England has become a “scruffy country” under the Conservative government and Labour does not want to win a general election “by default” according to Liverpool City Region Metro Mayor Steve Rotheram.
If conventional thinking is to be believed, we are a little more than 12 months away from the country going to the polls to elect its next government. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and Sir Keir Starmer, leader of the Labour Party, have been setting out their stalls to the electorate last week in opposing speeches detailing their priorities for 2023.
Political polls have the opposition around 21 points ahead going into the New Year and with party officials hopeful Sir Keir could lead them into government for the first time since 2010. Among them are Mr Rotheram, himself a former MP for Liverpool Walton from 2010 to 2017.
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Despite Labour riding consistently high in the polls, Mr Rotheram called on the party to set out a vision of hope. He said: “I said to Keir (Starmer) when we were in Leeds, let's not win this by default.
“In other words, it's not just people voting against the Tories, they have to vote for something. I think we need this compelling narrative, this vision of what a Labour government can do for this country.”
Since taking up his role at Mann Island after leaving Whitehall, the Metro Mayor has been a passionate advocate for devolution and for more powers to be given to local authorities. He said a lack of investment outside London had left the rest of the UK needing an upgrade.
He said: “Genuinely over the last few years, if you think back to how things were and where they are now, because it's been gradual, you don't necessarily see, but this country, the infrastructure in this country is creaking, every every single bit of it. I think if people come over here, other than in London, I think they’d be really surprised at the state of things at this moment in time.
“You can’t continually cut funding to our local authorities and then expect that they will be able to do the things that they used to do. I just think we’ve started to look like a scruffy country.”
During his time in Westminster, Mr Rotheram served as former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn’s parliamentary private secretary, essentially his eyes and ears around the House of Commons. Since then, Mr Corbyn has had the whip removed by Sir Keir for his response to an investigation into anti-semitism within the Labour Party and questions remain about whether he would stand for the party at the next election.
Mr Rotheram said he had a constructive relationship with the current leader but still held Mr Corbyn in high regard. Of Sir Keir, he said: “I think it’s fine, in as much as he’s the leader of my party and when he’s doing something that engages us, I’m involved.
“For instance I was able to speak at party conference.” On Mr Corbyn, the Metro Mayor added: “Jeremy, for me, was still probably one of the most honest people I've ever met.
“I understand all of the complexities to how we're currently where we are with Jeremy, but the party has moved on. He might stand as an MP and this is where I think local people should have the say. It was what happened with Ian Byrne (Labour MP for Liverpool West Derby) and Anthony Lavelle, local people should be able to decide.
“Whether he wants to, I don’t know.”
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