Keir Starmer

Much as Starmer isn't my cup of tea, I'm not sure I see a natural successor at present. I also think reading twitter is a bit like reading the graffiti on toilet walls as far as information goes. Having said that, it sounds like Starmer might have been seeing a few toilet walls himself so things may just take their course...
The next leader will be Eddie Izzard.
 
Fuck me, i now see why I left the socialist side and would rather have the like of Starmer than Corbyn, Boris is just pathetic.
Part of the fun about being on the left is the ideological debates. I can spend hours with my mates discussing minor points, even the Socialist side is split and that is without bringing into the debate the ideological differences between the Marxist Leninist's and the Trotskyites. Rigourous debate is good, it is healthy for democracy. The RW is an ideological vacuum, try reading Scruton for instance, its mind numbingly boring, where as if you listen to say the Marxist economist Richard Wolff he is buzzing with ideas.

Its like that Monty Python sketch with the Peoples front of Judea and the Judean Peoples front. Basically they believe the same thing but disagree on what is the best thing to have on toast or something equally banal.

I have no doubts that Starmer is a decent fella, but you see he may want different things on his toast to me and that whilst to many is of no import it is to us who like certain things on our toast.

The Labour party is like that old joke about Economists, if you put two Economists in a room you will get three different theories, the Labour party is very much like that in my opinion. We all hate the Tories but cant decide how to hate them :))
 
I voted Corbyn despite myself. I found him vile, egotistical, anti Semitic, anti EU, complacent, smug and outdated.
I trust the Corbynistas and Marxists will offer KS the same level of support the likes of myself gave previously to Corbyn.
 
I voted Corbyn despite myself. I found him vile, egotistical, anti Semitic, anti EU, complacent, smug and outdated.
I trust the Corbynistas and Marxists will offer KS the same level of support the likes of myself gave previously to Corbyn.

Why is it that all people who don't want a return to new labourish or liberalised left policies are designated marxists or cobynistas.

I have openly said cobyn was a cockend many times here, I am also no marxist, yet I find starmer bland and also a bit of a shithouse, hiding behind the fence he sits on waiting to see what opinion comes out on top before nailing any colours to it's mast.

All I want is him to have an opinion or oppositon voice, his silence is deafening the last two days.


I will vote labour next election to try to help remove the tories, but my leafleting, doorstepping and campaigning days are over as I feel no passion from the leadership or the party at present hence why I left.
 
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Why is it tgat all peopel who don't want a return to new labourish or liberalised left policies are designated marxists pr cobynistas.
I get that, i have said on here Corbyn was a bit too right wing for me, or more accurately i am to the left of Corbyn. I don't understand why people use Marxist as an insult either, he was one of the great political thinkers whose work has tremendous merit and whose influence goes far beyond the Labour party. I am not a liberal, that is why I dont identify with the liberal lefties, i don't care much for their causes either.

Like Hart of the Matter though i supported Corbyn, just as i supported Blair, but Blair took the party the wrong way and wasted a huge opportunity to change the UK for the better, once Corbyn came in the Blairites did everything they could to undermine the party and as a result, the Blairite wing now get no support from me as I simply do not identify with them at all.

I also get the ideas are outdated, belong in the past nonsense. Since when has wanting a better country were nobody goes hungry, everyone has a home, kids are properly educated and the NHS is the best in the world been outdated. I want what is best for everyone not just myself. If thats outdated it makes our country a sorry place to be
 
I voted Corbyn despite myself. I found him vile, egotistical, anti Semitic, anti EU, complacent, smug and outdated.
I trust the Corbynistas and Marxists will offer KS the same level of support the likes of myself gave previously to Corbyn.
I don't even like Starmer, but I'm hoping he gets more support from his own party than corbyn did.
 
The schools issue has raised tensions. Again Labour have reacted poorly, they should be supporting the Unions in my opinion.

The thing is whoever and for whatever reason whoever started this hashtag is does highlight the huge divisions in the Labour party. I know i have only had a quick flick through but those who are supporting him tend to have the EU flag and the FBFE tag added to their name whilst the one against seem to be the ones on what i would consider the left, Corbynites and others. Not scientific I know just the quick impression i got.

It just adds to the pressure on Starmer, maybe that might just be a good thing and it will rouse him from his somnambulist approach to opposition.
Maybe they haven't come out supporting them as the concensus is the situation is no different to what every trade and sector has faced for 12 months.
 
All well and good Mr Buzz, but what you are saying/advocating is in effect a one party state devoid of any opposition. As a democrat that disturbs me. LOTO is a major figure in the UK political system and should be offering alternatives not fence sitting or appeasing.

The failure to support the teaching Unions is a massive mistake and an abdication of his responsibilities to the Labour movement, there would not be a Labour party if it was not for the Trade Unions so to put them at the mercy of the Government without even a note of support is a position that no labour leader should ever take lightly. It isa matter of principle and sometimes principle has to trump political positioning.
I can think of nothing dafter than Starmer saying "I support the teaching unions". Support for teachers and parents is trying to protect themselves, and society, is what's needed, and force the incompetent government to tell people what's going on. As in this letter to the Education Secretary last week:


Full text of Kate Green and Wes Streeting’s letter to Gavin Williamson:

Dear Gavin

Less than a week from now pupils across the country would expect to be returning to school at the start of a new term, yet school and colleges, parents and students are still unsure about whether they will go back in person.

Reports in The Times, Telegraph and Independent suggest that you and the Prime Minister only met yesterday to discuss this. This will be alarming to school staff who have been working flat out throughout the holiday to prepare for mass testing in January after your Department waited until immediately before the Christmas holidays to announce a plan for testing.

If schools are not able to reopen safely for all pupils in January it will be a direct result of the Government’s failure to give schools the support they need and get transmission of the virus under control. Labour have said time and again that school is the best place for the education and wellbeing of pupils. If you and your Government have failed to ensure that they can be there safely, then you must urgently ensure that there is a credible plan in place to keep them learning and safe in the weeks ahead.

With the return of Parliament on Wednesday, you should urgently set out the measures you will take to safeguard pupils, so the Members have an opportunity to scrutinise policies that will have a huge impact on all of our constituents.

Advice from SAGE

It has now been reported that SAGE has advised the Prime Minister that stricter restrictions will be needed to reduce the transmission of the virus in January, and that this may include schools being closed. It is completely unacceptable that this information has become public through leaks to the media, instead of you and the Prime Minister being honest with the public about the challenges that we face and the Government’s response.

Therefore will you urgently set out:
  1. Firstly, what the scientific advice tell us about the spread of the virus in schools and colleges and the risk this poses to students, staff and wider transmission within the community? Will you publish the scientific advice government receives on this?
  2. Secondly, what steps has SAGE advised the Prime Minister to take in order to reduce transmission of the virus in January, and what advice have they given specifically about schools?
The public deserve transparency and honest from the Government, and decisions on restrictions must follow scientific advice. Reports that the virus is spread faster among children and young people understandably raise concerns about the safe return of students and staff in January.

School and college staff have already lost what confidence they could have in the government after the shambolic end to the term and the chaotic plans to roll out mass testing in January.

To avoid further stress and confusion you should immediately publish the most recent advice from SAGE, and, as the Leader of the Labour Party has said to the Prime Minister, this advice must be followed.

What will your Department do if schools are not able to reopen safely next week?

School is the best place for pupils to be for both their education and wellbeing. If the majority, or all, pupils do not return to the classroom next week then you must immediately outline a plan to keep them safe and learning throughout this period, and ensure that they are safely back in the classroom as soon as possible.

Will you urgently set out:
  • What steps will your Department take to ensure that every pupil not in school will be able to access high-quality remote learning?
    You have had months to work with schools and colleges to get high-quality remote learning in place for all those who need it, but we are deeply concerned that you have failed to do so, and that pupils will once again pay the price for this failure. You must immediately publish a credible plan, and give schools the support they need to make this happen.
  • What progress has been made on testing in schools?
    Labour have called for mass testing in schools for months, but you repeatedly failed to act. Staff been forced to work flat out through the holidays to get testing in place for the start of term next week. Can you tell me how many schools now have testing provision in place, and what steps your Department is taking to ensure that schools have the support they need to make this happen?
  • When can school and college staff expect to receive a vaccine?
    The Sunday Times reported that teachers are being moved up the priority list for vaccination, is this accurate? If so, can you say when they can expect to receive a vaccination? Will any change to prioritisation be extended to other school staff, such as the teaching assistants who often work most closely with individual pupils?
We wrote to you last week urging you to provide clarity, and answer key operational questions for schools and colleges yet you continue to delay. We do not believe that you understand or appreciate the immense pressure that staff, students and parents have faced throughout this year. Your government has added to that pressure through a combination of poor planning and incompetence. Keeping students learning and the safety of staff and students must be a national priority. We expect you to set out a plan to achieve this immediately.

We look forward to your response.

Yours sincerely

Kate Green MP, Shadow Secretary of State for Education & Wes Streeting MP, Shadow Minister for Schools
 
Part of the fun about being on the left is the ideological debates. I can spend hours with my mates discussing minor points, even the Socialist side is split and that is without bringing into the debate the ideological differences between the Marxist Leninist's and the Trotskyites. Rigourous debate is good, it is healthy for democracy. The RW is an ideological vacuum, try reading Scruton for instance, its mind numbingly boring, where as if you listen to say the Marxist economist Richard Wolff he is buzzing with ideas.

Its like that Monty Python sketch with the Peoples front of Judea and the Judean Peoples front. Basically they believe the same thing but disagree on what is the best thing to have on toast or something equally banal.

I have no doubts that Starmer is a decent fella, but you see he may want different things on his toast to me and that whilst to many is of no import it is to us who like certain things on our toast.

The Labour party is like that old joke about Economists, if you put two Economists in a room you will get three different theories, the Labour party is very much like that in my opinion. We all hate the Tories but cant decide how to hate them :))
Sadly the class system only seems to train kids to debate of your at a private school. The older I get I find Its a valuable skill to have and everyone should be taught it.
 
Changed the header as we all know he is the new leader.

Anyway what I wanted to actually post is this.

Now ideologically I differ in many way to Tony Blairs idea of labour however,

Blair has been out today giving his opinions on covid and what should be doing, and I am not knocking him here as his commemts were correct in many ways.
We should be not be only just at the testing schools part of this pandemic but with the vaccine now ready at the vaccination points set up across the country.


And this is Starmers great failure

Unlike blair , he doesn't seize the opportunities to keep the public mood in his favour, as blair has done today and in 97 he hasn't been silent as the crisis on schools reopening and higher infection rates unfolded. He's been out in front of the cameras, showing empathy with parents and laying out what the government should do.

Starmer has already alienated many if not all of the left of the party, now he is being pulled up on his inadeqecies by the right of the party.

His handling of the next few weeks when the governement and country is under a lot of pressure could either show up his weaknesses or reveal his strength as a leader.

At the mintue it ain't the latter
 
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The fella must be reading here and had enough of the negative comments ;-)




Fair play he has come out stronger on what needs to be done
 
He’s shut you up in the space of 7 minutes ;-)

Well not really, I stand by my first of them two posts, I could have been critical that it has took him all weekend to respond and it looks like the criticism from both sides of the party about his lethargy has promted this, but I decided to praise his action.

My only concern is that what he has said puts pressure on the tories and that is what I expect from the labour leader.
Well done keir.
 
Well not really, I stand by my first of them two posts, I could have been critical that it has took him all weekend to respond and it looks like the criticism from both sides of the party about his lethargy has promted this, but I decided to praise his action.

My only concern is that what he has said puts pressure on the tories and that is what I expect from the labour leader.
Well done keir.
I was only kidding mate
 

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