It’s not 1997 anymore. Starmer seems to be in some kind of delusion that he will swept into Downing St on a wave of Blairism 2.0 but the world has significantly changed. Those ‘far left’ are trying to tell him this as part of that critique but he is oblivious to it… seemingly intent on crushing the Labour campaigning and funding arm instead.
The world has changed, our country has changed thanks to Brexit, Cov-ID and environmental matters to name but a few. People won’t tolerate an ‘austerity lite’ program from his party. People want ideas, a vision of what the country they live in will be like and how it will meet the challenges of the next 10/20/50 years and he has nothing at all to offer.
Even now as people are being driven to despair by the cost of living crisis he has nothing tangible to say, to offer or to even comfort.
The world has changed, but is anyone really sure of where it's gone, or is heading? It's become increasingly polarised but it seems to surge from extreme to the other depending on where you are.
Despite some of the issues you mention, like environmental concerns, in many ways it feels like it's gone more to the right in the UK. Brexit can largely be seen as a right wing movement, talking of deregulation and freedom from the control of others, while others saw it more as a tool to prevent immigration. Despite falling living standards, cost increases outstripping those of wages, austerity having big economic effects including huge cuts in spending and services, tax increases we've had a Tory led government now for 12 years and yet would still inexplicably be seen by many as the more 'economically competent' party. That time in power included rejecting a 'leftie' twice, the second time by a landslide against an absolute buffoon with no policy. Even with the current lot looking not just incompetent but corrupt it's still looking uncertain, even unlikely, they'll be removed from office at GE, especially with the amount of time until the next GE for people to forget the shitshow. Even then the Tories will just pay lip service to 'leftie' concerns like environment and many will fall for it. With the current Ukraine invasion it's more likely to strengthen the right wing vote as people are fearful so resort to voting for who they perceive as strong on defence spending etc.
Now you can argue that the Torylite / Blairist position of the Labour Party is a problem, but can you honestly say that it would definitely be better under a 'leftie'? I can't. It might even be worse.
You say people want ideas/vision and won't accept austerity lite, but they're accepting it now. It's hardly free-spending and every noise from Sunak says he wants to head more down an austerity path and reduced spending, but it's not affecting the polls. When ideas and visions are put forward they're met with fear and a lack of belief they'll work, often helped by powerful media, organisations and individuals shouting it down. People naturally fear change, even when things as they are are shit. Even in the last months when our reliance on foreign oil has exposed how much we're hamstrung by that there hasn't been a massive outcry amongst the general public to take the opportunity to change tack to renewables.
In May I expect heavy Tory losses as it'll give them a bloody nose for the nonsense that has filled Boris' reign, but those people that tend to vote Tory know local elections are largely irrelevant to the bigger picture and so will be willing to temporarily 'defect' rather than 'abandon' the party and would still likely vote Tory if it were a GE.
