The Labour Party under Keir Starmer

[DarloRich]

If Starmer doesn't get a grip, we shall end up with Farage (with the help of the fascist press) as PM in 2029. I'm not at all impressed with Starmer with poor handling of the winter fuel allowance issue showing poor communications. Now the panic sacking of a competent Transport Minister, because ten years ago she forgot to tell her employer that she had found a mobile phone that she had thought was stolen, shows another dismal side to him.

What are you talking about? No one was sacked. The resignation happened about as quickly as possible and the news cycle has moved on

 

[43096]

What are you talking about? No one was sacked. The resignation happened about as quickly as possible and the news cycle has moved on

I'd also question the she was competent. Word from elsewhere was that she was clueless.

 

[DarloRich]

I'd also question the she was competent. Word from elsewhere was that she was clueless.

I am not sure competency has ever been a job requirement for ministers! I mean, look at the last lot!

 

[iorhgaoerighao]

That Black Mirror came around several years before the rumours about David Cameron and the pig surfaced. Charlie Brooker has been on the record that he knew nothing about the rumours when writing the show.

Yeah imagine the lawsuit if he said it was about a living person...

If Starmer doesn't get a grip, we shall end up with Farage (with the help of the fascist press) as PM in 2029. I'm not at all impressed with Starmer with poor handling of the winter fuel allowance issue showing poor communications. Now the panic sacking of a competent Transport Minister, because ten years ago she forgot to tell her employer that she had found a mobile phone that she had thought was stolen, shows another dismal side to him.

It's about time for some freshness in politics. Vote Reform

 

[Leyland Bus]

It's about time for some freshness in politics. Vote Reform

That's sarcasm right?

 

[nanstallon]

It's about time for some freshness in politics. Vote Reform

They probably said that about Trump, and I wonder whether there will be a chance to change their minds in 2028 - it will probably be a Russian type election if there is one at all. Farage is of a similar authoritarian mentality.

 

[iorhgaoerighao]

They probably said that about Trump, and I wonder whether there will be a chance to change their minds in 2028 - it will probably be a Russian type election if there is one at all. Farage is of a similar authoritarian mentality.

Ah yes, the ol' "he's a dictator and no future elections will be fair" but then claim 2020 was a fair election because he lost

Some people just hate democracy. Mostly the left who are known for their dictatorships and communism.

 

[nanstallon]

Ah yes, the ol' "he's a dictator and no future elections will be fair" but then claim 2020 was a fair election because he lost

Some people just hate democracy. Mostly the left who are known for their dictatorships and communism.

The courts also thought the 2020 election in the USA was fair. That is good enough for me!

 

[iorhgaoerighao]

Ah yes, the ol' "he's a dictator and no future elections will be fair" but then claim 2020 was a fair election because he lost

Some people just hate democracy. Mostly the left who are known for their dictatorships and communism.

Remeber, our German friends had a left wing party who wanted to take over Europe and wipe out certain ethnicities. I know, you will call them far right but socialists aren't known for being far right.

Yes, you'll say they aren't socialists but it was literally their policies and in their name

 

[Leyland Bus]

Ah yes, the ol' "he's a dictator and no future elections will be fair" but then claim 2020 was a fair election because he lost

Some people just hate democracy. Mostly the left who are known for their dictatorships and communism.

Ahh... I see now...

 

[iorhgaoerighao]

The courts also thought the 2020 election in the USA was fair. That is good enough for me!

So the Dems just lost 20m votes this time round?

 

[nanstallon]

So the Dems just lost 20m votes this time round?

So what?

 

[iorhgaoerighao]

That's sarcasm right?

Absolutely not. Blue Tory or red Tory? Neither Tory thanks

So

Losing 20m votes... Wonder where they all went. Like poor, nowhere

 

[Harpo]

It's about time for some freshness in politics. Vote Reform

Their top 3 issues are well known of course. Immigration, immigration and immigration.

 

[Yew]

Their top 3 issues are well known of course. Immigration, immigration and immigration.

Don't forget emptying the exchequer into their paymasters pockets...

Yes, you'll say they aren't socialists but it was literally their policies and in their name

I'd probably recommend going back to the history books and reading a little more.

 

[oldman]

Losing 20m votes

They didn't - the Democrats lost about 6 million and Trump gained about 3 million. But if you are a Faragist, facts hardly matter.

 

[edwin_m]

Their top 3 issues are well known of course. Immigration, immigration and immigration.

At one time it was just immigration, but it's trebled since Brexit...

 

[43096]

At one time it was just immigration, but it's trebled since Brexit...

Which is one reason why Brexit was such a resounding success abject failure.

 

[Purple Train]

Absolutely not. Blue Tory or light blue Tory? Neither Tory thanks

I've fixed that for you.

I might also add that electing a populist from an upstart party because "it's time for some freshness in politics" was exactly how the Nazis got in in Germany. Obviously I'm not suggesting that Farage is the new Hitler, but it is a very, very dangerous piece of reasoning to take when electing a government.

Reform will take us back to the past with their endless gaslighting. I thought all our street lights were electric nowadays... Joking aside, it is a party dominated by a dodgy, shady, dishonest leadership who could lie about whether there's an R in the month. And I know that politicians - especially career politicians like Farage - can change their opinions just like all of us, but his U-turn over standing in this election was quite extraordinary, just to take one example. They have no plan, no morals, just two extreme ideological opinions that are basically a less diluted version of the Tories', all dressed up in chummy language and coated with an oily veneer of everyman dishonesty: "none of your other friends understand you. Only I can" (suddenly sound familiar?), as if Farage and Tice are in any way representative of the people they are targeting. Clearly, though, if Starmer "is too posh and I don't like his face" as a Faragist memorably put it to me, then Farage is the antidote to all this poshness... not!

It genuinely makes my blood boil how populists prey - there really is no other word for it - on people who will accept their argument, only to then inevitably sell them down the water if/when they get elected. I apologise if any of this is too strongly-worded, but I thought I'd throw it out there in case I'm being too cynical!

 

[Leyland Bus]

I've fixed that for you.

I might also add that electing a populist from an upstart party because "it's time for some freshness in politics" was exactly how the Nazis got in in Germany. Obviously I'm not suggesting that Farage is the new Hitler, but it is a very, very dangerous piece of reasoning to take when electing a government.

Reform will take us back to the past with their endless gaslighting. I thought all our street lights were electric nowadays... Joking aside, it is a party dominated by a dodgy, shady, dishonest leadership who could lie about whether there's an R in the month. And I know that politicians - especially career politicians like Farage - can change their opinions just like all of us, but his U-turn over standing in this election was quite extraordinary, just to take one example. They have no plan, no morals, just two extreme ideological opinions that are basically a less diluted version of the Tories', all dressed up in chummy language and coated with an oily veneer of everyman dishonesty: "none of your other friends understand you. Only I can" (suddenly sound familiar?), as if Farage and Tice are in any way representative of the people they are targeting. Clearly, though, if Starmer "is too posh and I don't like his face" as a Faragist memorably put it to me, then Farage is the antidote to all this poshness... not!

It genuinely makes my blood boil how populists prey - there really is no other word for it - on people who will accept their argument, only to then inevitably sell them down the water if/when they get elected. I apologise if any of this is too strongly-worded, but I thought I'd throw it out there in case I'm being too cynical!

I think you wrote that spot on... Farage offers simple/easy answers to "all our problems" while offering nothing at all!

Certain people in our society are easily taken in by such nonsense because it's wrapped in the racism they used to use in the 70s and 80s... My only hope is that folk who think Farage is "for the people" are the ones who haven't many elections left to vote in...

 

[takno]

I think you wrote that spot on... Farage offers simple/easy answers to "all our problems" while offering nothing at all!

Certain people in our society are easily taken in by such nonsense because it's wrapped in the racism they used to use in the 70s and 80s... My only hope is that folk who think Farage is "for the people" are the ones who haven't many elections left to vote in...

I don't think the Reform support-base skews towards pensioners in quite the same way as the Tory support base did/does.

The problem at the moment is that traditional parties have been painted into a corner where whatever they worry about is seen as dry, elitist and "nothing to do with us ordinary folk". In practice that's not especially true, and it's completely untrue that Reform are more interested in those people, but it's easier to sit on the outside promising a revolution than it is govern in a way that satisfies people.

It's been a problem over much of Europe that parties representing an undercurrent of anger and frustration have been kept out of power, with conventional parties forming grand alliances and alienating their own support bases to avoid dealing with extremists. The upshot is that the extremists just sit outside of power suggesting unfeasible solutions completely unchecked by reality and gaining more support. Weirdly in the UK we've let these people push through the most hugest most damaging policy in the last 80 years, and then not even held them to account for it.

I think Labour are getting slightly better at connecting as time goes on - Milliband talks more about keeping the lights on than about carbon targets for example. A lot of the problem now is Reeves, who comes across as too much of a robotic technocrat. It's quite possible that she'll be gone within the year though, having taken all the heat for doing the depressing mending of the economy, to be replaced with more of a good-news chancellor.

 

[Leyland Bus]

I don't think the Reform support-base skews towards pensioners in quite the same way as the Tory support base did/does.

The problem at the moment is that traditional parties have been painted into a corner where whatever they worry about is seen as dry, elitist and "nothing to do with us ordinary folk". In practice that's not especially true, and it's completely untrue that Reform are more interested in those people, but it's easier to sit on the outside promising a revolution than it is govern in a way that satisfies people.

It's been a problem over much of Europe that parties representing an undercurrent of anger and frustration have been kept out of power, with conventional parties forming grand alliances and alienating their own support bases to avoid dealing with extremists. The upshot is that the extremists just sit outside of power suggesting unfeasible solutions completely unchecked by reality and gaining more support. Weirdly in the UK we've let these people push through the most hugest most damaging policy in the last 80 years, and then not even held them to account for it.

I think Labour are getting slightly better at connecting as time goes on - Milliband talks more about keeping the lights on than about carbon targets for example. A lot of the problem now is Reeves, who comes across as too much of a robotic technocrat. It's quite possible that she'll be gone within the year though, having taken all the heat for doing the depressing mending of the economy, to be replaced with more of a good-news chancellor.

That last point, definitely! 5 years is a long time and if by then things are looking alittle brighter, then Farages bleating might start to look like what it is...

I saw an article this morning about "Elmo" Musk pontificating about how great Farage and Reform are and how he "backs them all way" to bring about change... Why some folk can't see this as an insanely rich man buttering up and pushing for other rich men to get them into power is beyond me. Rich men very rarely do anything genuine to help normal folk across the board, they just want to cream as much money from us as possible... usually via a "limited company"

 

[YorkshireBear]

That last point, definitely! 5 years is a long time and if by then things are looking alittle brighter, then Farages bleating might start to look like what it is...

I saw an article this morning about "Elmo" Musk pontificating about how great Farage and Reform are and how he "backs them all way" to bring about change... Why some folk can't see this as an insanely rich man buttering up and pushing for other rich men to get them into power is beyond me. Rich men very rarely do anything genuine to help normal folk across the board, they just want to cream as much money from us as possible... usually via a "limited company"

This is my concern with musk etc. too. He does not have anyone's interest in mind other than his own and some mates.

 

[brad465]

This is my concern with musk etc. too. He does not have anyone's interest in mind other than his own and some mates.

He's also now getting very involved in UK politics and is believed by many to have inflamed the riots. Now its worse because he's getting a government role, and if he keeps that up he will break diplomatic norms regarding government officials amongst allies not getting involved in another country's affairs (beyond where collaboration is practised as agreed between them).

 

[Vinnym]

No compo for the waspi women, disgraceful.

 

[jon0844]

This is my concern with musk etc. too. He does not have anyone's interest in mind other than his own and some mates.

He has no mates. He bought Twitter to try and get friends and still appears to have failed, and he's now hanging around Trump like a bad smell.

This is what makes him dangerous as he is very much of the opinion that everyone else is out to get him.

 

[SteveP29]

Remeber, our German friends had a left wing party who wanted to take over Europe and wipe out certain ethnicities. I know, you will call them far right but socialists aren't known for being far right.

Yes, you'll say they aren't socialists but it was literally their policies and in their name

Joined on the 25th October and only 12 posts and trying to look at the profile says user profile not available.

Perhaps he/ she's gone away to study a history book as @Yew suggested, but I doubt it very much.

Makes me laugh how people are so easily lead, believing the National Socialist Party were actual socialists

 

[Leyland Bus]

Joined on the 25th October and only 12 posts and trying to look at the profile says user profile not available.

Perhaps he/ she's gone away to study a history book as @Yew suggested, but I doubt it very much.

Makes me laugh how people are so easily lead, believing the National Socialist Party were actual socialists

Imagine taking every name as complete gospel! I'm glad they've gone, this is no place for the hard of thinking

 

[alex397]

Imagine taking every name as complete gospel! I'm glad they've gone, this is no place for the hard of thinking

Quite right. X and Facebook is where they need to go, they will be welcomed there.

 

[Tetchytyke]

No compo for the waspi women, disgraceful.

The initial change to retirement age for women was made in 1995. In 2011 the Tories accelerated the change by about two years.

My retirement age was moved from 65 to 68 in the same legislative change in 2011. I won't be getting a single penny in compensation even though I'll be losing somewhere in the region of £35,000 of pension, assuming I live that long. I may not- life expectancy is decreasing.

So I don't see why these people should get anything either.

I do have to laugh at the politics of it though. The Tories made the initial change in 1995 and the Tories made the second change in 2011. And yet, according to the Tories, it is somehow all Labour's fault.