and he has now assembled what appears to be a capable and more moderate team, sensibly including leadership rivals Lisa Nandy and Rebecca Long-Bailey, and other seasoned politicians like former leader Ed Miliband and Edinburgh MP Ian Murray.

For democracy to function effectively, any government needs an effective opposition to keep them on their toes, to make them fear judgement at the ballot box. It’s still early days, but it seems that the UK now has one.

Whether this will have an impact on Labour’s poor showings in Scotland is another question.

A message from the Editor:

Thank you for reading this article on our website. While I have your attention, I also have an important request to make of you.

With the coronavirus lockdown having a major impact on many of our advertisers - and consequently the revenue we receive - we are more reliant than ever on you taking out a digital subscription.

Subscribe to scotsman.com and enjoy unlimited access to Scottish news and information online and on our app. With a digital subscription, you can read more than 5 articles, see fewer ads, enjoy faster load times, and get access to exclusive newsletters and content. Visit https://www.scotsman.com/subscriptions now to sign up.

Our journalism costs money and we rely on advertising, print and digital revenues to help to support them. By supporting us, we are able to support you in providing trusted, fact-checked content for this website.

Frank O’Donnell

Editorial Director