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Article published In: Journal of Language and Politics
Vol. 25:1 (2026) ► pp.50–70

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“The rock of stability?”

A critical narrative analysis of Keir Starmer’s storytelling as opposition leader (2020–2024)

ORCiD logo with link | Université Jean Moulin Lyon 3
Published online: 27 February 2025
DOI logo with link
https://doi.org/10.1075/jlp.24028.bon
Abstract
Within the fields of narratology and discourse analysis, this paper proposes a critical narrative analysis of Sir Keir Starmer’s storytelling at the four party conferences he attended as opposition leader. The objective is to assess how Starmer attempted to create the image of a strong and stable leader, in discourse, in a bid, arguably, to differentiate himself from his predecessor, to rebrand his party as an inclusive organisation and to establish his ethos as a credible leader. Maybe more importantly, this paper posits that the narratives at the heart of his keynote speeches served a self-promotional purpose to show that, by focusing on the notion of stability, he could bring to a close a fourteen-year period of electoral and ideological domination by the Conservative Party.
Article outline
  • 1.Introduction
  • 2.Theoretical background and methodological approach
    • 2.1Theoretical framework: The ubiquity of narratives in political communication
    • 2.2Methodology: A critical approach to narrative analysis
  • 3.Key findings
    • 3.1Contextual approach: A divided party in a polarized political landscape and a fragmented society
    • 3.2Personal narratives
    • 3.3Citizens’ narratives
    • 3.4Collective narratives
  • 4.Conclusion
  • References
References (77)
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