Richard Walker says Sir Keir Starmer has “exactly what it takes to be a great leader” and commends him for reforming Labour.
As the executive chairman of Iceland and a previous Tory donor, Mr. Walker claimed that Labour has “progressively moved towards the ground on which I have always stood” under Sir Keir’s leadership, while the Conservatives “have moved away from it”.
“Not only has this fuelled my personal disenchantment, but it is also reflected in the total collapse of public confidence we can see in every opinion poll,” he said, accusing the Tories of abandoning “basic Conservatives principles.”
Following his resignation from the Conservative Party last year and his lack of selection as one of the party’s parliamentary candidates for the election, Mr. Walker has endorsed Labour.
He said at the time that the Conservatives “didn’t want” him, that he was never informed of the reason behind his rejection, and that the party “doesn’t want people with genuine views, experience, or opinions of their own.” He made these claims on the Politics Hub with Sophy Ridge.
Mr. Walker declared that he would not join the party, but he would back Labour in the upcoming general election.
According to Mr. Walker’s article in the Guardian, “Work is the right choice for everyone in business who wants to see this country grow and prosper—and the right choice for the communities across the country where Iceland operates.”
“Now that I’ve met the man, I know Starmer possesses all the qualities necessary to be a successful leader.
“Indeed, he has already demonstrated this in the way in which he has transformed his own party by ruthlessly excising the Corbynite extremism that made Labour unelectable in 2019.”
Sir Keir “demonstrates a compassion and concern for the less fortunate that contrasts very favorably with the attitude of most of his opponents,” Mr. Walker continued.
