![A vote to rebuild Britain](https://cdn.magzter.com/1588175420/1720780830/articles/3qmioYwQS1720782961952/A-VOTE-TO-REBUILD-BRITAIN.jpg)
THE HAND OF HISTORY rested only lightly on their shoulders, but they could not shake it off completely. The 200 or so volunteers, activists and campaign aides who lined Downing Street to see in a new, Labour prime minister knew they were there, in part, as extras in a historical re-enactment. With their union flags and hoarse cheers, they were replaying a scene etched in Labour folk memory: that glad, confident morning in May 1997 when Tony Blair made his way to No 10 through a throng of supporters having won a landslide victory.
The memory was inevitable, and not only because the overall majority won by Keir Starmer is uncannily close to the 179-seat number that put Blair in the record books. The echo of 1997 struck because everyone present – starting with Starmer himself – understood that what the country had just witnessed was an event of vanishing rarity.
Until the early hours of last Friday morning, Labour had only twice before ousted an incumbent government by winning a clear, viable majority of its own: 1997 and 1945. That is it. ( Harold Wilson ejected the Tories in 1964 and 1974 , but he did it with majorities you could count on one hand.)
When it comes to general elections, Labour’s default setting is to lose, lose and lose again. Not for nothing were Labour families urging their teenagers to stay up late last Thursday night , explaining that what was about to unfold in July 2024 was a once- or twice-in-a-lifetime occurrence.
No wonder so many Labour staffers wanted their babies or children with them as they waited for Starmer in Downing Street: they assume the photos of that event will become historical artefacts.
Nor was it a surprise that there was such a release of emotion in the crowd once Starmer had finished speaking and walked through that polished black door.
This story is from the July 12, 2024 edition of The Guardian Weekly.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the July 12, 2024 edition of The Guardian Weekly.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
![When it comes to a good savoury crumble it's all down to the detail](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/21668/1823241/gBgsTNxnf1725616788159/WHEN-IT-COMES-TO-A-GOOD-SAVOURY-CRUMBLE-ITS-ALL-DOWN-TO-THE-DETAIL.jpg)
When it comes to a good savoury crumble it's all down to the detail
\"Savoury crumbles are a really good idea, so I don't get why we don't make them more often,\" says Esther Clark, who writes The Good Home Cook Substack. As Clark notes: \"Crumbles are incredibly forgiving: they go into one tin, there's barely any washing-up, and they freeze well, making them a good weeknight number.\"
![Generation game An American's view of life in China during the turbulent Covid years, through the eyes of his curious, jaded students](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/21668/1823241/SRpNu3pDB1725616655461/GENERATION-GAME-AN-AMERICANS-VIEW-OF-LIFE-IN-CHINA-DURING-THE-TURBULENT-COVID-YEARS-THROUGH-THE-EYES-OF-HIS-CURIOUS-JADED-STUDENTS.jpg)
Generation game An American's view of life in China during the turbulent Covid years, through the eyes of his curious, jaded students
When Peter Hessler, the celebrated chronicler of Chinese society, arrived at Sichuan University in the autumn of 2019, he was expecting to take a break from writing. Hessler made his name as a journalist documenting the lives of everyday people during China's boom years in the early 2000s.
![Claims to fame Will this sympathetic biography of a failed pop star help its enigmatic protagonist find the status his stoicism deserves?](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/21668/1823241/KgsZq39RF1725616527803/CLAIMS-TO-FAME-WILL-THIS-SYMPATHETIC-BIOGRAPHY-OF-A-FAILED-POP-STAR-HELP-ITS-ENIGMATIC-PROTAGONIST-FIND-THE-STATUS-HIS-STOICISM-DESERVES.jpg)
Claims to fame Will this sympathetic biography of a failed pop star help its enigmatic protagonist find the status his stoicism deserves?
In 2004, the British journalist Chris Heath spent more than a year shadowing Robbie Williams's every movement for his book on the singer, Feel. If this was above and beyond the usual requirements of a biographer, you could see why he thought it might pay off. We tend to be fascinated by success, and the cost that fame can exact upon the individual. And so who better to take such an approach with than both the biggest pop star of his generation and the most self-critical?
![Heartfelt home truth An extraordinary portrait of a 1950s American housewife, based on the diaries of Will Self's mother in an act of filial generosity](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/21668/1823241/-TMs7RCId1725616405674/HEARTFELT-HOME-TRUTH-AN-EXTRAORDINARY-PORTRAIT-OF-A-1950S-AMERICAN-HOUSEWIFE-BASED-ON-THE-DIARIES-OF-WILL-SELFS-MOTHER-IN-AN-ACT-OF-FILIAL-GENEROSITY.jpg)
Heartfelt home truth An extraordinary portrait of a 1950s American housewife, based on the diaries of Will Self's mother in an act of filial generosity
Will Self has a history of gonzo premises. He has written novels set in the afterlife, in a world ruled by chimpanzees, in a post-apocalyptic society based on the misogynist rantings of a London cabby.
!['My dance is a kind of prayer'](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/21668/1823241/lu6Tah58-1725616243282/MY-DANCE-IS-A-KIND-OF-PRAYER.jpg)
'My dance is a kind of prayer'
After success in France, choreographer Qudus Onikeku has returned to Nigeria to bring new life to Lagos's dance scene and to mastermind a pan-African creative awakening
![The lighter side of grief A romcom where love never dies](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/21668/1823241/QnJqsEbnH1725616108899/THE-LIGHTER-SIDE-OF-GRIEF-A-ROMCOM-WHERE-LOVE-NEVER-DIES.jpg)
The lighter side of grief A romcom where love never dies
Marrying your dead fiance may be taboo, but Colin Hanks and director Daniel Reisinger hope their new film will help those coming to terms with their own loss
![Look who's back in anger](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/21668/1823241/CAsvUBst91725615856567/LOOK-WHOS-BACK-IN-ANGER.jpg)
Look who's back in anger
Will an Oasis reunion be a success? Definitely. Will it be worth it? Maybe, say Guardian arts writers
![Voters rejected Macron. Why is he still trying to dictate who governs us?](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/21668/1823241/K4XxEnnMK1725615729047/VOTERS-REJECTED-MACRON-WHY-IS-HE-STILL-TRYING-TO-DICTATE-WHO-GOVERNS-US.jpg)
Voters rejected Macron. Why is he still trying to dictate who governs us?
After the electoral turbulence of June and July, few in France imagined that we would be heading into September without a new prime minister appointed to reflect the results of July's parliamentary elections.
![Forget the clothes-eating critters-we should love moths in all their beauty](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/21668/1823241/gvxFEP64Q1725615595548/FORGET-THE-CLOTHESEATING-CRITTERSWE-SHOULD-LOVE-MOTHS-IN-ALL-THEIR-BEAUTY.jpg)
Forget the clothes-eating critters-we should love moths in all their beauty
Let me start with a confession: I love moths. If your instant reaction to that statement is a shudder and expression of dislike (or worse), be assured that you're not alone. It is the commonest response I get. But moths are extremely important and beautiful creatures, and we should all love them.
![Is Starmer's 'reset' with Europe enough to undo Brexit damage?](https://reseuro.magzter.com/100x125/articles/21668/1823241/YqWDdnrig1725615439845/IS-STARMERS-RESET-WITH-EUROPE-ENOUGH-TO-UNDO-BREXIT-DAMAGE.jpg)
Is Starmer's 'reset' with Europe enough to undo Brexit damage?
Every prime minister has their verbal tell-tales. \"Reset\" is a favourite Starmerism. When he visited Berlin last week to pave the way to a bilateral co-operation treaty, the prime minister said he was there as part of a \"wider reset\" in Britain's relations with Europe. There was the same message when he journeyed on to Paris for a grip, grin and chat with Emmanuel Macron. I see why he's fond of the word. \"Reset\" conveys new thinking, a fresh start and altered priorities, while being conveniently vague about the direction of travel or the ultimate destination.