It seems surprising that Keir Starmer should be facing such a stiff test of his authority just two months into a new government elected with such a huge majority. But he had already been tested in the vote on the King’s Speech, which was only two weeks after the election. That was a test he passed, too.
Then, seven Labour MPs mistook a new Labour government for a debating forum in which they would be free to speak their minds. John McDonnell, the former shadow chancellor, who used to pride himself on his advice to colleagues not to give the leadership an excuse to chuck them out, gave the leadership an excuse to chuck him out.
This story is from the September 11, 2024 edition of The Independent.
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This story is from the September 11, 2024 edition of The Independent.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
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