Clue may lie in "looks like starter has expired"
Not had this on a Commer but did on my Avenger > new starter cured problem as old one had been cranking too slow to cope with both cam driven fuel pump and engine. Fast crank with new starter pumped fuel from tank and engine fired almost immediately.
Funnily enough when had had been used before fuel hadnt drained back to tank after running so was there when starter turned and car fired and once cam was running fuel pump was pulling fuel OK. Leave car a couple of days, fuel drained back towards tank and only filling carb with fresh fuel would get engine going!
May not be your problem but worth checking starter connections first then poss. popping on a new or known good starter