Tony Blair has warned Keir Starmer he cannot win power until voters are “clear what Labour stands for”, as he holds a festival to push forward new political ideas.
The Future of Britain conference has raised eyebrows because of appearances by former Conservative Cabinet ministers – but without boasting any senior Labour figures.
Sir Tony denied he has “given up on Labour” and praised his party’s leader for an “enormous amount of progress” since its disastrous 2019 election defeat under Jeremy Corbyn.
But he urged Sir Keir to consider “the ideas we are putting forward”, pointing to three huge challenges; a technology revolution, the ‘net zero’ commitment and the damage from Brexit.
“If Labour sets out its stall with those type of ideas, that is what can seal the deal with the British people,” the three-times election winner told BBC Radio 4.
He added: “We’ve got to be absolutely frank with ourselves. If we want to win, it’s going to be on the basis that people are absolutely clear what Labour is and what it stands for.”
The comments reflect wider fears among the architects of New Labour’s 1997 triumph that a cautious Sir Keir is still failing to set out a clear policy agenda.
Peter Mandelson told The Spectator magazine: “At the moment, too many voters have no clear idea of who Starmer is. He needs to define himself before his opponents do it for him.”
Sir Tony noted that the Labour leadership is promising new policy ideas “later this year”, after Sir Keir confirmed he has ripped up the doomed 2019 manifesto.
“In a way, this conference, I mean the ideas we’re putting forward are available for anybody,” he said.
The next election would be “as much about Labour as it is about the Conservatives”, he argued, adding: “People will think ‘Yeah, OK, in principle, we should put the Conservatives out’.
“But, before they make that change, they’ve got to be sure of Labour.” Sir Keir is “entirely capable of doing that”, he added.
The former Labour leader said he had been approached in the past by people seeking start a new party”, but insisted: “I was not involved in creating a new party.”
The Future of Britain conference will feature appearances by former Conservative big-hitters Rory Stewart and David Gauke, plus the party’s former Scottish leader Ruth Davidson.
Sir Tony was left disappointed after hopes of attracting Emmanuel Macron – who achieved a centrist march to power in France – were thwarted by a clash with the Nato conference.
Sir Keir has calmed some of the criticism of his leadership with the Wakefield byelection win, but remains under pressure ahead of a crucial autumn conference.
