‘That’s the way to do it!’ Keir Starmer finally looks like a prime minister

It is amazing what a good set of local election results can do for the Labour leader’s confidence, writes John Rentoul

It was all good-quality yah-boo – and, for once, evenly matched (PA)

Some people decry yah-boo politics, but the main thing that is wrong with it is that it is usually done so badly. So today was good news for those of us who enjoy politics as theatre, as Keir Starmer, who is not a natural knockabout debater, finally raised his game.

The Labour leader still had to read them out, but someone had written a string of decent lines for him, which he delivered with some punch. He started by reminding the prime minister that he had had to correct the record last week about employment statistics, and wondering if he wanted to update that correction now that 1,000 Tory councillors had lost their jobs.

Rishi Sunak, who is a natural knockabout debater, had come armed with a good quotation from Tony Blair, to whom both men wish to be heir. Blair had said that Starmer could be as cocky as he likes about the local elections, but that come the general election it is policy that counts. Sunak said that was a problem for Starmer, because he hasn’t got any. Which is true enough to be wounding.