Keir Starmer seems far from a 'dead man walking', writes Natasha Clark

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The demands of high office, the weight of responsibility of keeping the country safe, combined with a good chunk of your MPs trying to depose you from office, would understandably make it difficult to sleep at night on the best of days.

LBC’s Matthew Wright asked me this morning how the PM seemed to me, and if he appeared like a “dead man walking”?

Far from it.

Those closest to the PM and who work with him on a daily basis say he’s been more upbeat in the last few weeks and in a surprisingly good mood, despite current events and his relentless diary.

I’ve interviewed Starmer several times over the last few years and spent time with him on planes, press conferences, summit and visits, and have definitely noticed a shift.

He was at ease, relaxed, answered questions eagerly, and appeared more willing to have a bit of a fight and lean into his arguments than he has done before.

Whether that’s because, as he suggested, he’s been smiling all week because of Arsenal’s success, or something else, I’m not sure.

Talk in government is starting to turn to Starmer’s legacy, as Westminster waits and holds its breath for the outcome of what happens in Makerfield, and whether that does bring a sweeping momentum for a new prime minister.

We’re expecting the long-awaited defence investment plan imminently, which the PM tells me is his “top priority” to sort.

I also think that there’s a good chance the PM will, despite some reservations about how to make it effective, announce a ban on social media for under 16s, in a bid to cement some of that legacy.

After all, we know that would be a popular way to win back a bit of support for the beleaguered Labour Party too, with many parents calling for an outright ban.

Insiders say he’s prepared to be bolder and more decisive in his calls than he was earlier in the year and have detected a bit of a gear-shift.

There’s also an added push behind trying to trying to get the Hillsborough Law over the line, another bit of policy he’s said to care deeply about.

Lots of dotting the Is and crossing the Ts are being attempted under the umbrella of ‘getting on with the job’.

We also have a summer NATO and G7 summit that No10 hopes will show off more of ‘statesman Keir’ which has proven more popular than domestic Keir.

Of course, no one can predict the events of the next few months, but the PM sees the sense of duty and responsibility of keeping the ship as stable as possible.

He tells me a contest would spring the country into chaos once again, and he’s got multiple wars, a tricky economy and Donald Trump to sort out.

While no leadership contest is yet triggered, it’s still unclear whether he is prepared to fight for his mandate or not.

Some believe he would have a good chance of winning against Burnham and Streeting, and are urging him to fight.

Others think he wants to avoid that sense of Tory chaos which was so damning to governments past, and would be prepared to do a quiet handover deal when the time is right.

One thing I do sense with this PM is that he tends to deal very much with the issue in front of him at the time, and won’t play 5D chess about potential scenarios weeks down the line, trying to get ahead of the game.

I don’t think he’ll make his mind up on what he wants to do, and will do in the months to come - unless and until Andy Burnham comes knocking on the door of No10 on June 19th.

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Natasha Clark is LBC's Political Correspondent

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