Keir Starmer’s Labour win in the UK is also a triumph for India. Here’s why

Sunak’s out and Starmer’s in. The United Kingdom general election results have been announced and as predicted the Labour Party, led by Sir Keir Starmer, has secured a triumphant win against the Conservatives. With this, the United Kingdom sees a dramatic change in government — a first in 14 years.

Starmer, who will become Britain’s next prime minister, said after his personal win from his north London seat, “Tonight, people here and around the country have spoken. They are ready for change. The change begins right here because this is your democracy, your community and your future. You have voted and now it is time for us to deliver.”

With a Labour win, there are bound to be policy changes — not only at home, but also internationally. including the UK’s relations with India. Let’s take a closer look at what a Labour win means for New Delhi.

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New Delhi’s old anxieties

Sunak’s exit and the Labour’s return to power in the UK might reignite some of India’s old anxieties about bilateral ties. Under previous chief Jeremy Corbyn, the Labour Party was widely perceived as antagonistic towards New Delhi.

In September 2019, the Labour Party passed an emergency motion on Kashmir after India repealed Section 370 granting special status to Jammu and Kashmir. The motion noted that “there is a major humanitarian crisis taking place in Kashmir,” and called for “international observers to enter the region.” It further took note of “the enforced disappearance of civilians,” “the overall prevalence of human rights violations” and “the house arrest/imprisonment of mainstream politicians and activists.” It added that “the people of Kashmir should be given the right of self-determination.”

The motion led to a huge backlash from the British India community, prompting Corbyn to later clarify that it views Kashmir as a “bilateral matter” between India and Pakistan. And when Labour lost the 2019 polls, many credited that defeat to the Kashmir motion.

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However, under Starmer, the party has reinvented itself and moved away from previous stances, including that on Kashmir. Starmer himself has declared that Labour would seek a closer relationship with India and the British Indian community, which numbers around 1.8 million and contributes over six per cent to the British economy.

Tough stance on anti-Hindu, Khalistan hate

A Labour win with Starmer in charge will see a change in stance on the matters of Hindu hate. While visiting the Shree Swaminarayan Mandir in Kingsbury last Friday, Starmer had said “there is absolutely no place for Hinduphobia in Britain” and that Labour would “build a new strategic partnership with India”.

“If we’re elected next week we will strive to govern in the spirit of seva to serve you and a world in need,” he said. “Strengthened by Hindu values, you’re not only contributing massively to our economy, you’re bringing innovation and expertise that keeps us competitive on the global market.”

The party has also vowed to stamp out anti-India sentiments within its ranks and build a strong strategic partnership with the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led administration.

And it’s not just words. In April, the party initiated an investigation into one of its Sikh councillors, Parbinder Kaur for allegedly sharing posts that support Khalistani terrorist groups and militants who have assassinated public figures in India.

Last September, Labour also demoted Indian-origin shadow minister Preet Kaur Gill for reportedly having links with pro-Khalistani extremists.

Go-ahead to FTA

Besides these issues, the Labour has said it is “ready to go" on striking a f ree trade agreement (FTA) with India if it wins the elections.

In late June, the party’s shadow foreign secretary David Lammy laid out his ambitions of the FTA being “a floor not a ceiling” of the partnership he aspires to with his “friend” External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar. “Many Diwalis have come and gone without a trade deal and too many businesses have been left waiting,” said Lammy, referring to the missed Diwali 2022 deadline set by former Prime Minister Boris Johnson for the FTA.

“My message to Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and Trade Minister Piyush Goyal is that Labour is ready to go. Let’s finally get our free trade deal done and move on,” he said, adding he will be in Delhi before the end of July if elected to government on July 4. Lammy said the Conservatives have “over-promised and under-delivered” on the UK’s relations with India.

He also promised a reset of ties with India if Labour came to power. He said: “With Labour, the days of Boris Johnson reciting that old verse from Rudyard Kipling in Asia are over. If I recite a poem in India, it will be Tagore because with a superpower like India, the areas of cooperation and the areas for learning are limitless.”

India and the UK have completed 13 rounds of FTA negotiations, but talks have stalled amid the election cycles — both in India and the UK.

The Deccan Chronicle also notes that unlike Sunak, who was extra-cautious about showing any overt India bias due to his inherent Indianness, Starmer could freely demonstrate positive India biases, as they would make eminent sense, economically, and even from partisan lens.

It will be interesting to see what happens next and if Starmer can build on existing India-UK ties. But as they say, only time will tell.

With inputs from agencies