Starmerism exists!

Alan Finlayson claims that "the shape of Starmerism-to-come is hard to make out" because of his lack of political speeches, but during the leadership campaign, there were plenty (Labour has to decide: is there such a thing as Starmerism? 10/09/20)! Thousands of us who voted for him remember his pledges to endorse the majority of the last election`s Labour manifesto; promises on increasing income tax for the wealthy and corporate tax, on state ownership, and on clamping down on tax avoidance, among many others, were made in an effort to unite the party. It may be inappropriate to repeat all of them now, but Labour members will not forget them. Clearly it is not the time for "retail politics", as Finlayson states, but the pandemic crisis cannot mean the end for political opposition or the continued support for "the institutions, people and professions most needed" not only during an emergency, but in more normal times when inequality has to be targeted. Remember how Starmer insisted that key workers "were last, and now should be first"? Finlayson is wrong to say that currently "there is no alternative", but it is certainly up to Starmer to be more forceful in its presentation.His speeches should be dominating the headlines, not the lack of recent ones occupying editorials and political columns!