Labour’s new start under Sir Keir Starmer begins – The Yorkshire Post says

The latter, as a cohort, never gave wholehearted support to his predecessor Jeremy Corbyn.

The disadvantage, as Iain Duncan Smith discovered to his cost when he became Tory leader a day after the 9/11 terror attacks against America, is that Sir Keir will struggle to resonate widely when then the hourly struggle against coronavirus is all-consuming.

However his tone was certainly statesmanlike as he began to form a Shadow Cabinet. He’s spoken to Boris Johnson. He’s said he will credit the Government when Ministers get things right. And, crucially, he intends to scrutinise policy in a constructive way which leads to a more effective response to this pandemic.

But this is also a timely opportunity for Labour to get its own house in order after four successive election defeats, coupled with the previous leadership’s unforgivable complacency over anti-semitism, left its reputation and credibility in tatters.

Sir Keir’s apology to the Jewish community, and willingness to be judged by the number of former members of this faith who return to the party fold, is, nevertheless, an early sign that this country does now, in fact, have a Leader of Opposition worthy of the name and prestige of the office. Yes, his inbox is also an invidious one – not least how such a strong Europhile and anti-Brexit leader can resonate in Labour’s former heartlands in the North – but all this is, for now, secondary to the collective effort to stamp out Covid-19.

Editor’s note: first and foremost - and rarely have I written down these words with more sincerity - I hope this finds you well. Almost certainly you are here because you value the quality and the integrity of the journalism produced by The Yorkshire Post’s journalists - almost all of which live alongside you in Yorkshire, spending the wages they earn with Yorkshire businesses - who last year took this title to the industry watchdog’s Most Trusted Newspaper in Britain accolade.And that is why I must make an urgent request of you: as advertising revenue declines, your support becomes evermore crucial to the maintenance of the journalistic standards expected of The Yorkshire Post. If you can, safely, please buy a paper or take up a subscription. We want to continue to make you proud of Yorkshire’s National Newspaper but we are going to need your help.Postal subscription copies can be ordered by calling 0330 4030066 or by emailing [email protected].

Vouchers, to be exchanged at retail sales outlets - our newsagents need you, too - can be subscribed to by contacting subscriptions on 0330 1235950 or by visiting www.localsubsplus.co.uk where you should select The Yorkshire Post from the list of titles available. If you want to help right now, download our tablet app from the App / Play Stores. Every contribution you make helps to provide this county with the best regional journalism in the country.

Sincerely. Thank you.

James Mitchinson

Editor