SAM FREEDMAN
Less than two weeks into the life of the new government it is still in its optimistic phase. All crises are the fault of the last lot; mistakes can be waved off as teething problems; the Lobby is desperate for access; and rhetorical ambition can be passed off as a plan. Labour are aided in this by the sheer awfulness of the last few years, which makes the bar for apparent competence very low.
But we are already seeing early examples of the types of issue that will cause more pain as the months pass. For instance, opposition parties, and irreconcilable left-wing MPs, used the King’s Speech debate to highlight tensions within Labour over the two-child limit.
The vast majority of Labour MPs and advisers consider it to be an indefensible policy, given removing it would take 600,000 children out of poverty. Yet, almost by accident, it became, in opposition, a symbol of Keir Starmer and Rachel Reeves’ determination to emphasise fiscal prudence over redistribution.
It will fail to generate much public dissent from backbenchers for now, beyond the usual suspects. It’s too early for a substantial rebellion, and most internal critics of the policy will be content, for now, with the hurried announcement of a taskforce on child poverty, with hints this will cover the two-child limit.
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