LONDON: Keir Starmer on Saturday emerged as the winner of a three-way race to replace Jeremy Corbyn as the leader of the UK’s main opposition Labour party, sparking hopes his landslide victory will bolster the party’s strained relations with India and its diaspora.
The 57-year-old human rights barrister — viewed as a moderate socialist and uniting force within the Labour party — won 56.2% of the votes, beating Rebecca Long-Bailey and Lisa Nandy, who is half-Indian, who came third with 16.2% mandate. Labour is the main opposition party in the UK.
The results were announced on Saturday by email after plans for a public event were dropped due to the coronavirus pandemic. In a recorded video message, Starmer, an Oxford graduate and former head of the Crown Prosecution Service, said: “We have got a mountain to climb and I will do my utmost to re-engage with voters of all creeds and communities. Where that requires change, we will change.”
The Indian diaspora welcomed Starmer’s victory, many of whom felt alienated by Corbyn’s policies.
Harendra Jodha, head of the Rajasthan Association UK, said: “This will start the healing process. He understands how the world moves so probably he will not take one side and will have a good relationship with India and repair the damage done by Corbyn who took Pakistan’s side.”
Rajesh Agrawal, co-chair of Labour Friends of India, said he hoped the change in leadership meant the party could regain the trust of the British Indian community. “Labour is the natural party for British Indians,” he said. “But the last few years have seen the relations strained.”
Manoj Ladwa, former chair of Labour Friends of India community engagement forum, said under Corbyn’s leadership, Labour “recklessly” alienated many British Indians. “Corbyn’s supporters frequently sniped against India, a country that is a hugely important strategic and economic partner for the UK. If Starmer is serious about becoming the UK prime minister, he has to urgently press the ‘reset button’ with countries like India and its 1.5 million diaspora, which the previous leadership was overtly hostile to.”
The leadership contest was triggered by Corbyn’s resignation in December after the party suffered its worst general election defeat since 1935.
Keith Vaz, once Britain’s longest serving Indian-origin MP, said: “This is a big opportunity to reset our relationship with India and British Indians that has been so damaged over the last few years. I hope once the health crisis is over, he will make an early visit to India.”
Labour MP Virendra Sharma said Starmer recognised “the Labour party seriously needs to improve its relations with British Indians” and he “was intent on doing so”.
Pratik Dattani, managing director of market entry firm EPG, said: “Labour has suffered under Corbyn by being seen as an ‘anti-India’ party. A more pragmatic, centrist leadership under Starmer may ensure the party once again acknowledges the immense contribution of India and Indians to British society. This may well pay them electoral dividends.”
The 57-year-old human rights barrister — viewed as a moderate socialist and uniting force within the Labour party — won 56.2% of the votes, beating Rebecca Long-Bailey and Lisa Nandy, who is half-Indian, who came third with 16.2% mandate. Labour is the main opposition party in the UK.
The results were announced on Saturday by email after plans for a public event were dropped due to the coronavirus pandemic. In a recorded video message, Starmer, an Oxford graduate and former head of the Crown Prosecution Service, said: “We have got a mountain to climb and I will do my utmost to re-engage with voters of all creeds and communities. Where that requires change, we will change.”
The Indian diaspora welcomed Starmer’s victory, many of whom felt alienated by Corbyn’s policies.
Harendra Jodha, head of the Rajasthan Association UK, said: “This will start the healing process. He understands how the world moves so probably he will not take one side and will have a good relationship with India and repair the damage done by Corbyn who took Pakistan’s side.”
Rajesh Agrawal, co-chair of Labour Friends of India, said he hoped the change in leadership meant the party could regain the trust of the British Indian community. “Labour is the natural party for British Indians,” he said. “But the last few years have seen the relations strained.”
Manoj Ladwa, former chair of Labour Friends of India community engagement forum, said under Corbyn’s leadership, Labour “recklessly” alienated many British Indians. “Corbyn’s supporters frequently sniped against India, a country that is a hugely important strategic and economic partner for the UK. If Starmer is serious about becoming the UK prime minister, he has to urgently press the ‘reset button’ with countries like India and its 1.5 million diaspora, which the previous leadership was overtly hostile to.”
The leadership contest was triggered by Corbyn’s resignation in December after the party suffered its worst general election defeat since 1935.
Keith Vaz, once Britain’s longest serving Indian-origin MP, said: “This is a big opportunity to reset our relationship with India and British Indians that has been so damaged over the last few years. I hope once the health crisis is over, he will make an early visit to India.”
Labour MP Virendra Sharma said Starmer recognised “the Labour party seriously needs to improve its relations with British Indians” and he “was intent on doing so”.
Pratik Dattani, managing director of market entry firm EPG, said: “Labour has suffered under Corbyn by being seen as an ‘anti-India’ party. A more pragmatic, centrist leadership under Starmer may ensure the party once again acknowledges the immense contribution of India and Indians to British society. This may well pay them electoral dividends.”
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