It is genuinely surprising that an astute performer like Keir Starmer allowed an easily avoidable row over expensive gifts to partly overshadow what should have been a triumphant opening of his first Labour Party conference as UK prime minister yesterday.
However, the episode summed up wider concerns about his attitude to a number of issues as the political honeymoon he had enjoyed since his overwhelming general election victory in July came to an abrupt end.
Starmer worked tirelessly, and some would say ruthlessly, to make Labour electable again since becoming party leader four years ago, only to stumble significantly as the full extent of his dealings with wealthy benefactors began to emerge as he settled into Downing Street.
He accepted suits and spectacles worth over £16,000, and failed to declare further items given to his wife, Victoria, valued at £5,000, and the idea that he was handed complimentary, top-of-the-range clothing after cutting winter fuel allowances for many pensioners caused considerable anger.
Starmer was forced into an embarrassing announcement on Friday that he and senior colleagues would refuse similar donations in future, but the damage had already been done, and his deputy, Angela Rayner, found herself under a further uncomfortable spotlight yesterday while denying that she had broken regulations when holidaying in a luxury New York apartment owned by a millionaire Labour supporter.
The prime minister’s interview with BBC NI on Thursday was also unimpressive, as he spoke in noticeably vague terms about the prospect of providing further funding for the redevelopment of Casement Park in west Belfast, just days after abandoning a major grant for the stadium which would have facilitated the massive benefits associated with hosting the 2028 European football championships.
Starmer said he needed to see an “alternative proposition”, and declined to make a commitment to further resources, even though he was well aware that the evasive and contradictory stance of successive British governments was primarily responsible for causing the entire Casement debacle.
His comments on the legacy debate were just as unconvincing, particularly given his detailed knowledge of the area from his former role as a human rights advisor to the Northern Ireland Policing Board.
While it was positive that his administration at long last authorised a public inquiry into the assassination of lawyer Pat Finucane, it was bitterly disappointing that he declined to take a similar step over the murder of GAA official Sean Brown, despite a specific request from a coroner.
Mr Starmer’s reputation has taken an unexpectedly early battering on both sides of the Irish Sea, and it would be appropriate if he began the process of acknowledging errors of judgement during his keynote conference speech tomorrow.
