Starmer will say whatever is needed to win and is covering up any sniff of leftie socialism - Mark Oaten

Fast forward five years and his isolation is complete. After its disastrous 2019 election defeat the Labour party had a choice. Swing left in the face of another Tory majority or take the Blair approach and re brand with New Labour mark 2.

Enter Keir Starmer the safe face of Labour. He will be delighted that Corbyn is standing as an Independent, what a perfect symbol to show the party has got rid of the mad left and lurched to the centre.

Corbyn was a gift to the Tories that they will miss this time round. Many moderate Conservatives tempted to switch to the Lib Dems were simply too scared it would let Corbyn in.

I remember canvassing solid Lib Dem voters who were so fearful of a left-wing Government they were going to hold their nose and back Boris. Now that fear factor has gone. Starmer is the ideal brand ambassador for post Corbyn Labour.

So dull and bland that nobody can take offense. The Tories will spend the next 5 weeks warning voters that Labour has not changed. But it’s going to be hard to make it stick. Claiming Labour will put taxes and be bad for the economy is simply not going to wash with voters still suffering from high interest rates follow the Liz Truss budget debacle.

On the face of it Labour has changed. But what lies beneath.

Can they get through the campaign saying nothing and offending nobody or will a trade union or maverick candidate show Labours true colours.

I remember Paddy Ashdown telling me being Leader of a party during an election campaign was like carrying a rare crystal vase from one room to another- you just want to get to the other side without it all smashing down around you.

Starmer will be holding that vase and I doubt he will drop it. It’s the others in his party he needs to worry about. Elections are often turn on moments when the script is off, John Prescot punching voters or Gordon Browns calling them bigots.

So far it seems Labour's lurch to the safe centre ground is nearly complete and it comes at a time when the Conservatives face calls to abandon that ground and move further right.

It is the perfect backdrop for a Labour victory. But I sense a problem.

Will voters think Starmer is a left winger dressed up as a moderate-no- but will they think he has no values and will simply say what is needed to win- yes.

The acceptance of the tory defector Natalie Elphicke is a prime example. A confident and principled Labour Leader would have simply said thanks but no thanks. A 20-point lead is a very expensive vase to drop.

Having Corbyn and his fellow lefties out of the party makes it much more likely Starmer can indeed get over the finishing line intact- but any sniff of old-fashioned socialism in the next few weeks could make things a bit more nerve wrecking.