6 days Ago By John Longworth - Independent Business Network
Sir Keir Starmer has seen the opportunity in President Trump’s reset, a golden opportunity for the Labour Party to reset after its disastrous start in government. Better to be born lucky than clever the saying goes, a bit like with Napoleon’s favourite generals. The hollow man Starmer has found his perfect moment in history, the shapeshifting, ultimate pragmatist who believes in nothing but that the exercising of power is made for the politics of now.
But our Prime Minister will need to build some certainty with regard to policy direction, which equates to meaning what he says, a challenge given Sir Keir's track record. This will be vital for business planning, security planning and for investment all round. Having a newfound licence to strike out in a new direction is producing rumours that the Government may pursue policies that will be positive and actually produce results, policies which are beneficial for the nation, the sorts of things that the Conservatives should have done when in government.
But can this be believed? Take for example Starmer as the newfound champion of free trade. Will he really go for it? He claims to be cosying up to the EU, itself a protectionist, big tariff cartel which Mr Trump is right to call out. Getting enmeshed in the EU tariff and non-tariff barriers would be retrograde and damaging to free trade.
Instead the PM should be engaging the Commonwealth and the trans-Pacific trade groups of which we are members, as well as negotiating with the USA. We should be trading with the world. PM Starmer is the same man who championed the Inheritance Tax punishment beatings of farmers and family businesses in general.
This is wrong, it is theft and will ultimately destroy the private business community on which the economy depends. It is properly Marxist. What he has not done however, is to stop protecting farmers from competition, protectionism that increases the cost of living and bears down on the poorest in our country most of all.
Trade barriers on food were removed in the 19th Century and yet we see them today. Yes, support hill farming communities, but why barley barons? Chicken producers? And even more importantly, why are we protecting Italian tomato producers, orange-growers in Spain, years after we left the EU by continuing with EU tariffs for things we do not produce? All this may favour country landowners, including the Royal Family, but it's at the expense of working people on the breadline. Surely Labour of all parties should be getting rid of tariffs and ridiculous non-tariff barriers for this reason.
Mr Trump is correct about this. Farmers have been only too ready to give up production and take the green shilling for “wilding” and stewardship, otherwise known as welfare for the rich, while the thought of government supporting strategic industries like steel are an anathema. Then there's Net Zero.
Now is the moment that Starmer could roll back the ruinous and useless Net Zero doctrine with respect to which we are global leaders with no following. A favourite of the Royal Family, wind farms are a royal money spinner. A new approach to Net Zero would simultaneously reduce the cost of living and the cost of doing business.
Exploiting gas and oil would be a major boost to exports and give time for the development of nuclear, once something in which Britain led. Rather than ruinous virtue-signalling which will lead to no better outcome for climate change, the PM can lead a return to industrialisation and hard power, including an adequate nuclear deterrent. If Starmer is feeling particularly brave he would be wise to use the changed world to attack the other great deity of modern Britain, “our NHS” and instead create a service delivery organisation rather than a third-rate Marxist institution at the heart of a capitalist society.
It should not matter who delivers healthcare provided it is accessible to all and of high quality. Supply and demand need to be rebalanced with some sort of National Health Insurance and small charges to ensure it is valued, rather than abused. Why not have competing private health delivery services run for the benefit of the customer rather than an organisation run for the benefit of those who work in the NHS, often to the detriment of patient experience? Everyone has an NHS horror story.
A mental health kick up the backside and some national resilience would also help. Perhaps a nation in which people can take pride would be a start. The list of possibilities for “change” afforded by the Trump revolution is long.
It is just possible that the shape-shifting hollow man may seize the opportunity and shift what is heading to be the worst UK government in living memory, onto a different track. Sir Keir has the potential to become the most conservative PM for some time. Former MEP John Longworth is an entrepreneur and businessman and Chairman of the Independent Business Network of family businesses.
