One-man Band

‘ “Fighting must stop now” in Gaza, says Starmer.’

It’s “fighting” that must stop, you’ll notice. Not the Israelis, who even now are not held to be responsible. But why is “now” so specially different from a month ago, or two months ago, or whenever Jess Phillips and various other shadow cabinet members were forced to give up their post for saying exactly the same thing?

They’re different, of course. They are not the leader who - as Blair and Mandelson are no doubt repeating daily - is in a very special, responsible position of having to decide, and is therefore always right. Except that in this situation, Starmer is blatantly, obviously wrong, and should have the decency to say so. But then again, Blair and Mandelson won’t let him, because that’s not what leaders do.

Starmer continually speaks as if he is simply a wise statesman acting on his own, rather than the leader of a party, to whom he could be accountable. If he’s so desperate to claim sole responsibility for transforming the Labour Party single-handed, he should have the honest to admit it when he cocks things up.