Keir Starmer’s victory speech: What he said – and what he really meant

What Keir Starmer said: It is the honour and the privilege of my life to be elected as leader of the Labour Party. It comes at a moment like none other in our lifetime.

What he really meant: I really wonder if I should have put myself forward for this.

What he said: Our willingness to come together like this as a nation has been lying dormant for too long. When millions of us stepped out onto our doorsteps to applaud the carers, visibly moved, there was hope of a better future.

What he meant: It is the wartime spirit, isn’t it? And which party won the election after the war?

What he said: Under my leadership we will engage constructively with the government. Not opposition for opposition’s sake. Not scoring party political points or making impossible demands.

What he meant: I am not Jeremy Corbyn.

What he said: But we will test the arguments that are put forward. We will shine a torch on critical issues, and where we see mistakes or faltering government or things not happening as quickly as they should, we’ll challenge that.

What he meant: But I am not going to fall for Boris Johnson’s bear hug either. The public support him, but think he has acted too slowly, so I’ll support him but point out he has acted too slowly.

What he said: When we get through this it’ll be because of our NHS staff, our care workers, our ambulance drivers, our emergency services, our cleaners, our porters … For too long they’ve been taken for granted and poorly paid. They were last and now they should be first.

What he meant: A bit of biblical uplift. “So the last shall be first, and the first last: for many be called, but few chosen.” Are we sure about that bit?

What he said: I want to thank Rebecca and Lisa for running such passionate and powerful campaigns and for their friendship and support along the way.

What he meant: I will announce my shadow cabinet in due course, and then you’ll know.

What he said: I want to pay tribute to Jeremy Corbyn, who led our party through some really difficult times, who energised our movement and who’s a friend as well as a colleague.

What he meant: I know some of you believe in the tooth fairy.

What he said: And to all of our members, supporters and affiliates I say this: whether you voted for me or not I will represent you, I will listen to you and I will bring our party together. But ...

What he meant: Everything before the “but” is redundant.

What he said: Antisemitism has been a stain on our party. I have seen the grief that it’s brought to so many Jewish communities. On behalf of the Labour Party, I am sorry. And I will tear out this poison by its roots.

What he meant: Jeremy Corbyn was a disaster.

What he said: The Labour Party is an incredible and powerful force for good.

What he meant: Well, it could be, in theory.

What he said: But we’ve just lost four elections in a row. We’re failing in our historic purpose.

What he meant: Wake up, here’s some coffee.

What he said: I will do my utmost to reconnect us across the country, to re-engage with our communities and voters, to establish a coalition across our towns and our cities and our regions, with all creeds and communities, to speak for the whole of the country.

What he meant: I am not very good at speeches.

What he said: Where that requires change, we will change. Where that requires us to rethink, we will rethink.

What he meant: I will hire a decent speechwriter.

What he said: I will lead this great party into a new era, with confidence and with hope. So that when the time comes, we can serve our country again in government.

What he meant: We have a chance of winning the next election if Boris Johnson handles the post-corona recession badly.