Keir Starmer

[joe123]

I find Starmer quite excellent at the dispatch box and he calmly put BJ to the sword every week. For some reason he does lack a bit of something - personality /flare/whatever, ans it just doesn't seem to have any impact. Sad really.

I agree, but his lack of spark is somewhat compensated by Boris' real talent for looking clueless. Being routinely shown up and your only discernible talent being to occasionally use a word that most people don't know will hopefully wear the electorate down over time and have Starmer seen as a competent pair of hands. Question for me is will the Tories get rid of Johnson before the electorate, which may well be down to success, or lack of, in delivering Brexit.

 

[urban genie]

I find Starmer quite excellent at the dispatch box and he calmly put BJ to the sword every week. For some reason he does lack a bit of something - personality /flare/whatever, ans it just doesn't seem to have any impact. Sad really.

He has a reserved passion, can be good when determined to critically tear down the opponent, but can also seem bland at times.

The tell for PMQs will be when the braying mob return in full and it becomes a ding dong again.

 

[Mazzarelli's Swiss Cheese]

He has a reserved passion, can be good when determined to critically tear down the opponent, but can also seem bland at times.

The tell for PMQs will be when the braying mob return in full and it becomes a ding song again.

Yes - I keep forgetting that only half the cunts are there at present so it's like a guard of honour for liverpool atmosphere-wise

 

[MillionMilesAway]

The first two weeks I though he got the better of Bojo with his forensic approach but in the last fortnight I felt Boris got away with it through bluster about schools etc.Maybe Starmer will find that bit extra to keep the Government on the run but I’m not sure he’s got it either

Most reviewers have decided to support Johnson or not already.

Also the bluster is seen through by the serious who also see the vacuousness, the inaccuracies and the almost pathological need to not answer a single question. It's impossible to do anything to a leader who has no oversight to make them behave.

 

[Len Rum]

Socially speaking this government is left wing.

Left wing?
Not really mate.
They are a populist anti immigration nationalist right wing Government.
They want to speak to the people direct and by pass Parliament,whilst slagging off and reducing the role off liberals and intellectuals. Straight from the populist play book really.It always goes tits up when the people realise the elite don't really care about them, only their own power and wealth.This is usually brought on by some crisis or major event or general deterioration.
As for increased public spending they are only doing it because they have to post Covid.
Pre covid they would have spent the minimum amount necessary ( few betting shops, call centres etc.) to keep their new 'red' base happy whilst feeding them lots of identity politics and xenophobia ( why spend loads of risky money in these areas for possible no long term impact) when you can keep the voters happy on the cheap.
Socially speaking they have no interest in reducing poverty and social inequality.

 

[Tim of the Oak]

Most reviewers have decided to support Johnson or not already.

Also the bluster is seen through by the serious who also see the vacuousness, the inaccuracies and the almost pathological need to not answer a single question. It's impossible to do anything to a leader who has no oversight to make them behave.

Maybe you are too willing to accept Starmer’s mediocre performances. Two weeks ago he just needEd to say schools should return as soon as it is safe to do so. He got carried away with repeating who is asking the questions etc.

 

[Ban-jani]

Left wing?
Not really mate.
They are a populist anti immigration nationalist right wing Government.
They want to speak to the people direct and by pass Parliament,liberals and intellectuals. Straight from the populist play book really.It always goes tits up when the mob realise the snobs don't really care about them, only their own power and wealth.
As for increased public spending they are only doing it because they have to post Covid.
Pre covid they would have spent the minimum amount necessary ( few betting shops, call centres etc.) to keep their new 'red' base happy whilst feeding them lots of identity politics and xenophobia ( why spend loads of risky money in these areas for possible no long term impact) when you can keep the voters happy on the cheap.
Socially speaking they have no interest in reducing poverty and social inequality.

First of all immigration isn’t social policy and having a points based system isn’t right wing, it’s a sensible approach used across the word, even in New Zealand, who definitely don’t have a right wing leader.

The UK needs to bring immigration right down in terms of numbers and focus it to people with specific skills.

“Populist” is a really shit term to use, as you could also level it at Corbyn. Interestingly Bannon said Corbyn was a biggest populist party leader than Johnson is.

Under Blair the civil service, media, education system and other institutions fell into radical liberal hands. Family values, community and marriage went out the window. The Tories have done barely anything, if nothing at all, to bring that back to a conservative social ideology and they’ve got no intention in doing so.

Their budget was Corbyn-2017-lite and I would argue I wouldn’t be surprised to look back and see Blair’s old budgets being incredibly similar.

Rascal has bemoaned the lack of choice now but I’d say it’s because the Tories have shifted to the left, not the other way around.

 

[MillionMilesAway]

Maybe you are too willing to accept Starmer’s mediocre performances. Two weeks ago he just needEd to say schools should return as soon as it is safe to do so. He got carried away with repeating who is asking the questions etc.

He was being taunted as being beholden to the unions - it wouldn't have made a difference.

Johnson is meant to answer questions, and doesn't.

Attacking Johnson on anything that isn't specifically to do with Johnson's ego is like punching a blancmange for all the effect it has.

 

[hilts]

You highlighted my point perfectly, thank you. That is how far right the Overton window has moved that Johnsons government are now considered to be moderate, but one nation Conservative they are not, whilst Labour were considered far left when they were nowhere near the politics of Foot and Benn.

That is exactly what I was talking about in moving the Overton window, its been so successful you dismiss it as tosh.

The vast majority of the public don’t know or care about the Overton window or spend anytime contemplating how much left or right they are. They also have no interest in ideologies or labelling themselves. If this window has moved then it has moved you cannot decide at which point in history it was suitable to your own views so it made people whose politics you believe in appear less left.

The people with your views have in reality moved further left in relation to the general public so with this knowledge you can either accept it and live under governments you despise or nudge the population more in your direction.

The majority in this country do okay you ain’t dragging them left as we have seen but you could nudge them a little if a bit of common sense was applied. Unfortunately for you and others Starmer is your best bet and I understand this must piss you off.

You me and plenty of others want a complete change in direction but we are fragmented and don’t agree with each other on how to do it. We are in effect an irrelevance politically because of the self interest and apathy of the majority.

 

[urban genie]

The vast majority of the public don’t know or care about the Overton window or spend anytime contemplating how much left or right they are. They also have no interest in ideologies or labelling themselves. If this window has moved then it has moved you cannot decide at which point in history it was suitable to your own views so it made people whose politics you believe in appear less left.

The people with your views have in reality moved further left in relation to the general public so with this knowledge you can either accept it and live under governments you despise or nudge the population more in your direction.

The majority in this country do okay you ain’t dragging them left as we have seen but you could nudge them a little if a bit of common sense was applied. Unfortunately for you and others Starmer is your best bet and I understand this must piss you off.

You me and plenty of others want a complete change in direction but we are fragmented and don’t agree with each other on how to do it. We are in effect an irrelevance politically because of the self interest and apathy of the majority.

It does matter though.

As it dictated how generation upon generation views what is considered extreme or not socially acceptable in terms of what a society should be.

That Johnson has been mentioned as left wing conservatism shows that, that the horrible actions of IDS towards the disabled during austerities height was considered by many a necessary action not a disgrace is because of this shift of said window.

Ideas like an NHS, social housing and wellfare system in todays positioning of the overton window would have them considered far left wing, it is only because we have them they are not even seen like that.