Last week many of us learned a new word, oracy. Sir Keir Starmer was lecturing us at his latest yawn-a-thon on the latest of his five “missions”, education. Writing in The Times, he said “an inability to articulate your thoughts fluently is a key barrier to getting on and thriving in life”. This brings us on to oracy.

According to Wikipedia, the word was coined by Andrew Wilkinson, a British educator, in the 1960s, the purpose of which was to draw attention to the neglect of oral skills in education.

Using a word like oracy was not a great start by Sir Keir. He chose a word that few of us use in daily repartee and a concept that confused. It has caused more than a little sniggering in the classroom. (“You three at the back make a fine pair”, as my Afrikaans teacher Mr Douglas used to say).

Oracy is not the same as oratory which is the art of speaking in public eloquently or effectively. Sir Keir might be eloquent. He was, after all, a barrister. But as for speaking effectively? His mission to improve education is worthy but to do so by promoting oracy, was as inspiring as watching paint dry or, perhaps, a stage of the Tour de France with no breakaways and no category four climbs.

Sir Keir wasn’t helped by one of the Young Labour acolytes standing behind him who visibly yawned during the Great Leader’s speech. A lesson in oracy for Sir Keir and an early night for Young Labour members.

He also let himself down and possibly also a member of his team, Bridget Phillipson, by referring to her as the “current shadow education secretary”. Does she lack the necessary oracy to get on and thrive in his shadow cabinet? She is, after all, northern.

Perhaps Phillipson doesn’t meet the required quotient of references to “Keir” in answers to every question. Here’s a made-up example. Interviewer: “What do you think about this issue?”. Interviewee: “Keir has made it very clear that he believes in A, B and C.” It is embarrassing when adult politicians refer to dad in every answer. A danger for Labour remains that Starmer might not, personally, be as popular as Rishi Sunak come the election, yet Sir Keir persists with a presidential style of leadership, referring, for example in his oracy speech to “my Labour government”.

Labour continues to ride high in the polls and even the most staunch Conservative supporters are accepting that it is all over for Sunak (who will soon be able to spend more time with his huge wealth). But Labour’s current popularity is as much to do with the parade of incompetent leaders who the Tories have inflicted on the country: Cameron, May, Johnson, Truss and now Sunak.

At least Sunak used to come across as a charming, warm man. I used to think that I wouldn’t mind having a coffee with him (we are both teetotal). But now he has resorted to the Johnson / Trump approach of meaningless three-word policies (“Get Brexit done”; “take back control”; “build the wall; and “make America great”). Sunak’s version includes “stop the boats” but still they come in record numbers.

Sunak now has a perma-rictus smile as his government haplessly lurches from one crisis to another, incapable and unwilling to tackle the problem in hand. Where have I seen such a smile before? Yes, Sir Keir has one just the same.

I wish politicians would speak “human”. I recently heard a long interview on Times Radio with Peter Kyle, the MP for Hove and Portslade. Now here is someone who does talk human. He is genuinely a warm and charming person. He has a quality shared with Tony Benn - when you speak to him he isn’t looking over your shoulder for someone more important.

In the interview with him on Times Radio, he spoke about his childhood, dyslexia and returning to school as an adult. His story is inspirational. And while many parts of his storytelling may be well rehearsed, it is, nevertheless, authentic, compelling and sincere. He doesn’t have to do what Marx said (Groucho Marx on this occasion): “Sincerity is the key to success. Once you can fake that, you’ve got it made.”

Now if Labour had someone like Peter Kyle as its leader, then not only would the party be well ahead of the Conservatives, its leader would be miles ahead of Sunak rather than being marginally more popular (or as a recent MORI poll had it, marginally less unpopular).

Labour will almost certainly win the next election and Sir Keir will consequentially become Prime Minister. But how long will it be before it becomes all too apparent that the Starmer policy cupboard is bare and all he has to offer is oracy and his own rictus smile?