The View from Westminster

Monday, December 4, 2023 Should Keir Starmer have praised Margaret Thatcher?   The question of the day was asked by John McTernan, Tony Blair's former political secretary, this morning. He argued that Keir Starmer had been badly advised to praise Margaret Thatcher in his Sunday Telegraph article. McTernan said that there are no swing Tory voters left to persuade, because Conservative support is so low. The Thatcher line "wins over no wavering voters but risks losing the goodwill of a wide range of his supporters, old and new". I disagree. It is a common view that Thatcher was a conviction politician who changed the country, and that that firmness of purpose rather than her policies is admirable.  McTernan wants Starmer to focus on offering "change" to a nation that is hungry for it. But the problem is that there is no money, and no one believes Labour is going to transform the country overnight. Thatcher didn't. Starmer is quite right to emphasise reassurance, reassurance and reassurance.  Quiz question  Which constituency was James Cleverly, the home secretary, allegedly rude about (he said he was only rude about its Labour MP)? Answer at the bottom of today's email Daily briefing Rishi Sunak's popularity plunges to record low among Tory members Conservative Home survey even worse news for James Cleverly, home secretary, whose rating has crashed Leaked email reveals Starmer's team vetoed Thatcher criticism in 2021 Labour leader stopped frontbencher Sam Tarry attacking her 'failed' transport policies Free childcare pledge 'doomed to fail' as thousands of nurseries close Ofsted figures show 17,800 fewer childcare places available over past year Most commented Articles driving the biggest conversations Thousands gather at mass vigil to speak out against antisemitism and anti-Muslim hate Can Victoria Atkins, the new health secretary, save the NHS from a winter crisis? What else do you need to know today? ● James Cleverly, the home secretary who might have to be described now as "the beleaguered home secretary", has announced a five-point plan in the Commons to deal with legal immigration; it won't satisfy the Bravermanites ● Keir Starmer gave a speech about "securonomics"; the text is here; I have searched for "green" (0), "clean energy" (1), and 28, as in £28bn a year Green Prosperity Plan (0) ● Boris Johnson asked security officials to plan a raid on a Dutch vaccine factory to retrieve 5 million doses of the Covid jab that had been "stolen" by the EU – Jason Groves in the Daily Mail Reading list ● I wrote at the weekend about Prof Rob Ford's Canada 1993 scenario, first previewed in this newsletter: the Tories could face wipeout, losing Home Counties graduates to the Lib Dems, core vote anti-immigrationists to Reform/Brexit and losing to Labour everywhere ● Ndileke Mandela says that more action on climate change is what her grandfather would have wanted  ● Tom Whitwell's "52 things I learned in 2023"  Inside the bubble Our political commentator Andrew Grice on what to look out for tomorrow Rishi Sunak will chair the cabinet, as ministers try to reach a compromise on how to make the government's plans to send asylum seekers to Rwanda legally watertight. Victoria Atkins will answer Commons questions as health secretary for the first time at 11.30am.  Labour will use an opposition day debate to call for the water industry regulator Ofwat to be given the power to ban bonus payments to bosses whose companies pollute rivers, lakes and seas. David Cameron will answer questions in the Lords at 3.10pm for the first time since becoming foreign secretary – on Ukraine, Belarus, Afghanistan and relations with the EU. Quotation of the day "A bill to ban no fault evictions that doesn't ban no fault evictions. A bill to end leasehold that doesn't end leasehold. The topsy turvy Tories are down the rabbit hole – and through the looking glass." Angela Rayner, deputy Labour leader Quiz answer: Stockton North The Independent proudly partners with Refuge and the National Domestic Abuse Helpline: 0808 2000 247 Join the conversation or follow us Download the free Independent app Please do not reply directly to this email   You are currently registered to receive The Independent's View From Westminster newsletter.   To unsubscribe from The Independent's View From Westminster newsletter, or to manage your email preferences please click here.   This e-mail was sent by Independent Digital News and Media Ltd, 14-18 Finsbury Square, London EC2A 1AH. Registered in England and Wales with company number 07320345 Read our privacy notice and cookie policy