General election 2024: Labour's caution is sign of its seriousness about power - Ian Swanson

Rishi Sunak launched the election in the pouring rain

And if the polls are right they will vote to end 14 years of Tory rule and hand the keys of Downing Street to Labour's Keir Starmer. Many in Labour are nervous that the massive majority which some of the polls predict for the party will make some people decide there’s no need for them to vote because it’s all a done deal.

But polls have got it wrong before and Labour’s message to the public is that if they want change then they have to vote for it.

Many Tories seem to have resigned themselves to defeat after a period in government which brought the country austerity, Brexit, the Covid scandals of Partygate and PPE and Liz Truss’s disastrous mini-budget. The Tories also got through five prime ministers in that time.

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer addresses an audience of Labour Party members and supporters during a rally at the Royal Horticultural Halls in central London. Photo: Stefan Rousseau/PA Wire

It seems an age ago that David Cameron became prime minister at the head of a coalition with the Lib Dems in 2010. As well as austerity, he was responsible for the independence referendum, which although it produced a No vote was a closer call than he expected; and then the Brexit referendum, when his gamble failed and Britain had to leave the EU.

Theresa May succeeded him, but called an unnecessary election and ended up with a hung parliament and ultimately could not resolve the impasse over her Brexit deal. Her resignation ushered in Boris Johnson’s chaotic premiership, including the delayed Covid lockdown, PPE contracts for cronies, and Partygate. When we was eventually forced out, the baton passed to Liz Truss who nearly crashed the economy and had to go after 49 days. Rishi Sunak took over, but despite attempts to appeal to right-wing opinion on migration, tax and watering down action on climate change, he failed to revive Conservative fortunes.

Mr Sunak’s election campaign has not gone well - launching in the rain, choosing to visit the Titanic exhibition in Belfast, leaving the D-Day commemorations early, his Scottish leader resigning and Nigel Farage’s return to lead Reform UK.

Labour’s campaign has been cautious, disappointing some supporters. But its reluctance to make costly commitments is not so much a sign of conservatism as of the party leadership’s seriousness about power. Keir Starmer is determined to win and then use office to make a difference. Circumstances will no doubt govern how far and how fast he can go.

Don’t forget to vote.