The Big Political Trap Keir Starmer and Rachel Reeves Are Walking Into

The Labour leadership's determination to fight the battles of the past risks the long term survival of their political project

When Ed Miliband stood down as Labour leader in 2015 it was widely assumed that Andy Burnham was a shoo-in to replace him. The former Health Secretary had broad support across both the parliamentary party and the membership and the ensuing contest was seen as almost a formality. 

Yet by the time the votes were finally counted, Burnham had come a distant second to a little known backbencher who had only made it onto the ballot as a gesture from those who assumed they already had the contest in the bag.

Determined not to make the same mistake again, those around Keir Starmer have spent the past few years marginalising and in some cases excluding those on the left of the party, while gradually abandoning most of the platform Starmer was first elected on.

But while the decision to ditch his £28 billion pledge may mark the ultimate triumph of the right of the party, it also exposes a huge trap Starmer and his team now risk walking themselves blindly into.

Here’s why.