Labour doubts about Sir Keir Starmer burst into the open last night after one of his MPs accused him of being 'detached from his own party'.
Jon Cruddas, who has been an MP since 2001, said that it was 'difficult to identify the purpose of a future Starmer government'.
In extracts published by the Observer from his book A Century Of Labour, marking 100 years since the formation of the first Labour government in 1924, Mr Cruddas wrote: 'Labour appears to be content for the coming Election to amount to a referendum on the performance of the governing Conservatives rather than a choice between competing visions of politics and justice.'
The Dagenham and Rainham MP added: 'Despite a successful career as a human rights lawyer, as Labour leader Starmer appears disinterested in questions of liberty and freedom.'
The criticism emerged just as Sir Keir raised hopes of Labour returning to power, telling voters in his New Year message: 'Let's make sure this is the year where together we get Britain's future back.'Jon Cruddas, who has been an MP since 2001,
