The Guardian View on Labour's Difficult Year: Denial of Hard Choices Is No Longer an Option
Labour faces a difficult year as Keir Starmer struggles to present a renewal agenda and a plausible national plan. The editorial highlights a pattern of short prime ministerial tenures since David Cameron, suggesting systemic instability in British politics.
Labour’s challenges are framed as stemming from broader structural issues including voter dissatisfaction, economic malaise since 2007-08, stagnant wages, and a high cost of living, compounded by the impacts of Covid, the Ukraine war, and Brexit. The November budget is criticized for deferring hard choices while relying on stealth taxes and optimistic growth projections. Rachel Reeves' warnings about broad-based tax rises that could breach manifesto pledges are noted.
The editorial describes “cakeism” as a persistent flaw across parties; a tendency to promise voters benefits while dodging costs. Boris Johnson’s Brexit approach is cited as a precedent for this, with similar attitudes persisting on issues like social care and climate. Labour won power in 2024 on a cakeist manifesto, but by 2025 delivering those promises became untenable. The editorial suggests MPs may pursue new leadership, noting the habit of changing prime ministers amid systemic failure.
It concludes by calling for a more honest account of Britain’s predicament and clearer policy prescriptions by 2026, while acknowledging the incentives within Westminster that discourage candour.
