Busaholic
Veteran Member
- Joined
- 7 Jun 2014
- Messages
- 14,112
Now that Sir Keir Starmer has been elected as leader of the Labour Party, and bearing in mind his former position as Director of Public Prosecutions, is it not time to consider a National Government as previously happened during the two World Wars plus during the Great Depression of the early 1930s?
There are many good arguments both for and against the proposition, but I intend to advance some reasons for at least considering it, without saying I've come to any firm conclusions myself though I'm minded to welcome it if it's set up in roughly the right way from the start. These ideas are entirely my own, and I don't expect anyone on here to agree with them all, though I daresay some, if not many, will disagree with all of them, but I'm old and ugly enough to take it on the chin!
First, I think it's vital to bring Starmer into this government at a very high level: whether, like Atlee before him, as official Deputy Prime Minister I wouldn't want to see as a potential dealbreaker, but imo it'd be sending the right signal to do so. I've no doubt, though, that Starmer's expertise would be seen to best effect as Home Secretary. The old idea of the Four Great Offices of State as being Prime Minister, Foreign Secretary, Chancellor of the Exchequer and Home Secretary, possibly in that order, needs to be revised with equal weight to all, other than P.M., and another vitally important person added for the duration, the Health Secretary.
Starmer should be asked which other Labour MPs (and possibly others) he felt could add some weight to the challenging times ahead, not necessarily as front-line ministers. Other political parties (and none) should also be encompassed in a small way, perhaps slightly larger for the Scot Nats if they'd play ball: Ian Blackford, for a start and perhaps Joanna Cherry.
Now, to the most contentious bit. I feel very strongly that Starmer should make three main conditions for agreeing to both him and the Labour Party being brought into the fold.
1) The party political name blaming and shaming must finish for the duration. This government really does have to be 'we're all in it together' and political ideology has to take a back seat. Plenty of time for that later!
2) In connection with the above, Starmer should insist that the unelected Dominic Cummings must play a much less influential role in the new set-up, possibly confining his influence to the P.M. alone.
3) Boris Johnson must agree NOW to concede the principle that the Brexit transition period cannot in all probability be concluded on 31st December without adding yet more unnecessary potential woes.
This all at a time when the normal democratic standards are effectively suspended, for who knows for how long?
I'll leave it there for the moment, but will respond and add as necessary.
There are many good arguments both for and against the proposition, but I intend to advance some reasons for at least considering it, without saying I've come to any firm conclusions myself though I'm minded to welcome it if it's set up in roughly the right way from the start. These ideas are entirely my own, and I don't expect anyone on here to agree with them all, though I daresay some, if not many, will disagree with all of them, but I'm old and ugly enough to take it on the chin!
First, I think it's vital to bring Starmer into this government at a very high level: whether, like Atlee before him, as official Deputy Prime Minister I wouldn't want to see as a potential dealbreaker, but imo it'd be sending the right signal to do so. I've no doubt, though, that Starmer's expertise would be seen to best effect as Home Secretary. The old idea of the Four Great Offices of State as being Prime Minister, Foreign Secretary, Chancellor of the Exchequer and Home Secretary, possibly in that order, needs to be revised with equal weight to all, other than P.M., and another vitally important person added for the duration, the Health Secretary.
Starmer should be asked which other Labour MPs (and possibly others) he felt could add some weight to the challenging times ahead, not necessarily as front-line ministers. Other political parties (and none) should also be encompassed in a small way, perhaps slightly larger for the Scot Nats if they'd play ball: Ian Blackford, for a start and perhaps Joanna Cherry.
Now, to the most contentious bit. I feel very strongly that Starmer should make three main conditions for agreeing to both him and the Labour Party being brought into the fold.
1) The party political name blaming and shaming must finish for the duration. This government really does have to be 'we're all in it together' and political ideology has to take a back seat. Plenty of time for that later!
2) In connection with the above, Starmer should insist that the unelected Dominic Cummings must play a much less influential role in the new set-up, possibly confining his influence to the P.M. alone.
3) Boris Johnson must agree NOW to concede the principle that the Brexit transition period cannot in all probability be concluded on 31st December without adding yet more unnecessary potential woes.
This all at a time when the normal democratic standards are effectively suspended, for who knows for how long?
I'll leave it there for the moment, but will respond and add as necessary.