How long will Keir Starmer's honeymoon period last? | The New Statesman

Labour Party unity may be affected by the two child benefit cap
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"I think that for the honeymoon period for Keir Starmer to end in chaos, you'd need to see a government in waiting from the Conservative Party. And I don't think we're going to get that for at least a couple of years and maybe one or two leaders." - Rachel Cunliffe
Hannah Barnes and Rachel Cunliffe answer listener's questions on Keir Starmer's premiership and the big surprises from the election.
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[@Matt-ou7tu]

I think she misinterpreted the question. I imagine the viewer was more asking how long the honeymoon period will last with the public.

[@invtrk1046]

Yes, often these journalists are tunnel-visioned in party politics and the media, forgetting the whole point of it all.

[@bernardbradbury7774]

@@Matt-ou7tu it's still.over!

[@whyiaskyou]

I feel like she was answering that in the last of the three answers.

[@alanevans9604]

Only 20% of the electorate voted for them and the Tory vote collapsed, so there is hope that people are waking up.

[@Trax777]

But did you win 😂😂😂

[@alanevans9604]

@@Trax777 no, the whole of the UK didn't win, we have another useless government with Labour.

[@mariarobson8116]

What about a possible disabled persons perverty? The suggestion of vouchers instead of money is ridiculous as well as frightening. I hope Labour do the right thing otherwise God help us all

[@anonymoussource701]

What honeymoon period?

[@kate-yk8gv]

He is a drip

[@Netflix999]

No he is worse than that , desperate for power without the intellect and only 20% of the vote

[@GinaShiel]

Is that what you call it...I see it as the dismantling of the country....

[@Trax777]

You didnt win get a grip.

[@martineyles]

The honeymoon period is over NOW. I've felt it necessary to write to my MP to object to the way they have handled those voting to remove the 2-child limit on tax credits. Rather than suspending MPs from his party, Starmer should have made a statement that while he doesn't agree with the means, he agrees with the aims and he will listen to his MPs concerns and continue with the review on child poverty.

[@pamelacornelius8430]

Nothing will change we are in for a very bad time with labour already promiseing billions of pounds to different countrie hope he pays our huge debt first hope the next five years goes by very quickly

[@palestinev3722]

​@stephenhaw8048You are obliged to pay for UNRWA. This is a right of the the people you dispossessed of their land and livelihood......UNTIL THEY RETURN

[@davidboydarnott417]

Probably longer than the last 4 Prime Ministers! 😂😂

[@darth3pio]

As an Aussie following along at home... our media outlets were reporting Sunak stood down as party leader at his concession speech. How could he be opposition leader?

[@pixelfrenzy]

He's still leader until the new one is appointed.

[@joprocter4573]

No young to yet earn privelages rest of society pay in BUT PENSIONERS PAID SEVERAL TIMES..NOT EVEN TENTH OF THESE BENEFITS TODAY HAS.

[@BillGoreArt]

Honeymoon peroid...😂 He won by default.

[@archie7218]

Well he still got the most votes

[@anthonybrown4874]

A couple of years i would guess as voters have an expectation of improving policies regarding fairer taxation and a less South focussed govetnment soending policy. There are clear issues that cause problems for Starmer like foreign policy but a lot are legacy from Tory mishandling so i can see some forgiveness in play.

[@thereselite]

Bless Starmer has been to Murdoch’s summer party and meetings with him for years, he was endorsed by the Sun. Starmer is right wing and pro business so the right wing press love him, as do his millionaire backers who donated to his party, including ex tories and private health care donors

[@martincartwright5461]

Gone in straight away smoothly like an established government from day one.? Yeah, absolutely bang on totally agree the lady eloquently put. Now where did I put my medication.?

[@neilsmith154]

First test is the the junior doctor pay negotiation and now 5.5% teacher and nurse independent pay recommendation. How do they handle?

[@joprocter4573]

Primary kids go up with year 3 standard Cruel

[@scallamander4899]

@@neilsmith154 Give them the pay rise. Tax the ultra wealthy to pay for it.

[@Cherrytune386]

Get used to Labour in power! 🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉😍

[@SamUploads420]

Anyone else board of hearing "grown up"? Thats whay they said about Hunt and Sunak. So tedious.

[@carelgoodheir692]

"Grown up" is relative. Hunt and Sunak were more grown up that Boris and Truss. The new Labour cabinet looks more ready to actually govern than any Tory cabinet has for quite some time.

[@SamUploads420]

@@carelgoodheir692 imagine getting paid for that analysis though. It's very bland.

[@AHSpolitics]

Thank you very much for dedicating a video to my question!

[@nadeemchaudhry6585]

And what is a prime minister supposed to look like?

[@theseeker4642]

Not like Keir Starmer for a start.

[@AndrewJepson-sn3yg]

With the things that are coming out, i would say the honeymoon ended on Monday the 8th July

[@markbate5583]

How would appointing outside experts to ministerial roles work when House of Lords replaced?

[@lonyo5377]

@@markbate5583 they were going for retirement at 80 for now. And if they got rid of it they would probably incorporate another way to do it

[@lonyo5377]

@@markbate5583 they were going for retirement at 80 for now. And if they got rid of it they would probably incorporate another way to do it

[@Trax777]

The echo chamber in these comments is quite funny, Labour won yes because the tories are 💩. But the public will give them time as long as things are seen to be getting better.

[@Cherrytune386]

Labour to be in power now for 10+ years 😁🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🙏🙌

[@user-kf5mn5vn3t]

As a Brit living in Austria..... I see a country more positive in her attitude. Hopefully that will last....

[@SarahWalker-Smith]

We all know what the honeymoon period means . It means the period after which the electorate expect to start seeing positive change and results from Labour policy. The unfortunate truth though is that they have an almost impossible task and people sense that both Parties are corrupt and so want change . The problem being that any change is not necessarily a change for the better- enter the Far right who always represent big money elites , never the electorate which is always somehow forgotten .

[@davidhayes4814]

I would have thought that it would be something of a no-brainier to raise the cap to 3 children…. Thereby showing both empathy and fiscal awareness.

[@mandimixup]

I'd say it's already over.

[@TimoDyer]

Labour are aware there is no honeymoon and are working full pelt. Labour are strong enough to do a great job within 5 years and get 2nd term. Within 2nd term expect to see PR of some kind. Expect to see closer bonds with Europe. Totally possible to see labour going on for 3rd term in coalition with greens and lib dems.

[@abstract33]

How can a plank have a honeymoon?

[@Oberon121212]

Sir Peter, now Lord Hendy, is a notable appointment as Rail Minister

[@LSD04]

Two weeks by the look of things 😂

[@alancoates4531]

5 years.

[@blazzz13]

10 years +

[@morwennamcgowan4125]

Already finished the honeymoon

[@dianeirvine7624]

How long does a cheap tool last ?

[@johnhopkins9917]

49 days

[@glynsmith4590]

The Tories had a long 'lie in' so what price a honeymoon!?

[@michellebutcher1048]

PENNY MORDEN/ BORIS AND RISHI.

[@AndrewCoombes-nv2qo]

Not for long prisoners are all ready escaping at the thought of having starmer in charge

[@bernardbradbury7774]

Its over already.

[@scallamander4899]

Best comment so far, by a mile.

[@alancoates4531]

@@bernardbradbury7774 Dream on .Better then Tories in two weeks Then the Tories in 14 years.

[@sandrahaywood3367]

ITS OVER NOW********

[@johncook802]

Simple answer will be Easter budget in 2026. Two child cap must have gone by this budget. Tax free pay limits must start rising. Gas electric fuel prices stabilise. Action on water and trains showing some effect. But two week report card, A or A-.

[@garrymcfadden4105]

Yeuch

[@diquadhumungersaur492]

yayyy.. diverse.. bestest thing ever..

[@SarahWalker-Smith]

Rishi Sunak is having a wonderful time ?! Who gives a monkeys , look at the state the Tories have left the country in.

[@MrBoboiscool]

That isnt the question, its with the public, if the tories get thereselves sorter thwy will be leading in the polls in no time, or we see massive poll spikes for greens and reform. We are heading for france post 2012 election, centrist traditional parties dead because they dont improve anything. As for the press, starmer is doing right wing politics, no public spending, starving children, increasing the safety net for corporations, left wingers will always bhate it and his base is gone and right wing press will always hate him and prefer teh actual right wing parties.

[@Walksfar64]

Not long.

[@cherylburrows1655]

Starmer will be gone by Christmas. As he deeply unpopular

[@carelgoodheir692]

"... will be ... ", not "might be"? So, on December the 26th we'll see Cheryl Burrows on comments sections like this cheerfully admitting her predictions failed to happen? Naw, I'm pretty sure that that won't happen, and even more more sure that Starmer will be PM for at least four years (barring health issues).

[@gio-oz8gf]

Don't bet your house on it, particularly if you have children. It is truly heart-wrenching to witness children experiencing homelessness.

[@LeafHuntress]

Starmer's popularity has gone up since he became PM & he was already the most popular politician in Britain...

[@Matsyendranath792]

@@LeafHuntress He's deeply hated by many.

[@cadethofgravel5100]

I say he will beat liz truss Two weeks tops Change is coming Can you smell it ?

[@_Quint_]

If he's lucky it might last as long as it takes the public to have their suspicions confirmed (that his weak plan to tackle illegal migration doesn't work), which is to say not very long.

[@lonyo5377]

Weaker even than the Tory policy of throwing away money for absolutely nothing?

[@carelgoodheir692]

Migration is a big issue, obviously, but there are other issues that matter more to most people - NHS waiting list, for starters. The voters showed a lot of sophistication in this election, maybe they'll also show understanding that no government could fix things quickly at this point.

[@LeafHuntress]

1. unlike what that foghorn of ignorance faRage is spreading, migration is NOT the biggest problem of the public. it's the cost of living crisis & the NHS. 2. the tory ministers REFUSED to even talk to the junior doctors, that's why they were striking, to get the tories round the table! Wes Streeting immediately made an appointment with them, so those strikes are over, win-win for everyone. 3. the tories have upped the taxes to the highest level since WW2, so there's money going into the government, but the tories didn't spend that on services, see NHS, where did that money go? mostly into the contracts they handed out to their mates & tory donors. that money went out of the country to tax-free havens. Labour on the other hand will try to get the economy going in the only way we know how, spending by normal people. for instance on the housing market. 4. before brexit there was no "small boats crisis." this whole migration thing is made up to scare certain voters. Labour are talking with France & others to stop it, getting the backlog done & smashing the gangs of people smugglers, they were even praised on the front page of the Daily Express for it.

[@scallamander4899]

Starmer will do nothing to stop spiralling economic inequality in this country. The far right will capitalise on the social anxiety.

[@keithhooper6123]

Not "Far Right",actually Just Right

[@MrBoboiscool]

@@keithhooper6123 No, they are far right, definitions matter, and they wont do anything to help inequality either just point teh finger at immigrants despite this metric growing rapidly since before immigration spiking.

[@scallamander4899]

@@keithhooper6123 Whatever you call them, they will capitalise on anxiety about the economy but channel the frustration away from the grasping bourgeois owners and towards the most vulnerable in society, that is, immigrants and minorities.

[@johnsmart2616]

Smarmy no Mates wont be here long,

[@spiderneil]

Second!

[@rachelharris7915]

The New Statesment sounds more and more like The Spectator each time I watch it. The journalist with the glasses has some very nasty views.

[@MrBoboiscool]

It is truly awful, highlights that it isnt a left wing outlet, just a mouthpiece for whatever labour is offering up, wich in this case is what the spectator likes. Agree on the presenter with the glasses, truly awful takes that are no way rooted in reality instead of teh priveladged upper class centre right she belongs to.

[@peteratkin3788]

The longest period in recent British political history, "Without Scandal." since we booted out the Tories. - That's a Win in my book!

[@keithhooper6123]

Really!.Guess you only follow Labour supporting media.

[@tomgraham6071]

Unless he is seen to be doing far more than the very little he's promised, he'll be deeply unpopular by this time next year. The trend will be dramatically downwards from Christmas. He'll then have to either remove Reeves, or the financial strait jacket she's locked herself in.

[@carelgoodheir692]

Unless there's growth. That's the gamble. They'll do what they can to get it but the circumstances won't make it easy.

[@tomgraham6071]

@@carelgoodheir692 if there is no progress towards 'growth' within 12 months, so therefore not the sort of revenues they need to actually do anything that needs to be done, he'll have to remove Reeves. Watch this space.

[@LeafHuntress]

You are aware that both Reeves & Starmer have become _more_ popular since the election?

[@tomgraham6071]

@@LeafHuntress it's only been a couple of weeks, of course they have. Although, it is noteworthy that Labour polled about 43% at the start of the campaign and ended on about 34% so something didn't work from their extensive coverage as well as 412 seats might make it appear. But now that the election is all over, people will wish them well and hope for the best. That'll start to change in bleak midwinter if bugger all is happening that's positive.

[@Rachel_M_]

Is this the best question you could come up with? You could have spent that time on something more relevant or useful. You will never get that time back.

[@ronseymour4976]

@Rachel_M_ I totally agree! An inane and pointless topic to bring up.

[@carelgoodheir692]

If you thought the question too trivial to be worth answering then I assume you didn't watch the video but jumped straight to the comments section? If you watched it you'll have heard (seen in my case, I need subtitles) an interesting discussion on the dynamics of poliitics we can expect from the new parliamentary configuration - there'll be agruments among Labour's huge new intake.

[@LeafHuntress]

The question came from the youtube comment section, so please be my guest; DO BETTER!

[@Rachel_M_]

@@LeafHuntress it didn't come from me. Perhaps you should aim your comment at whoever asked it.

[@Rachel_M_]

@@carelgoodheir692 you assumed. That's where you went wrong.

[@user-kf5mn5vn3t]

It's The Daily Mail...... Say No More. 🥱