Delivery key to tackling ‘snake oil of populism’ across Europe, says Starmer

Sir Keir Starmer has said progressive parties delivering on their commitments is the “best player” in dealing with “the snake oil of populism and nationalism”.

The Prime Minister met with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz in Berlin on Wednesday to discuss a range of issues including collaborative action on immigration.

Sir Keir’s first month in No 10 was dominated by anti-immigration riots across England and Northern Ireland that targeted mosques and injured police officers.

In June’s European elections, far-right parties made significant gains, with French president Emmanuel Macron dissolving the country’s parliament after National Rally topped the popular vote.

In Germany, the right-wing, anti-immigration party Alternative for Germany (AfD) won 16% of the vote in the European elections, finishing ahead of Mr Scholz’s Social Democratic Party (SPD).

Concern

Speaking to reporters in Berlin, Sir Keir said the UK needed to “be alive” to the challenge of populism and nationalism.

He said: “There are a number of reasons for my concern. Partly, what’s happening in the UK, partly what we can see happening in other European countries, including in France and in Germany.

“I think that the challenge has to be met by democracy and by progressives, and we have to have a joint discussion about what that means across Europe and beyond, which I’m very keen to pursue with progressive parties.

“And ultimately, I think that delivery and honesty is the best player dealing with the snake oil of populism and nationalism, which is why I set out the tough measures I did yesterday in my speech, but also why I’m absolutely determined that we’re going to deliver on the promises that we’ve made.”

In a speech in the Downing Street rose garden on Tuesday, Sir Keir claimed his Government had inherited a “societal black hole” from the Conservatives, evidenced by the rioting which he condemned at the time as “far-right thuggery”.

The Prime Minister told reporters in Berlin that the UK needed to have a “better response” to the threat of populism, something he said occupied his time.

Asked which countries he thought were dealing with the threat of populism well, Sir Keir said: “I think it’s a different challenge in different countries and I’m not going to say, look, this is the one country or party that’s got it absolutely right.

“But I do feel strongly that we have to have a better response in the UK to this.

“And that is for those who believe in democracy and those who believe in progressive democracy in particular, to discuss, learning from each other around the world.

“But I’ll be really clear, it is something that occupies my time. I do think in the end, delivery is the way forward. It’s about a disaffection in politics, the easy answer is appealing if people don’t think there’s a better answer, and so progressives have to provide the better answer.”

Sir Keir was pressed on Government reaction to violence at the Notting Hill Carnival, where a woman was stabbed after she was caught up in a confrontation between two groups of men, while attending the family day of the event with her child.

The Prime Minister said he condemned “any violence from anyone in the same terms”.

He said: “I was very clear about the 2011 riots, which had a different genesis to the recent riots, using very similar language and adopting many of the same approaches. In relation to that, obviously, I prosecuted for five years across the board, all sorts of crimes.

“So I’m very happy to say that wherever it comes from, whoever’s perpetrating it, is all in the same book, as far as I’m concerned, and I will condemn anyone using violence.”