‘How can Keir Starmer deliver his pledge to rebuild trust in politics?’

After weeks of leaks and in-fighting, Sue Gray, Sir Keir Starmer’s Chief of Staff, resigned on Sunday. Gray’s departure ends the speculation about her position but will fuel a growing narrative that Labour has found its first 100 days much harder than it anticipated.

The government’s current approach to winning public trust – focusing on delivery and integrity – is faltering. In a new report, published by cross-party think tank Demos, we argue that a much wider set of strategies is needed to build trust, not just in the current government, but in our democracy as a whole.

When Sir Keir Starmer first stood on the steps of Downing Street, he spoke of the need to address “this wound, this lack of trust” and demonstrate that “politics can be a force for good”. He was right to do so.

Trust in Britain’s system of government is at a record low – 45% of the public ‘almost never’ trust governments to put the nation’s interests above their party’s. Meanwhile, our pre-election polling found a lack of trust in politicians to get things done and represent the public’s concerns.

Restoring political trust

The fight for trust is, as the Prime Minister put it, “the battle that defines our political era”, but the government’s current position shows the dangers of taking too narrow a focus.

Labour went big on ‘trust’ during the election, looking to distance themselves from the Conservatives on two key fronts – delivering meaningful change and acting with integrity. The government is now, in many ways, suffering from the assessment criteria it set for itself. On delivery, Sue Gray was meant to unlock the Whitehall machine, drive tangible change and build the government’s track record.

Instead, leaks and staff pay disputes have proven a major distraction from delivery, with Labour’s budget constrained by its promise to avoid major tax rises. Meanwhile, on integrity, stories about political appointments and donations have damaged the Prime Minister’s brand. Labour chose to fight the trust battle on two fronts and is currently struggling on both.

Recap on all of the news and debate from party conference 2024 by LabourList here.

This narrow approach to building trust is fraught with risk. Demonstrating good, effective governance will take time and (as we have seen) is not guaranteed, particularly given the in-tray Labour has inherited. While improvements in delivery and integrity are vital in helping to rebuild trust, they are just two parts of a much larger picture.

Throughout the general election campaign, we spoke with a panel of 32 voters from various backgrounds and political perspectives. Here, we got a fascinating insight into how big political moments – think manifesto launches, TV debates and the Betting Scandal – affect people’s trust in politicians and our wider political system.

The lack of trust in our politics is deep-rooted and will take a considerable effort to rectify. Our panellists did want politicians to deliver meaningful change and act with integrity, but they also wanted to feel closer to the policymaking processes that affect them; to have stronger relationships with their MPs; and a news media environment more conducive to productive debate.

As Labour licks its wounds after Sue Gray’s departure and approaches 100 days in government, it must put trust at the heart of its operating model. Our new report presents a playbook of strategies that can meet this ambition, proposing steps towards participatory policymaking, a more trustworthy media environment, and an improved standard of political debate, among other recommendations.

With political trust in a precarious position and populists lurking in the wings, now is the time for Labour to help build a political system that consolidates trust not just in the government, but in the functioning of our democracy itself.

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