'The cost of living crisis will continue to bite long after Coronation memories'

07 May 2023 , 21:48

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Prime Minister Rishi Sunak (Image: Getty Images)

Roman Emperors ruled with bread and circuses and the cost of living crisis will continue to bite in Britain long after memories fade of the weekend’s £250million Royal show.

With most people likely to feel worse off at the next General Election than they did at the last, Keir Starmer scents the sweet prospect of victory and Rishi Sunak the dreaded stink of defeat.

The expensive coronation interrupted Labour celebrations and the respite will be painfully brief for the Conservatives because the dire state of the economy isn’t the only ace in Labour’s hand.

The ailing NHS and crime, criminal justice a Tory trump until they threw it away by collapsing the system, give the opposition a strong suit. And poker-faced Starmer’s switched insults to focus voters on what they don’t like about Sunak.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak leaves Tory HQ after the party suffered huge council losses (PA)

Local election celebrations were cut short for Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer (PA)

Yes, he’s still weak, knocked around by NIMBY smug Tories who hate building houses or lack compassion for refugees fleeing terror. But branding this Prime Minister out of touch chimed more readily on doorsteps during council elections that were very good for Labour and really terrible for the Conservatives.

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The wealthiest No 10 tenant in modern history with his own private GP on call and the security of more money than he could spend in 1,000 lifetimes is a big target in cost of living, health and crime crises.

Starmer still to seal the deal to guarantee a Labour majority Government is an electoral fact despite Labour scoring its best local triumph since Tony Blair’s heyday.

Another way of looking at the party’s position is this is close to a miracle after he inherited the fewest Labour MPs since 1935 after Boris Johnson’s Tories thrashed Labour four years ago.

Bread not circuses will determine how most people vote.

They’ve gone stale on the Tories, rejecting crumbs from the rich PM’s table and living on crusts.

Starmer uses his loaf and comes up with fresh goods this Autumn then a basket load more next year and the keys to No 10 will be his.

What’s more he knows it. That’s not fatal triumphalism. It’s reading a country fed up with the Tories and yearning for hope. China.

Kevin Maguire