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In the run up to the 97 election Labour was under constant attack - fiscally incompetent. Much of the work was to reposition Labour as economically prudent. I first knew this was working when I heard commuters talking seriously about a Lab government instead of the usual jokes.
It was much later that, having gained a degree of trust and respect, the spending pledges were launched which became extremely popular and sealed the deal. It seems Starmer has learnt the same lesson. It doesn’t matter how many goodies you dangle in front of the electorate...
...if you’re not trusted to deliver, you won’t win. When my working class Tory dad and Labour mum were alive the one thing that united them politically was wanting a government they could trust with their money. (After that the rows could start).
There is time to develop a comprehensive programme for government. But you cannot simply offer the world and then ask people to trust you. It has to be the other way round. Recovery Bonds may not be sexy, nor on many phone canvassers lips in the local elections.
But trade union leaders, business leaders, bankers (heaven help us) and, eventually, the media will get it and that will allow the groundwork to be laid for a manifesto. One that will not only rebuild Britain, but one which Labour will be trusted to deliver.
People who are critical for all the wrong reasons of a speech 4 years out from a general election would probably benefit from reading the memoirs of people (all parties, all countries) who won elections. To paraphrase Carville “it’s the strategy, Stupid.”
