Keir Starmer: one year in, Labour leader's popularity has plunged

[HSD]

I think politics has taken a huge jump to the right, I don't consider Corbyn's policies to be communist, more common sense and centrist. However he was unelectable because the media was against him as he was a threat. You don't see the press camped out Starmer's house as he's safe, he won't rock the boat, or stop the gravy train.

I do find it absurd that it seems ok if you give somebody you are shagging a 100K grant, and all while your wife is on chemo. Its also OK to make loads of terrible decisions that have cost thousands of lives in the pandemic, that's fine. It's also OK to give your mates billions of public money in contracts without competition and receive shoddy goods and services, that's great. But somebody buys your wallpaper, well you rotter.

The only reason BJ has good ratings is the vaccine roll-out success, and that was largely a true NHS success story as they were allowed to get on with it with little government insistence on using their dodgy outsourcing deals. Ironically its still full steam ahead to privatise the NHS, so he's crapping all over the reason for his current popularity.

Politics relies on a fairly impartial, or at least balanced press/media. Unfortunately, it is 95% skewed to the right. The only reason Starmer is having a go at BJ about curtains is that the press has signalled its ok to do so. BJ has done his job and got the Tories in, now for somebody who is less of a liability to sell off the NHS and make sure the 1% get richer while the press pulls every flag waiving nationalist trick in the book to make the voters believe we are all in it together.

I agree with most of what you say, however I think The StB may disagree and he was in no way a centrist! His cabal had no real interest in winning an election and working for the good of the country, more like outtakes from G.B.H. With an inferior cast.

 

[Northern Brewer]

I agree with most of what you say, however I think The StB may disagree and he was in no way a centrist! His cabal had no real interest in winning an election and working for the good of the country, more like outtakes from G.B.H. With an inferior cast.

What I said was "I don't consider Corbyn's policies to be communist, more common sense and centrist"

the 2019 manifesto main policies were increasing health care budget, stop pension age increase, raise minimum wage, nationalise key industries (rail/water/electricity and Broadband arm of BT), abolish public school charitable status, build 100K affordable houses per year and EU nats get right to remain.

None of the above I would regard as communism, even the nationalisation as I regard health, public transport and lack of fuel poverty to be basic human rights. Broadband is becoming another essential, without access to it you are nothing.

There is a big difference between socialism and communism. Corbyn has always been a socialist and never ashamed to admit it. The right wing press have deliberately tried to make out that socialism is the same as communism and it is not.

Are there communists in the labour party? Of course, same as there are out and out fascists in the Tories and our media.

 

[aamcle]

I was happy with most of the policies but tax from uk workers should be spent on UK workers I'm not an internationalist and I most certainly don't trust Gezzer or those who surrounded him.

As for making saints and idols of anyone who can make any sort of claim to be a victim even if it's their own foolishness, corrupt practices or imagined - just no.

Mind you I don't trust Bojo either.

 

[Michael Burnley]

@Northern Brewer 100% behind you with everything you have written. It's such a shame that people read the papers and f/book and believe the nonsense about Corbyn the communist. I didn't vote in the last election because in my view, Corbyn isn't a leader and shouldn't have been elected leader, but he is a socialist and I am more than ok with that.

@Chippy_Tea Also agree that Starmer is no leader either

 

[HSD]

I know the difference between communism and socialism, 25 years in the party I’ve known a lot of people from all the various hues. He never was a centrist, true to himself, but in my view did more harm to the party and country than good, we needed a decent opposition and hopefully a labour government.

 

[DavidHatton]

I heard earlier Blair spent £300,000 of tax payers money renovating his flat I don't remember a huge stink being kicked up back then.

Think most of that £300,000 was spent removing maggie's old torture rooms and oubliettes! or maybe he just was careless with public funds.

 

[Chippy_Tea]

He is not doing himself any favours..



The Conservatives have criticised Sir Keir Starmer for visiting a John Lewis store to make a dig at the PM over the Downing Street redecoration row.

Tory chair Amanda Milling said the Labour leader was "playing politics" by posing with rolls of wallpaper in a branch in Greater Manchester.
The funding of recent Downing Street flat renovations is being investigated.
Sir Keir has urged Boris Johnson to reveal "quickly" who initially paid the bill for the work.
But the prime minister said he would cooperate with the investigations, adding: "I don't think there is anything to see here or worry about."

Questions over the funding of the Downing Street flat refurbishment - overseen by Mr Johnson's fiancée Carrie Symonds and reported to have cost up to £200,000 - have dominated the headlines for several days.
The Electoral Commission is investigating, as are the UK's top civil servant and the prime minister's own standards adviser.

Tories attack Sir Keir Starmer's John Lewis wallpaper photo op - BBC News

 

[Northern Brewer]

I know the difference between communism and socialism, 25 years in the party I’ve known a lot of people from all the various hues. He never was a centrist, true to himself, but in my view did more harm to the party and country than good, we needed a decent opposition and hopefully a labour government.

I differ slightly in opinion on Corbyn, he was going to be a hard sell to superficial people that don't read beyond the Mail or the BBC. And he lacked the killer instinct at question time, partially because he wanted to raise the bar in debate.

But compared to most politicians, he is a beacon of honesty and integrity. Its a pity that the labour party decided to rip themselves apart rather than unite behind a democratically elected leader.

It looks like Labour is going back to being a Tory-a-like party of mediocrity and is bombing in the polls because of it.

Corbyn made the Labour party into one of the biggest in Europe in terms of membership and if he wasn't being back-stabbed would probably have won the election in 2017, he was very close.

What I want to know is where the real political characters have gone? BJ stands out as he's a character. Starmer is too grey and dull, he needs to spice
things up a bit, grow a pair and show he may actually deliver some socialist policies since he's supposed to be the leader of a socialist party.

 

[Polcho]

I think it’s a national embarrassment that the leader of one of the most respected countries in the world has to beg for money to decorate the official accommodation.

Typically British though, all too ready to shoot ourselves in the foot on the international stage.

 

[Brew_DD2]

I think it’s a national embarrassment that the leader of one of the most respected countries in the world has to beg for money to decorate the official accommodation.

Typically British though, all too ready to shoot ourselves in the foot on the international stage.

It says more about him than the UK. He already gets £30k a year to refurbish it.

 

[Polcho]

I agree to a point. I still think it’s a bit much though. I don’t hear Mr Biden or Mr Macron having this issue.

Judging by the way Mrs May dresses, I would think a complete gutting of the place would be necessary.

 

[johncrobinson]

I agree my 30k a roll wallpaper lasted no longer than the cheap stuff before it,

 

[MickDundee]

It's hard to get people you obviously despise... to vote for you

The Tories managed it

 

[johncrobinson]

Indeed they did.
One would be inclined to take ones hat off to the tory press machine if they were not all up to it knee deep.

 

[MmmBeer]

Corbyn made the Labour party into one of the biggest in Europe in terms of membership

Many of those 'members' just joined to buy a vote for a leader who they knew was totally unelectable, purely to keep labour out of power.

 

[Northern Brewer]

Many of those 'members' just joined to buy a vote for a leader who they knew was totally unelectable, purely to keep labour out of power.

He got 40% of the vote in 2017, Brown and Milliband only managed 30% so hardly unelectable. He gained 30 seats forcing the Tories into an alliance with DUP. A few more votes and he would have won. However Labour shot themselves in the foot by not uniting behind him and allowing the press to have a field day.

I do remember Labour making it difficult for new members to vote, even trying to stop affiliated membership via trades clubs etc. voting too. I think the "join to make them unelectable" bit is 99% BS.

Wouldn't it be nice to have a party run on common sense rather than factions, dogma and ideology.

 

[Crappyfish]

Don't parties lose elections rather than the opposition wins elections. It sounds weird but normally the governing party will throw away power by being sleazy or being trashed by their own party. Thatchers MPs had it in for her when they decided she went too far and cost the Tory party their popularity with the help of labour voters she was thrown out. I believe the Labour party destroyed themselves at the last election and it will take years and a large amount of sleaze from Boris which is happening now to reassure folk that labour are fit to run the country. At the moment some of Johnsons past allies have joined up to assassinate his career so Starmer is relying on them to do the damage , once again infighting loses people's popularity. If Johnson goes it will be thanks to his cronies stabbing him in the back and not necessarily the opposition. I hope he and the Tories do go cos I can't stand them and still wonder how a working man or woman can think they have anything in common with these people.

 

[Jim Brewster]

 

[moto748]

I think it’s a national embarrassment that the leader of one of the most respected countries in the world has to beg for money to decorate the official accommodation.

Typically British though, all too ready to shoot ourselves in the foot on the international stage.

That seems a rather odd take on it. If you saying it's not right that poor old Johnson is too poor to afford redecoration costs.

The issue here is not who paid for some curtains, it's about cronyism and buying influence to obtain rich rewards.

 

[Cheshire Cat]

That seems a rather odd take on it. If you saying it's not right that poor old Johnson is too poor to afford redecoration costs.

The issue here is not who paid for some curtains, it's about cronyism and buying influence to obtain rich rewards.

You mean corruption pure and simple?