The Guardian view on standards in politics: a golden reform opportunity squandered | Editorial

Labour’s changes are too feeble and too late. These new bodies should have been launched long agoA year ago, following Labour’s election win and the Conservative rout, the new government’s standing could hardly have been higher or its opportunities greater. The political field lay open, in ways that it only does after an election, for serious political reform. One of the most trenchant sections of Sir Keir Starmer’s election manifesto had pinpointed “a crisis of confidence in our political system”. Labour had accordingly promised “a reset in our public life”.Twelve months ago, the voters gave permission to Sir Keir to do just that. Fatally, he failed to seize the opportunity. Instead, the chance to make radical change to Britain’s government and politics has largely been squandered. As a result, the work of rebuilding confidence has become harder than ever, as the continuing rise of Reform UK makes clear.Do you have an opinion on the issues raised in this article? If you would like to submit a response of up to 300 words by email to be considered for publication in our letters section, please click here. Continue reading...

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