Sir Keir Starmer is a prisoner of the politics he pledged to end
When rigmarole becomes reality
Of all the distortions and deceits that Sir Keir Starmer deployed in order to reach Downing Street, one stands out. It was not the promise of free tuition fees offered to left-wing Labour members, ditched after the leadership contest was over. It was not the solemn pledge to forgo tax rises on income, vat or national insurance made at the last election, which will be smashed in the budget on November 26th.
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This article appeared in the Britain section of the print edition under the headline “When rigmarole becomes reality ”
From the November 15th 2025 edition
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A slimy scheme to avoid property tax
From snail farms to sham churches—the British will do anything to dodge taxes
British businesses say they are furious with the government
But they are behaving more bullishly than they sound
Labour’s tax-and-spend policy has been dominated by wild gambling
In the budget on November 26th that must change
Why Britain may have stopped sharing some intelligence with America
And how America might respond
Blighty newsletter: Labour retreats to its comfort zone
What might a broken promise tell us about Sir Keir Starmer’s party?
The BBC’s boss quits over a “doctored” Trump speech
Shifts in politics and the media business are making the broadcaster more crisis-prone
