Unpopular PMs' Popular Wars

According to the Daily Mail, Sir Keir Starmer, our Prime Minister, enjoys the lowest approval ratings in history, at -46%. The good news for him is that his Chancellor, Deputy and Home Secretary are even less popular, so they are unlikely to mount a leadership challenge. Of course, one must understand that the Daily Mail has never been supportive of the Labour Party, and that polls and statistics can be massaged and manipulated to suit particular purposes. One must also understand that at least two of his predecessors were hardly recipients of public adulation either, and that the Leader of His Majesty’s Loyal Opposition is not benefiting from the PM’s poor ratings.

Politicians’ popularity between elections we might readily dismiss. Thatcher made a strong recovery have her wearisome first term, and Blair won the 2005 election even have the disastrous invasion of Iraq. Yet, as both of them prove, there is nothing quite like a short, sharp war to pull us all together and rally us about the flag -and the government of the day. My fear is that our unpopular First Lord will be more concerned about his poll ratings than I am. Waving the Ukrainian flag, annoying Russia and exposing Iranian spies may be attempts by government to shore up its position as the next election approaches. The Falklands War gave an unusual degree of longevity to a controversial Conservative leader while the Iraq War unleashed a bloodshed and instability which only the wisest saw coming.

I support Britain’s military, I desire increased defence expenditure and I respect elected Prime Ministers’ right to deploy armed force, but we must guard against opportunism and cynical war-mongering. Human lives are precious, even when they to belong to aggressive nations and belligerent neighbours.

Come, behold the works of the Lord, what desolations he hath made in the earth. He maketh wars to cease unto the end of the earth; he breaketh the bow, and cutteth the spear in sunder; he burneth the chariot in the fire.

Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth. Psalm 46:8-10