Rishi Sunak

[blueparrot]

Sorry but he can't just stand there and put himself up as the next PM of this country and say next to nothing. I want to hear what he's got to say with an open mind and judge him on his own merits - not just "oh well, Labour can't be any worse than the Tories so we'll have to have them."

I didn’t say he would, I was just saying doing nothing would be better than this government that everything they do just makes things worse.

 

[Vic]

Again, for the hard of thinking, Starmer could easily have expressed a preference to complete HS2 in full prior to Sunak’s announcement but he consistently refused to do so and avoided the issue like the plague. To then come out today in the press and pretend that he would love to commit to HS2, but can’t now do so because of land being released, is simply not credible. You might also want to ask yourself how pledging to simply continue with the government’s new transport plan is holding the government to account.

The funniest part of his press round today however was the promise to work with the Northern mayors to deliver on transport plans. A vacuous statement of course but also a bit rich given that he clearly hasn’t spoken to Burnham about HS2 recently, given that Burnham didn’t have a clue what Labour’s position was on the issue even though the Conservative Party conference was taking place on his patch.

Tory boy talking about being hard of thinking.

How about being hard of morality? Of compassion? Of saving the planet? Of not being fascists?

 

[Vic]

Sorry but he can't just stand there and put himself up as the next PM of this country and say next to nothing. I want to hear what he's got to say with an open mind and judge him on his own merits - not just "oh well, Labour can't be any worse than the Tories so we'll have to have them."

Or what? You'll vote for continuing with the fascists?

You'll get a Labour manifesto.

 

[Vic]

It doesn't matter what was said. We are being governed by a bunch of idiots, and I mean that in the sense of the word.

The strongest case economically for HS2 was freeing up capacity between Manchester and Birirmingham. A new line that would provide fast transport for passengers, and allow freight and slower stopping services to operate on existing lines.

Every report into the viability of HS2 supported that, but where did the building start? In London. If you were running a business, it is inconvceivable you would invest your money into a project that would have the lowest return first.

Like I said, we are being governed by idiots, thick twats that have reduced everything in this country to the barest minimum, but let me point this out.

Under the last Labour government, our standard of living improved by the highest margin in our history.

The tories have been in power for nearly 14 years, the economy has stalled, and we are now far worse off than we were when they came to power.

It's not a great achievemet, all things considered.

Actually, putting HS "compatible" trains (compatible with ordinary lines) on existing West Coast lines will make slightly more space for freight. The "high speed" trains will be slower than Avanti's tilting Pendolinos so won't catch up and be held up by freight trains quite so often. That is the obvious way to create more capacity on the line: have the passenger trains run at the same speed as a freightliner.

Also if you make them slower, more people will go by road or fly and Sunak can carry on trashing the planet.

 

[dave_blue12]

Again, for the hard of thinking, Starmer could easily have expressed a preference to complete HS2 in full prior to Sunak’s announcement but he consistently refused to do so and avoided the issue like the plague. To then come out today in the press and pretend that he would love to commit to HS2, but can’t now do so because of land being released, is simply not credible. You might also want to ask yourself how pledging to simply continue with the government’s new transport plan is holding the government to account.

The funniest part of his press round today however was the promise to work with the Northern mayors to deliver on transport plans. A vacuous statement of course but also a bit rich given that he clearly hasn’t spoken to Burnham about HS2 recently, given that Burnham didn’t have a clue what Labour’s position was on the issue even though the Conservative Party conference was taking place on his patch.

Great opening line followed by drivel.

The Tories have been fucking the country for 13 years. At this stage it is irrelevant what Starmer does or doesn’t say.

You sir are a fucking idiot who would happily consign the people of this country to 5 more years of incompetence and corruption.

Hard of thinking indeed.

 

[Brewster's millions]

Poor bloke, Starmer living rent free.

Jesus.

I make a single comment on Starmer for the first time in weeks, if not months (which appears to have hit a nerve by the way), and all of a sudden he’s living rent free in my head.

Meanwhile you lot spend what appears to be at least 18 hours a day everyday maintaining a constant stream of vitriol against Sunak, using the most disgusting and frankly embarrassing language in the process, and presumably that’s all part of a positive, balanced and above all healthy outlook?

You couldn’t make it up and, in fact, you wouldn’t want to.

 

[Brewster's millions]

Tory boy talking about being hard of thinking.

How about being hard of morality? Of compassion? Of saving the planet? Of not being fascists?

That’s right, yes, I’m a fascist for pointing out that Starmer isn’t that keen on HS2, and for questioning how simply adopting the government’s new transport plans with barely a whimper is holding the government to account.

 

[Brewster's millions]

It doesn't matter what was said. We are being governed by a bunch of idiots, and I mean that in the sense of the word.

The strongest case economically for HS2 was freeing up capacity between Manchester and Birirmingham. A new line that would provide fast transport for passengers, and allow freight and slower stopping services to operate on existing lines.

Every report into the viability of HS2 supported that, but where did the building start? In London. If you were running a business, it is inconvceivable you would invest your money into a project that would have the lowest return first.

Like I said, we are being governed by idiots, thick twats that have reduced everything in this country to the barest minimum, but let me point this out.

Under the last Labour government, our standard of living improved by the highest margin in our history.

The tories have been in power for nearly 14 years, the economy has stalled, and we are now far worse off than we were when they came to power.

It's not a great achievemet, all things considered.

You might want to have a look at what Gordon Brown did to government debt levels.

 

[The Future’s Blue!]

Jesus.

I make a single comment on Starmer for the first time in weeks, if not months (which appears to have hit a nerve by the way), and all of a sudden he’s living rent free in my head.

Meanwhile you lot spend what appears to be at least 18 hours a day everyday maintaining a constant stream of vitriol against Sunak, using the most disgusting and frankly embarrassing language in the process, and presumably that’s all part of a positive, balanced and above all healthy outlook?

You couldn’t make it up and, in fact, you wouldn’t want to.

No nerve hit here, mate. From your posts you clearly believe the future of governing this country is with the Conservatives and your post was clearly anti-Starmer/Labour, which would therefore mean that he is living ‘Rent Free’ while you come to terms with where the country is at.

I have no issues with it, and if you want to post what you do then it’s only right for freedom of response. What I would ask, though, is where you find positives with what the Tories have delivered because even today it has been proved that the majority of what was said yesterday was deceitful, nay on lying?

 

[blueinsa]

What rubbish.
How could his position be the same as Sunak’s?

It was cancelled on a whim and replaced by a long list of smaller projects that have either already been built, already been authorised or just dreamt up at to he last minute.

Sunak cancelled it because he thought he could squeeze a few votes out of the cancellation and based on previous experience it’s highly likely that we’ll see Tory donors cashing in with decommissioning contracts and through land deals.

Starmer’s job is to hold the government to account, not to make commitments that he can’t guarantee can be kept due to cost uncertainties.

His and Labours position was the exact same, they would have scrapped it and promised much like the Tories some fancy incarnation of the next Northern transport project that we know will get scrapped or scaled back.

The world knew it was being scrapped, at no point did Labour say a vote for them would ensure that HS2 in its entirety would be built.

That in my book is the exact same position and by the day, Starmer, Reaves and the Labour Party look and sound very much like a traditional Conservative Party.

 

[west didsblue]

His and Labours position was the exact same, they would have scrapped it and promised much like the Tories some fancy incarnation of the next Northern transport project that we know will get scrapped or scaled back.

The world knew it was being scrapped, at no point did Labour say a vote for them would ensure that HS2 in its entirety would be built.

That in my book is the exact same position and by the day, Starmer, Reaves and the Labour Party look and sound very much like a traditional Conservative Party.

You reckon Labour had a shopping list of already completed or authorised projects that they would have pretended was being funded by HS2 savings like Sunak just has?

I know you’re desperate to make out that there’s no difference between Labour and Sunak’s version of the Tories but that’s ridiculous.

 

[mosssideblue]

Jesus.

I make a single comment on Starmer for the first time in weeks, if not months (which appears to have hit a nerve by the way), and all of a sudden he’s living rent free in my head.

Meanwhile you lot spend what appears to be at least 18 hours a day everyday maintaining a constant stream of vitriol against Sunak, using the most disgusting and frankly embarrassing language in the process, and presumably that’s all part of a positive, balanced and above all healthy outlook?

You couldn’t make it up and, in fact, you wouldn’t want to.

Are you still supporting Sunak after all this ?
Frankly, he deserves all the vitriol he gets, and more

 

[BobKowalski]

His and Labours position was the exact same, they would have scrapped it and promised much like the Tories some fancy incarnation of the next Northern transport project that we know will get scrapped or scaled back.

The world knew it was being scrapped, at no point did Labour say a vote for them would ensure that HS2 in its entirety would be built.

That in my book is the exact same position and by the day, Starmer, Reaves and the Labour Party look and sound very much like a traditional Conservative Party.

Firstly, there was cross party consensus on the need for HS2. It needed consensus because projects like this are never overly popular (although when built we then wonder how we did without them) and have to be immune from Govt changes.

Secondly. the Tories are now setting fire to the project, ensuring that if resurrected it will be even more costly, thereby giving them a stick to beat a future Govt with and also create a dividing line during an election campaign. Starmer is declining to give them that stick.

Sunak is opting for grievance and identity politics as the Tories default mode and for that they need to salt the earth as much as possible. This childish insistence on believing that Labour/Starmer are just Tories - a view very much in vogue on the far left - is tedious and wrong. For once, and for a change, can you kindly stop talking out of your arse?

 

[blueinsa]

You reckon Labour had a shopping list of already completed or authorised projects that they would have pretended was being funded by HS2 savings like Sunak just has?

I know you’re desperate to make out that there’s no difference between Labour and Sunak’s version of the Tories but that’s ridiculous.

His and the parties silence said it all.

They had no intention whatsoever of completing HS2. If they had, they would have said so and instead, they hide behind centuries of the exact same political excuse that blames previous government policy and how they can’t go back.

Literally every major fuck up this shit Tory government has made, Starmer and the Labour Party are committed to carrying on, including Brexit.

Is it any wonder why some then say what they say about him?

Sunak is a ****, Starmer has a choice not to be one and so far, the signs are not great he won’t be the same.

 

[BobKowalski]

Jesus.

I make a single comment on Starmer for the first time in weeks, if not months (which appears to have hit a nerve by the way), and all of a sudden he’s living rent free in my head.

Meanwhile you lot spend what appears to be at least 18 hours a day everyday maintaining a constant stream of vitriol against Sunak, using the most disgusting and frankly embarrassing language in the process, and presumably that’s all part of a positive, balanced and above all healthy outlook?

You couldn’t make it up and, in fact, you wouldn’t want to.

Only 18 hours? Given the speed and extant to which Sunak is fucking up it should be 24 hours.

On HS2 Cameron and Johnson have both trashed Sunak’s decision - how do your tiny Tory brains cope with the constant whiplash as your party lurches from one barmy decision to another, with each decision contradicting the last one? Fancy digging up tweets from the current Chancellor on how HS2 is essential for growth and levelling up?

Instead of whining, try thinking.

 

[inbetween]

You reckon Labour had a shopping list of already completed or authorised projects that they would have pretended was being funded by HS2 savings like Sunak just has?

I know you’re desperate to make out that there’s no difference between Labour and Sunak’s version of the Tories but that’s ridiculous.

I don't think any of these politicians have the foresight or ability to see beyond the next election let alone something like a 10 year plan of investment. Infrastructure projects typically last longer than the term of a government and so none of them will really commit to much, not that they're capable of making those decisions anyway.

We saw it in Sunak's speech this week, he cancelled the Manchester leg of HS2 and said the Tories will redirect that money to 'something', well what is that something? It's actually nothing because they have no idea. Labour are no different, they just have an anti-whatever-the-Tories-said policy but no actual specific infrastructure policy.

What will really happen is Labour will get in and several years will be spent in pointless committees where relatively little will be decided. They'll then get booted out and we're back with the Tories. The whole thing is a carousel where essentially very little if anything gets achieved.

Basically all politicians are arseholes and politics itself is just a pit of poison. It's just really sad that these morons are the gatekeepers for projects that could really help people. I just wish they would just give the money and power to clever people that care who will act on that basis alone and not on the basis of getting one over on the other party.

 

[Vic]

That’s right, yes, I’m a fascist for pointing out that Starmer isn’t that keen on HS2, and for questioning how simply adopting the government’s new transport plans with barely a whimper is holding the government to account.

I'm not calling you a fascist, or calling Sunak a fascist for cancelling HS2. Fascists made the trains run on time (and Hitler built lots of infrastructure...).

But anyone who cheers Braverman and the PM who doesn't sack her is an enabler. Fellow-traveller even.

 

[BobKowalski]

I don't think any of these politicians have the foresight or ability to see beyond the next election let alone something like a 10 year plan of investment. Infrastructure projects typically last longer than the term of a government and so none of them will really commit to much, not that they're capable of making those decisions anyway.

We saw it in Sunak's speech this week, he cancelled the Manchester leg of HS2 and said the Tories will redirect that money to 'something', well what is that something? It's actually nothing because they have no idea. Labour are no different, they just have an anti-whatever-the-Tories-said policy but no actual specific infrastructure policy.

What will really happen is Labour will get in and several years will be spent in pointless committees where relatively little will be decided. They'll then get booted out and we're back with the Tories. The whole thing is a carousel where essentially very little if anything gets achieved.

Basically all politicians are arseholes and politics itself is just a pit of poison. It's just really sad that these morons are the gatekeepers for projects that could really help people. I just wish they would just give the money and power to clever people that care who will act on that basis alone and not on the basis of getting one over on the other party.

HS2 had cross party consensus. That is the only way you can complete these projects. The Tories have now abandoned governance - much like the Republicans in the US. That leaves Labour as the only major party interested in governance.

That is the difference between the two major parties. Brexit drove the Tories insane and what we have today is the result. A Tory party focused on grievance and identity politics. It is no longer capable of governing because its pet project makes governance harder. Brexit requires larger state spending, this means higher taxes. Brexit means more red tape, it means trading with Europe has more friction and even worse we are subject to EU decisions via a deal that benefitted the EU more than it did us just to satisfy a simple three word slogan and win an election. This is not what the Tories wanted or expected to happen, hence the flight into a fantasy world of woke and inventing phantom policies to attack.

You and others bemoan about not electing clever and capable people? Well, look at who and what we voted for over the last ten years and you can see ‘clever and capable‘ was not top of the fucking list of what we wanted.

Dumb and simple. Yes. Clever and capable. No.

 

[Brewster's millions]

Only 18 hours? Given the speed and extant to which Sunak is fucking up it should be 24 hours.

On HS2 Cameron and Johnson have both trashed Sunak’s decision - how do your tiny Tory brains cope with the constant whiplash as your party lurches from one barmy decision to another, with each decision contradicting the last one? Fancy digging up tweets from the current Chancellor on how HS2 is essential for growth and levelling up?

Instead of whining, try thinking.

Funny how you equate my post with whining, when all I’m doing is pointing out the reality of the situation on here.

Hours upon hours of hate and vitriol about Sunak, and when someone points out the facts about a specific part of Labour policy - which every knows is essentially the same as the government’s - you’re unable to handle it. You fold like a sack of shit.

It’s all so erratic as well. Citing Cameron and Johnson’s opposition to Sunak’s decision on HS2, when you all hate Cameron and Johnson with a passion, due in no small part to the school they went to. Just very erratic and contradictory.

 

[meltonblue]

His and Labours position was the exact same, they would have scrapped it and promised much like the Tories some fancy incarnation of the next Northern transport project that we know will get scrapped or scaled back.

The world knew it was being scrapped, at no point did Labour say a vote for them would ensure that HS2 in its entirety would be built.

That in my book is the exact same position and by the day, Starmer, Reaves and the Labour Party look and sound very much like a traditional Conservative Party.

Labour did say that several times to be fair.