The slow implosion of Keir Starmer’s government is the ultimate repudiation of ‘Labour minimalism’ | Andy Beckett

2026-02-15 - 12:25

This dominant tradition in the party has long insisted on appeasing powerful interests. But it’s unsuited to modern times Labour is a more complicated political party than most. For over a century, it has tried to contain warring traditions, philosophies and factions. Internal disagreements have been driven not just by personal rivalries, but by profound differences about how, and how much, to challenge Britain’s deeply embedded arrangements of power and wealth. The party’s current crisis, while most directly caused by Keir Starmer’s political shortcomings and the chillingly selective morality of Peter Mandelson, is really the result of one Labour tradition demonstrably failing in government to meet the needs of today’s world. Often dominant in the party, especially over the past 40 years, you could call that tradition Labour minimalism. Andy Beckett is a Guardian columnist Continue reading...