The UK and the US both have many crucial national needs that call forspending money. If a party tries to woo wealthy voters whose priorityisnotto pay more tax, by promising not to raise taxes, it has made a choice not to address thelong list of pressing national needs that require spending more money. By making this choicefor Labour, Starmer has limited it to small change.

Many Britons supported the Labour Party precisely because its goal was to do something aboutthat. It rejected Communism, but advocated an increased level of Socialism. Now Starmerthinks to drag them along for lack of a better alternative.

However, the Liberal Democrats have now pledged to raise taxes on the wealthy to fix the NHS.