Has Labour abandoned the left?

Would a young Starmer join the Labour party today? Ellen and Alona are joined by Tom Clark, contributing editor at Prospect, who thinks not. From defending misfit environmentalists to denouncing them in the Daily Mail, Starmer’s evolution might dismay some on the left of the party. Once he was a young human rights lawyer and now he is a prime minister punishing MPs for rebelling on child poverty or arming Israel. Tom’s column received some criticism on Bluesky from those who see this as pragmatism befitting the UK's highest political office. But Tom analyses why Starmer’s “strongman” strategy might not be as electorally effective as he hopes. With Labour tanking in the polls, Reform UK is projected to be ahead for the first time. In the upcoming local elections, will Labour be a party for young people? And does this matter? Plus, Ellen and Alona discuss London nightlife: banger or dud? To read Tom’s column “Starmer is governing against his younger self”, head to https://www.prospectmagazine.co.uk/politics/labour-party/69157/keir-starmer-governing-against-younger-self-labour And to read our magazine cover piece on the battle between Labour and Reform, click here: https://www.prospectmagazine.co.uk/politics/69111/labour-vs-reform-farage-starmer