Robert Shrimsley (“Starmer can’t escape politics of performance”, Opinion, August 29) is undoubtedly correct that a touch of pizzazz can transform a politician’s profile — look at the contrast between the impact of Joe Biden and Kamala Harris on the Democratic party in the US.
But here Sir Keir Starmer and Rachel Reeves appear to be in lockstep in pursuing a baleful and boring public persona, which means, if they were attracted by a plan of adding some stardust to Labour’s performance, they would have to look elsewhere.
Leading politicians do not lightly promote potential competitors into positions of influencing public perceptions. I would think therefore that Starmer is probably taking some solace from the recent example of David Cameron and George Osborne, whose relentlessly “miserabilist” line of austerity and blaming the previous government was rewarded in 2015 with an election victory, and Tory majority.
Raj Parkash
London W4, UK
