Will Keir Starmer serve a full term as Prime Minister? | Election 2024 | The New Statesman

[@MrBoliao98]

Frankly, the country needs a breather. A stable prime minister for 5 years.

[@grdfhrghrggrtwqqu]

Starmer is going to destroy this country, but you don't understand that, do you? He's working for corporate interests and lifetime party elites.

[@Rustinho]

​@@christophervvallace😂

[@JC-oy9ou]

Keir Starmer can for 10 years or 12 years.

[@chriswatson3464]

Starmer isn't a stable person. Too put it mildly.

[@latest3dsgames]

We will chuck him out within three years

[@snoggydog123]

These 'What If?' questions are fun but totally useless as a guide to the future of the next government. There are far too many unknown variables that could come into play. Furthermore, it will take a long, long time to forget the horrors of the last 14 years.

[@charloneill]

He’s still leader of the opposition and people are talking about his downfall. So bizarre.

[@chriswatson3464]

He's also awful and doesn't seem to know what he's doing.

[@TheOilyRag1]

Where has narrative come from?.. the guys not even measured his curtains yet and they are booting him out of the door... this question has been raised on several channels - maybe they are running out of things to debate... Lets give him 2 years then revisit the question.

[@AlunParsons]

I think it has to do with the UK's recent past. We've just seen three PM's in the space of a single parliament, and five in the space of seven years (if we count 2015-2022), so the expectation is that PMs come and go fast. Back in 2021-22 I remember a lot of people talking about there being an early election, which I was baffled by. I assume it was because we had two elections very close together (2017, 2019) and people assumed the next one would come along in a similarly rapid timescale, despite Johnson having a large majority). If we cast our minds back to the 2010-15 parliament that was described at the time as the most rebellious parliament in history. But what we've had since then makes 2010-15 look like the teddybear's picnic. But I see no real reason to assume Labour will be as rebellious. The Tory civil war has been going on since the Maastricht rebellion, it's over 30 years old. Cameron thought a referendum on EU membership would end it, but it seems the EU was symptom as much as cause. On the other hand, Brexit and Corbyn aside, Labour has been remarkably disciplined, especially under Miliband and Starmer. Maybe I will be proved wrong, but I don't see any real reason to assume Labour MPs will be as much of a shambles as the Tory MPs have been. I mean Cameron made a big mistake in selecting Eurosceptic candidates (do I remember this right, that Cameron did a deal with some Eurosceptic donor to select Eurosceptic candidates in exchange for money before 2010?), but Starmer has made a point of selecting loyal candidates.

[@bigblue6917]

To me it looks like a lack of knowledge and experience from the younger presenters. All they are doing is parroting others

[@honved1]

@@AlunParsonsThis seems to me to be partially a result of the erroneous premise of “they are all the same” seeping in to political thought. People seem to forget that the last 14 years has been a Tory psychodrama played out in front of and inflicted upon the entire country. People are so used to it that they think it’s the normal way of doing things and expect similar drama from any government.

[@aclark903]

You think he’ll last 2 years? Optimistic much..?

[@williamhenry8914]

He will enter office with a huge parliamentary majority, very strong unity from his MPs and an appalling record from the tories against which to benchmark his success. He should have at least 1 year to enact whatever changes he wants, within the bounds of the law, before any credible political force can assemble against him. That's the stadard 6 months honeymoon and 6 months riding on all the aforementioned advantages. That means he will have the clout immediately start implementing significant changes. Actually funding the NHS, actually funding schools, processing asylum claims again, providing real support to Ukraine, closing tax loopholes, taxing the rich, and so on. All outright popular actions, or actions that produce popular results by alleviating crises. If he is successful in that first year then he will retain support for his government in subsequent years. So essentially, it comes down to the ambition and merit of his plans. If his plans are sound, I see no reason why he should no retain his party and the country's support.

[@evidence4all-re6gf]

Whoever gets power in early July, will have unworkable public finances (2.8 trillion pounds of debt), millions unemployed (not counted), and record tax levels. No majority solves that. The new government will have years of work to right this mess.

[@bigblue6917]

The torys will have at least five years of infighting after their inevitable lurch even further to the right post election. At that rate we are talking 2034 before they look like they are getting their act together.

[@adrianthoroughgood1191]

Unfortunately the stupid decision to stick with the Tory budget means there's no money available to fix any of the problems. They public will expect radical improvements and they won't get it. Labour should be raising income tax on high earners over 100k, business profit tax, and capital gains tax (unearned income should be taxed higher than earned income, not lower). They're not doing any of these things.

[@williamhenry8914]

@@adrianthoroughgood1191 Yes definitely agree, though nothing is written in stone yet. If they choose to amend their proposed budget once in office nobody can stop them.

[@adrianthoroughgood1191]

@@williamhenry8914 There is a conservative majority in the Lords. By convention the Lords don't block anything that is in the manifesto because the government has a mandate for it. But if Labour try to add radical things that aren't in the manifesto they might have trouble. They're definitely going to win this election so they could have put anything they wanted in the manifesto and they haven't. It's such a wasted opportunity. Next election they won't have nearly as much freedom. The worst part is this makes me think that they (Starmer and Reeves) don't want to raise taxes on the rich, ie that the people who say they are secret Tories are right. I should be celebrating, but I've just lost faith in them. I campaigned in support of Starmer when he stood for leader because he said he supported the 2019 policy platform including public ownership of things. Then he just u turned on everything.

[@johndewhurst6609]

Keir Starmer adopting the Tory framework is a huge mistake. The Tory framework is based on Margaret Thatchers Neoliberalism which has brought about the demise of the Tory party. Labour canvased time for a change adopting Neoliberalism is more of the same not change.

[@RobinHarris-nf4yv]

He hasn’t. Starmer is adopting the current economic situation caused by Tories, he isn’t adopting Tory framework

[@johndewhurst6609]

@@RobinHarris-nf4yv I hope your right

[@grdfhrghrggrtwqqu]

@@RobinHarris-nf4yv He's a corporate ghoul, need I say more?

[@RobinHarris-nf4yv]

@@grdfhrghrggrtwqqu no he isn’t.

[@blairarcher8952]

From what he has said so far is raging Neoliberal ideology

[@dereks1264]

VOTE BINFACE FOR CHANGE!!! If by some weird alignment of the stars Binface did get elected, could he actually take a seat in the Commons?

[@Theplaysthet]

What are u talking about? This is one of the dumbest new statesmen videos ever… not even voted yet!

[@Antipaxos_Nadja123]

They are going to win, I know they do the thing where they're like 'oh no, we might lose, you must vote for us' but the Tories are polling 19%, the polls could certainly be wrong, but they won't be so wrong that the Tories win, it is more productive to scrutinise the incoming government, as that is what will actually influence the future

[@Theplaysthet]

@@Antipaxos_Nadja123 u can’t possibly say that with certainty. Sorry.

[@Antipaxos_Nadja123]

@Theplaysthet yes you can, the absolute worst worst worst case scenario for Labour is that they win a plurality in a hung parliament, and that would be an absolute shock result, party won't go from 19% to victory with less than a week to go, Starmer will be PM, the ones who actually will hold power deserve scrutiny

[@DaleHanson-nw9yc]

Yes Sir will serve 5 Years as Prime Minister

[@nickinthefield4202]

I’m 60 and I can’t remember such an unpredictable period in British politics ( and come to that the USA too). My great fear is that the sand castle theory is correct and that we are looking at a severe swing to the far right within 10 years. I guess I consider myself to be left wing if anything, but whoever’s in power needs to ‘do’ something about immigration as it has become the main issue for many, (rightly or wrongly)or risk the virus of hate becoming more widespread. I personally feel that immigration needs to be ‘fair’ on everyone.

[@SplashTasty]

10 years in office is kinda the opposite of a 'sandcastle' theory though lol. 2019 tory victory was a sandcastle moment undoubtedly but was arguably the 4th Tory term.

[@nickinthefield4202]

@@SplashTasty yep, true. I’m still pretty worried by the possibilities I’m seeing though.

[@johnfitchie9892]

If the left across the UK & Europe don't address the migration issue, then the whole of Europe will lurch heavily to the right over the next decade & may never come back.

[@MichaelBrown-yj9kj]

The big question is how fickle the vote for Labour will be this Thursday. Many people are voting against the Tories rather than for Labour. If the general public does not experience an improvement in their standard of living, Labour will have difficulty in the following election. This failure to change the Economy will put pressure on the party.

[@AlunParsons]

What's the counter argument to the sandcastle theory? I might say something like this: Yes we are seeing a sudden and unexpectedly big change in how voters are behaving in this election, usually parties with large majorities are guaranteed at least a couple of terms (Thatcher, Blair). But the 2019 election was exceptionally unusual. The Tories had been the largest party in parliament after 2010 and 2017, but not won majorities. Even in 2010 it had failed to win as much as 37% of the vote. It wasn't popular. 2019 was won on the back of *years* of parliamentary bickering, an electorate that just wanted the Brexit shambles to *end*, two extremely unpopular leaders, a split anti-Brexit vote (though anti-Brexit parties won more votes than pro Brexit Parties in 2019, if one counts Labour as anti-Brexit), and the Brexit Party standing its candidates down in Tory held constituencies, allowing it to split away Labour votes in Labour constituencies, but the Tories to benefit from Brexit Party support. I am not convinced the Tories were *ever* that popular throughout their 2010-24 period in government. Under normal circumstances, eg if the UK had voted to remain in the EU and Miliband had remained as Labour leader, I imagine that 2015 might well have been their high-point. Hell 2015 might well have been their high point even if Corbyn had become Labour leader anyway, in the absence of Brexit. The Conservatives never enjoyed the good will in 2019 that an incoming party will, there was no sense of relief of a change of government, only a sense of relief that Brexit was "done", and Brexit itself was blamed on the Tories. There will be the sense of relief for getting rid of the Tories that Blair enjoyed (and indeed Cameron did for a while, though not by such a large margin). I think this sort of good will lasts for more than one term. Anyway a bit rambly I know, but I do think one can argue that the sandcastle of 2019-24 is not necessarily a sea change in how swing voters vote, so much as a reaction to a very specific set of circumstances. We won't really know until 2029 though, I suppose.

[@Minimmalmythicist]

It depends on how good Starmer is at managing tensions, he tends to take a very Stalinistic approach to them and he may well find that a lot of people defect to the Greens or a new left party, if he just does Tory-lite.

[@keithparker1346]

Wishful thinking. There's absolutely no enthusiasm for a Starmer led Labour government. The Tories LOST rather than Labour have converted right wingers

[@pip1723]

Give him a chance he's not PM yet that's on Friday.

[@Ahrimas]

Labour are projected to have a majority well over 100, it would take a monumental split in the party to force Starmer out. I dont think theres any real chance of this happening

[@chriselliott726]

Never underestimate the stupidity of the hard left. However, in this instance, I think you are correct.

[@evidence4all-re6gf]

Starmer would have an set of public finances so bad, that the alarm bells will soon ring. Sunak has driven public finances to the edge or ruin. Sorting that out will cause the pressure.

[@chrispalmer7893]

This whole sandcastle thing js over-blown. 2019 is an outlier, and any other time a majority of over 70 is a minimum of two terms. The idea that Labour will blow a majority of well over a hundred is pie in the sky. Yes, there are a lot of challenges ahead, but Labour aren’t going to sweep in on a wave of optimism and the only bar they have to scale is “not as bad as the worst government we’ve ever had”. Expectations won’t be all that high. At the same time, there is unlikely to be a credible, electable alternative in place. The Tories, if they recover at all, will take a minimum of 10 years to sort their act out. There is a hard ceiling for Reform uncles they can comprehensively shed their ties to extremists - which they’ll never be able to do with Farage as leader. And the Lib Dems don’t have the resources to challenge nationally - their strength is in fighting targeted local battles. If the majority is anything like as big as the polls suggest, Starmer’s got at least two terms.

[@thethirdman225]

They don't either. It was a question from a subscriber.

[@chriswatson3464]

It'll happen, mark my words.

[@snowyowel7961]

Was he ever meant to serve a full term or his he selling us down the river. Seriously, keep KHAN STARMER OUT.

[@ianrogerburton1670]

Will he ? Yes but not only that: you will probably see him also become one of Britain´s greatest post-War Prime Ministers, certainly one of their most honourable.

[@Antipaxos_Nadja123]

@ianrogerburton1670 he is a compulsive liar who treats women of colour atrociously, who is projected by the IFS to engage in billions worth of spending cuts, and projected to fund the NHS less than Cameron and Osborne by the Nuffield Trust

[@scallamander4899]

He's extremely dishonest, worse than Boris. Easy claim to back up too.

[@AlunParsons]

Freddy Hayward makes a great point. I don't see how Starmer can stimulate economic growth without increasing public spending and at least some axes that will bring in significant revenue. Maybe a better trade deal with Europe could help, but that could take years to negotiate, and it won't give as good access to the EU market as membership did.

[@keithparker1346]

Why would the EU give us a better trade deal?

[@12presspart]

yes but its a start

[@peterdollins3610]

Labour will not easily find a better PM than Keir. Cameeon was always a thin corrupt talent going to the far right so bringing the other dire Tory PM's and Tory Party in. The next period is the most difficult as the Tories have poisoned the well. Deliberately.

[@stevedavy2878]

Cameron. Always a posh slick willy. I think of Used Prestige Cars of Surrey when I think of him, A born car salesman.

[@brod5079]

What a useful term sandcastle majority is. It can be well used in description of the majority the Tory’s enjoyed in the last election. I have always suspected that success was more to do with ‘get Brexit done’ than it was to do with a nationwide adoption of broader conservative principles. Neither was it entirely about Jeremy Corbyn. Without Brexit, it would have been interesting to see a Johnson Corbyn election.

[@johnmarvesley1355]

Starmer needs to remember how the large majority of Johnson dissipated so quickly and that was with the media on the Tory side.

[@davidbyster9249]

Flopsey was an incompetent Leader, with little skill at dealing with people

[@SplashTasty]

That was after 9 years in government already though. Not even remotely comparable to a new government with a huge majority. Johnson's government was a continuation of May's government to 'get brexit done' because it had been 3 years and it still hadnt happened and people were fed up. That was already after 6 years of Tory government. Its just not comparable. People were probably even saying the same thing in 1997 but look how that turned out.

[@johnmarvesley1355]

@@SplashTastyIf you don't think that from Day 1 of the Labour government that the Conservative media are not going to start attacking the government and slowly erode away their support you haven't been on this planet as long as me. They do it every, single time and the Tories are returned every single time. PR is the ONLY way to give this country proper and true democracy.

[@blackroseangel123]

Fingers crossed he doesn't host wine and cheese nights during a pandemic lockdown 😂

[@12presspart]

the media is ALWAYS on the tory side if labour or any other party put their foot slightly wrong its all over the headlines will the right wing press support reform yes they did support UKIP The uk has the most right wing press in europe

[@badcarlos551]

Johnson's majority in 2019 was a sandcastle too: he only got 25% of the total vote share despite having a large number of seats

[@Minimmalmythicist]

I think Starmer is a poor leader. He doesn´t listen to people who disagree with him, for all that may be criticised about Blair and Brown (and there is a lot), that wasn´t one of their faults, they did have people like Clare Short in their first cabinet as well as people like Frank Dobson. Starmer doesn´t deal well with disagreement or challenges. I have seen him confronted by party members angry with his stances and his purges of the leadership and he just sat there with an expression "how can people possibly challenge me". Again, I am no fan of Tony Blair, but Blair or Brown would have said "why don´t you come and talk to me about this later", or said "I understand your point of view, but I think this will be more popular with the country". Starmer just stared. It´s a great shame Andy Burnham isn´t standing for parliament. I think he is electable, he would also do a good job of listening to people he doesn´t necessarily agree with and it would be a Labour party closer to its roots.

[@pastyman001]

"Boo". says Sunak. "Labour will destroy Britain forever in 100 days". The Tories already broke it in 14 years with austerity that cut the economy, real wages and public services to desperation. They rushed and bungled a hard brexit to avoid one day of EU scrutiny and money transparency laws to apply to the UK and caused a permanent loss of 4%-5.5% of GDP including £40-£50bn in lost tax revenue p.a., according to 4 studies, including by the government. They mishandled Covid with late lockdowns and letting in an extra week of flights from India with a worse new variant, a total lack of preparation, treating PCP supplies as an opportunity to give hundreds of millions to their mates and putting patients with the disease into care homes with no protection ( 225,000 dead ). The cuts would deepen if they return and people on benefits, many of them working or sick ( 8 million and rising on NHS waiting lists) are already in debt and unable to pay bills and feed themselves. Food banks and pot holes alike, expanding and at record levels.

[@blackroseangel123]

Things can only get better

[@Gliterpirate]

I need to finally say this - Freddie is so handsome and might be the only reason I watch these videos.

[@LolLol-ne9yw]

why wouldn’t he

[@rungus24]

That's what they're discussing in the video.

[@davidclark1545]

The left will resurrect after the election is won and he’ll be forced out and replaced by Rayner…. Starmer is just a front for respectability.

[@martinmurphy9679]

@@rungus24 Why are they discussing it when he hasn't even been elected into office?

[@rungus24]

@@martinmurphy9679 People like discussing ideas. Even you are doing it now, in a way.

[@johnking5174]

I want a boring but stable Prime Minister for the next five years, and this is why Keir Starmer should be the next Prime Minister. We have had 14 years of utter chaos under five conservative Prime Ministers. Time for boring to reign.

[@gillianslater9227]

😀😃😄😁😆😅🤣😂🤢🤮

[@robertdarby6553]

The Labour Party is more disciplined that the Tories. The parliamentary party will not throw it away by making it hard for Keir Starmer. Tony Blair won two elections with huge majorities. There is no reason that Keir Starmer cannot do the same.

[@roygoad2870]

Brexit is the elephant in the room? Unless Keir Starmer can do some sort of closer relationship with Europe he’s toast!

[@tombblades]

I think he will. I believe he hasn't mentioned it in any form out of fear of losing seats in the red wall, like in 2019.

[@stephenconway2468]

I think he will make practical steps to get closer to the EU and heal the wounds. Undoing Brexit is not on the horizon though.

[@LordDim1]

@@stephenconway2468 Fully undoing Brexit, ie rejoining the EU, will probably never happen. Rejoining would see the UK without any of its old opt-outs, which would include the UK being required to adopt the Euro, which is very unpopular and a huge deal breaker to most people. An EEA-style agreement though, re entering the single market and customs union is quite likely on the far off horizon

[@stephenconway2468]

@@LordDim1 Fair comment. EFTA membership or equivalent. Just some baby steps in removing the Brexit red tape will help trade, reduce costs and improve the currency (which will lower the interest rate.

[@grahamepigney8565]

@@LordDim1 The UK will have the choice whether to join the Euro, IF and When it meets the criteria. Sweden joined the EU in 1995 with an obligation to join the Euro, and has still not chosen to progress towards joining the Euro. Joining the Euro was also rejected in a referendum by the Swedish electorate.

[@ณภัทรสุขแสง]

How can people ask such stupid questions. And how can you broadcast it?

[@Minimmalmythicist]

It´s a perfectly reasonable question. Starmer´s personal ratings are actually pretty low. Also, he´s inevitably going to get opposition from the left too. I have never thought Starmer is a good leader. He doesn´t like listening to people who disagree with him. He´s exceptionally lucky that the Tory leadership has been even worse.

[@col.hertford9855]

Click bait for the thumbnail

[@for111]

Erm... Yeah... Probably two.

[@davidfewtrell3479]

Jesus, he's not even won power yet.

[@petermoranmoran5697]

The problem with such a long run up to the election means the media need more and more inane subjects to chat about amongst themselves. Hence this totally ridiculous non debate😅

[@EnglishAbundance]

New Statesman should do a better job at filtering some of these questions 🤦‍♀️

[@mattspintosmith5285]

Would Tom Tugendhat serve a full term as Tory leader, or would he be forced out by the right wing press for having a European sounding name?

[@suewardastrologer]

Have you seriously got nothing better to report on? Just a suggestion: how about we get these Tories gone and THEN see about the incoming government? Just a thought.

[@alanknight3778]

As I'll be tuning in from Aotearoa/New Zealand, I wake up on Friday morning and the polls will just have closed in the UK. I have taken the whole of Friday off to enjoy the coverage.

[@davidbyster9249]

What a rediculously stupid question

[@slightlyconfused876]

New Statesman short of subject matter today? What a stupid topic to discuss before the election has even taken place.

[@sidensvans67]

Tories out and Tories in . Blue rinse Labour .

[@williama-d6]

is that when the election results are coming out next week Friday?

[@Charles61284]

The sooner Starmer is out the better

[@colinthompson3111]

This was an excellent discussion on scenarios. It is more likely that Keir Starmer and David Lamy receive strong push back against foreign office actions like Gaza, EU trade, or a war involving NATO. I can see Mr. Lamy being a short term Foreign Secretary. It is also possible that Labour MPs put pressure on the Chancellor over specific fiscal policies.

[@sasserine]

Just because a viewer asks a question, doesn't mean you have to humour them by debating it.

[@peterm7548]

What on earth are these baby journalists talking about. They are already discussing Starmer's downfall before he's even been elected. It shows that even so called "progressive" journalists at the New Statesman are only concerned about clicks. Terrible. I'm unsubscribing. This channel is full of padding not analysis.

[@jonaen24]

Wait a second! How many Tory PMs serve a full term?! NOT Cameron, May, Johnson, Truss, or Sunak! The last five!!!!!

[@VesiustheBoneCruncher]

I’m not trying to make a prediction about what happens at all - but I do say that the risk of things going wrong means that getting rid of FPTP should be a priority. With what’s going on with the right our system looks incredibly vulnerable if Labour become unpopular - and they will, eventually. Be it 5,10 or 15 years. Populism isn’t going away. Progressive parties need to mitigate the effects.

[@christinepeat9455]

Liebour out Reform in

[@thethirdman225]

3:11 'Not like Australia...' The current Australian government is pretty stable but i see your point. The Labor Party changed its processes so that MPs would be reigned in from panicking and changing the leader. Even though we are not a presidential system like the United States, most people still live under the illusion that we vote for Prime Ministers and when they change it's usually a very unpopular move. The experience of the Rudd/Gillard/Rudd government from 2007 to 2013 was followed by the Abbott/Turnbull/Morrison show which ended two years ago. Even if Labor wanted to oust the leader, Anthony Albanese, it can't do it without putting it to the membership, rather than just brawling in the party room. The conservatives in Australia have not yet adopted such a party policy.

[@thethirdman225]

I have a minor theory which I haven't heard expressed yet (but I'm following from Australia and we, in the Colonies, still rely on the bush telegraph, you see) but which I came up with. Sunak had a very small window of opportunity. Polls show that Labour's margin was slowly shrinking nd Reform's popularity was rising to the point where they are now too close to the Tories for comfort. If Sunak wanted the Tories to remain the major opposition party, he had to move fast. At the same time he needed to save the furniture.

[@TC8787-yq7og]

Corbyn in the thumbnail for some reason? Good god the media are terrified at the idea of anyone wanting a fair society getting anywhere near power again 😂😂

[@MrGB1999]

"Radical solutions" wouldn't get Labour elected (see: Jeremy Corbyn). Furthermore, radical solutions freak markets out = worsening economic situation. Labour is in a very tough spot. However, 5 years is a hell of a long time. It will (hopefully) have a mandate that will carry it through. If there is economic pick up and no new destabalisers over that period, Labour should be able to tell the electorate that it can push harder for reforms and public spending in 5 years time. Labour simply does not have either the historical or demographical landscape to act as it wishes - far less so than the right wing. Perhaps this will change, but it only changes if the first stages of transition in this country are small and careful. Walking before running, if you will. I do think this essentially liberal country with more nationalist margins does have the time and space needed for a centrist-left party to succeed. But none of this happens overnight. It's almost the same debate as Rejoin. We might want it tomorrow. In reality, it is a long term and tragically slow process.

[@Minimmalmythicist]

Starmer will be hopeless in my opinion. He´ll be Britain´s François Hollande and he´ll end up annoying everyone, he´ll annoy people on his left and his right. I think Andy Burnham would have been a much better choice for Labour leader, he´s much better at dealing with people than Starmer is.

[@connie3632]

The best thing about Keir is he is one of a very determined group of loyal colleagues.

[@modestproposal9114]

We could have the situation that Starmer has a huge majority with less votes than Corbyn in 2017.

[@keithparker1346]

It's likely imo

[@timt5381]

Will Faridge ever turn up for work this time? Is a more common interesting question Last job he had included 361 days holiday PA - alright for some.

[@kimgrant3879]

Bit rich considering the tories had 5 prime ministers.

[@geoffsclassiccars]

L is for Labour L is for Lice

[@RobinHarris-nf4yv]

Freddie says Labour won’t be able to adopt the “radical policies the country requires” Let me rephrase that: “Labour haven’t adopted the radical policies which Freddie thinks the country requires and the public voted against in 2017 and 2019” Labour are only ahead in the polls because they’ve promised to maintain tight fiscal policy…..once they have won they can ditch it.

[@prideofdurham4776]

Got an awful feeling that Labour will do a Tory and Starmer will hand over leadership after maybe a year , we could have 2/3 unelected PMs again.

[@christopherflux6254]

Unless he’s ill or becomes incredibly unpopular, why would he never serve a full term? I could see him serve two terms.

[@cardwitch91]

People have become so warped by the Tories they’re acting as though PMs being removed from power is a normal thing. It isn’t.

[@Antipaxos_Nadja123]

Lots of people seem outraged that this is even being asked, but why? He's going to be prime minister in less than a week, and no, no one serious beleives that the polls will be so wrong the Tories will actually win, it makes sense to pay attention to what may occur with the next government, and how he has behaved in opposition, and trends from previous governments, are valid indicators of that

[@BiggusDiggusable]

First question is super dumb

[@derekwhyle1884]

I don’t think Keir Starmer will be there for one term. My money is on him serving at least two.

[@JC-oy9ou]

Keir Starmer is Not stupid he can serve 12 years as PM.

[@chrisjourneyman]

It's a veneer of unity.

[@soutteruk1]

I look forward to no prime minister fulfilling one single term in office. Vote 'emm in - Vote 'emm out!

[@mskatonic7240]

Unless he has health problems, why wouldn't he? Also WHY does the thumbnail have Corbyn's picture on it. Starmer literally kicked him out of Labour and he's not coming back. Even if Starmer does step down at some point, Corbyn isn't going to replace him.

[@scallamander4899]

Starmer won't do anything about the economic inequality that is driving down living conditions for so many of us. I'd be surprised he lasts more than one election.

[@briansaiditsoitmustbetrue4206]

It will be a LONG time before we see the Conservatives in power again (If ever)

[@stevenbatley8666]

He should serve twenty years!

[@bobmason1361]

Should have had John Bercow as Leader. He'd put things in Orrrrderrrr!!!

[@kevinwells768]

Forget that,. The big question is: where does that Freddie boy live?. I want to buy that house. Oh, and you;re obviously paying him too much.

[@preachyourstory3452]

Did The New Statesman discuss this question in relation to Boris Johnson in 2019? If not, you're being incredibly inconsistent in favour of right wing politics. BTW, don't come back with 'someone asked the question' - you made the choice to discuss this question ahead of others.

[@dereks1264]

It will never be as shambolic as the Tories.

[@Axel-g8e]

What makes a great leader? Events, dear boy, events Starmer is lucky in a way, all the things he has to fix are not his parties doing, so there is no internal, back bench politics to deal with

[@PeterGreen-t8c]

Of course he will and he'll successfully campaign to win the next one too

[@mikenayler5281]

He won’t last 6 months. He has no real answer to how he is going to achieve what’s in his manifesto. None of it adds up and in parliament he will be pulled to shreds. Welcome the Reform Party…. Who will be forming the next government. ❤Reform.

[@timwoodger7896]

If Andrew Feinstein wins his seat he won’t be PM 🤞

[@samm3071]

JC for PM 🙏 Starmer is not what the country needs, we need a PM who cares about people and communities and not hyper focused on restricting money to NHS, the disabled, unemployed, and fraudulently giving mates large contracts.

[@Simadatta1960SIMA]

He shall serve five years i think a government needs to be there for five years term its nothing but five years shall be there .He shall serve his term in the office he had not become PM yet unless he take oath

[@joffey1212]

If he lasts till 2025 he will have done well

[@queenie1949]

London Mayor Khan will run in first vacant Labour MP seat election then will take over as PM in less than 18 months😮

[@Trendycosmetics-os6gh]

Starmer won't win GE to start with. Starmer is so evasive and unfit to rule

[@bradleybeaumont9202]

Let’s return to this comment when they get a 100 + seat majority. Fool.

[@geoffsclassiccars]

Reform Reform Reform

[@pastyman001]

Vote tactically to get rid of the Tories

[@georgerobartes2008]

I give Starmer and Labour a year or sooner as civil unrest is imminent.

[@johntheaccountant5594]

Labour will win with a clear majority so will serve the full term because the labour MPs want easy money for the 5 years. Keir Starmer will probably also last the 5 years as the Prime Minister on the basis that there is no replacement for him is there?

[@pj1471]

Really? Give him a chance. We have not even had the election yet.

[@stevenwilliamson6236]

What about Faiza and Diane Abbott?

[@garyb455]

Vote Labour, Study hard, get a good job, work hard and we will "redistribute" your money to someone who didn't. The good news is it will be the shortest Honeymoon in history, there are huge changes coming, Reforms support will explode when Labour fail which wont be long.

[@jabberwockytdi8901]

What's the point of Corbyn in the thumbnail? he ain't coming back that's for sure.

[@buzzukfiftythree]

Can we just wait and see before making ridiculous speculation about Starmer’s future?

[@herbertvonzinderneuf8547]

The Chattering Classes talking about 2029 election, before this one is over.

[@stephenward4569]

Have you nothing better to discuss than this?

[@oldAJ]

God we hope he will stand down pronto

[@susanthompson5381]

Yes he will he will a great priminister why do you say this he cable to do the work this country needs now the tories have destroyed our country and put working people into poverty so bring on labour l can’t wait for them to get into number 10

[@stephengrice1678]

If, but, maybe.

[@mattadders9819]

Lammy or Khan to supplant him within 3 years

[@chriselliott726]

Yes.

[@xavierhucklenbruch1798]

Maybe win first ????

[@oneoflokis]

Hopefully not! Sir Turncoat.. .