In his weekend blast, Nick Cohen criticises his own previous belief that political opponents should simply be removed from power without considering what comes next. He argued that Labour's massive 2024 election victory with a 165-seat majority was cursed by self-imposed restrictions that prevented implementing any meaningful policies. Nick explains how Keir Starmer ruled out virtually every radical policy option during the campaign, leaving the new government with no programme or momentum once in power. Nick highlights how this approach led to a vacuous budget and potential leadership challenges from Andy Burnham, who may need to call another election to implement the policies Starmer had ruled out. Nick concludes with optimism, noting that voters seem to support Burnham's proposals for rejoining the EU and other progressive policies, suggesting the public may be ready for more substantial change than the incremental approach of previous centrists like Tony Blair.
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