Throughout this interminable election campaign, Sir Keir Starmer has had one overriding mission: To do nothing and say nothing, while letting the Tories implode.
His guiding principles have been caution and vagueness. The Labour leader has been at pains to avoid anything that might set the hares running in Middle England.
If voters were hoping to be enlightened about his intentions should he win power, they must feel bitterly disappointed. But the man is a lawyer. What did we expect – honesty and straight-talking?
Was this, however, the day Sir Keir accidentally let the cat out of the bag over Labour’s secret tax plans?
When the party published its manifesto last week, the document was jam-packed with extravagant policy proposals to transform Britain.
A new state energy company, renationalised railways, 40,000 extra NHS appointments and operations a week. More police, more teachers, more doctors and nurses.
While most economic analysts agree Labour would need billions in additional revenue to pay for its programme, Sir Keir has given the impression that the lion’s share would be covered by surging growth.
Ruling out increases in income tax, National Insurance and VAT, he suggests only a few paltry tax hikes would be required to plug any fiscal gap.
‘We’re not going to be raising tax on working people,’ he has said repeatedly.
These words would have sounded reassuring to those making their way each day to the office, factory or shop floor.
But in a radio phone-in on LBC yesterday, Sir Keir finally let slip the truth.
His definition of ‘working people’ referred to those who ‘earn their living, rely on our services and don’t really have the ability to write a cheque when they get into trouble’.
This means millions of Britons, including pensioners, savers and those who use private services such as healthcare, may not be covered by his tax rise pledge.
Those who practice the virtues of self-reliance and thrift; those who save so they don’t become a drain on the public purse; those who put a few pounds away in case the water pipes burst or the washing machine breaks down; those who work hard and add value to the British economy.
That responsible majority would face being clobbered by a Labour government whose instincts are to loathe the aspirational and prudent, treating them as piggy banks to be raided to fund the Left’s client state.
Not convinced? Then just digest the gory proposals put forward for inclusion in Labour’s manifesto by the Tribune group of MPs, whose number includes Sir Keir.
The document calls for an eye-watering £60billion in extra taxes to boost public spending. Ideas include forcing pensioners to pay NI, hiking inheritance and capital gains tax, and reforming council tax so some families’ bills more than double.
Sir Keir has – surprise, surprise – distanced himself from such a ruinous plan. But as an avowed socialist, he’d surely be hugely comfortable implementing it.
Despite his refusal to reveal his tax-raising intentions before the country votes, the polls suggest he’ll win a ‘super-majority’. This will be facilitated if disgruntled Tories imprudently shift to Reform UK.
The depressing irony is that the unpopular Conservative policies which have led in part to Nigel Farage’s resurgence are backed with greater enthusiasm by Starmer’s party.
Yet there is no hope of Reform becoming an effective party in Parliament. As a result, those abandoning the Tories must be careful what they wish for.