To wish Sir Keir and his wife would not hold hands when working

So I’d think mumsnet, which is a hotbed of supposed feminist and “feminist” activists and a well known source of crappy stories and trolling by the right wing press would be aware of the use and manipulation of public opinion to shape attitudes to government.

The UK (and the US) have the most virulent snd aggressive right wing press universe whose unrelenting goal is to secure benefits from the government —or end government restrictions on—for billionaires and oligarchs.

One of the things the press seeks is to keep center/left governments out of power. Another is to kneecap any such government whenever it gets into power.

Portraying Starmer as inauthentic, weak, “a boy about to cry” “wetting” himself “frightened” “uncertain” not really experienced, and (my favorite) not really a winner but simply the passive beneficiary of Tory incompetence is an absolutely bog standard set of right wing tropes.

Of course no individual poster here making fun of the new PM is doing anything other than “having a larf” its all just bantz, isn’t it? But its part of the torrent of delegitimization (the mummy party, the nanny state, champagne socialists, effete overeducated elites and “who do they think they are” outsiders” who “don’t know how to behave “ on the world stage that left wing governments have to face even as they also have to tackle the enormous mess that the previous government has left.

Whether you know it or not this stupid thread is part and parcel of the right wing ecosystem of insults which are dimply a form of politics by its other name: culture war. As Steve Bannon has always argued as he has employed these methods “politics is downstream from culture” and you get to the political by shaping the outlook of the masses.

As for all the supposed Labour voters who “just” feel uncomfortable with Starmer’s handholding A) obviously on the internet no one knows who is who. B) its possible to vote with your head but return to some pretty atavistic and non rational prejudices on cultural or aesthetic issues.

The whole tempest in a tea pot is expressly the absurd but significant charge that Starmer is inappropriate snd not behaving like “one of us” (not manly, not professional, not authentic) well: who is the implied “we” there? The implication from the poster and her supporters is “real” and “good” UK people. If the elected PM isn’t good and british enough for you who is? Surely the implication is that he and his voters are an error that needs correcting?

I think he's looked very confident and assured since winning the election.

So I’d think mumsnet, which is a hotbed of supposed feminist and “feminist” activists and a well known source of crappy stories and trolling by the right wing press would be aware of the use and manipulation of public opinion to shape attitudes to government.

The UK (and the US) have the most virulent snd aggressive right wing press universe whose unrelenting goal is to secure benefits from the government —or end government restrictions on—for billionaires and oligarchs.

One of the things the press seeks is to keep center/left governments out of power. Another is to kneecap any such government whenever it gets into power.

Portraying Starmer as inauthentic, weak, “a boy about to cry” “wetting” himself “frightened” “uncertain” not really experienced, and (my favorite) not really a winner but simply the passive beneficiary of Tory incompetence is an absolutely bog standard set of right wing tropes.

Of course no individual poster here making fun of the new PM is doing anything other than “having a larf” its all just bantz, isn’t it? But its part of the torrent of delegitimization (the mummy party, the nanny state, champagne socialists, effete overeducated elites and “who do they think they are” outsiders” who “don’t know how to behave “ on the world stage that left wing governments have to face even as they also have to tackle the enormous mess that the previous government has left.

Whether you know it or not this stupid thread is part and parcel of the right wing ecosystem of insults which are dimply a form of politics by its other name: culture war. As Steve Bannon has always argued as he has employed these methods “politics is downstream from culture” and you get to the political by shaping the outlook of the masses.

As for all the supposed Labour voters who “just” feel uncomfortable with Starmer’s handholding A) obviously on the internet no one knows who is who. B) its possible to vote with your head but return to some pretty atavistic and non rational prejudices on cultural or aesthetic issues.

The whole tempest in a tea pot is expressly the absurd but significant charge that Starmer is inappropriate snd not behaving like “one of us” (not manly, not professional, not authentic) well: who is the implied “we” there? The implication from the poster and her supporters is “real” and “good” UK people. If the elected PM isn’t good and british enough for you who is? Surely the implication is that he and his voters are an error that needs correcting?

What do you mean “here we are”? Here we are on a non-political thread about hand holding?
My point was that there ARE no better arguments. I’m a Labour supporter. You sound a bit paranoid.

And yet here we are. Could it be because they’ve done nothing but good so far? That even if you disagree with some of it, it’s all in line with the manifesto and competently rolled out?

I think that anyone who wanted to make a serious political point against the new Labour government would use a better argument than a bit of chat about hand-holding!

I think he's looked very confident and assured since winning the election.

Whether you think he looks steely is irrelevant. He’s generally known to be very determined indeed and to insist on high standards and hard work. Look at the changes he’s made in the famously difficult to control Labour Party (whether you like what he’s done or not). That couldn’t be done by a ‘rabbit in the headlights’ easy to trample person.
that said I’ve no idea what you mean about him looking like a rabbit in the headlights. He looks perfectly at ease and confident to me.

I wonder if Lady Starmer will hold his hand to take him to see the football on Sunday.

When he's finally finished jetting around maybe he'll crack on

I don't mind that he won the election tbh. He might do good things, we'll have to see I just wish he didn't look like a rabbit in the headlights every time he's out in public. He's not steely looking is he. I just hope he won't let everyone, including his own side, trample all over him.

I agree with you. We would raise an eyebrow in other professions. How are presidents and prime ministers any different?

No no don't put it up bed I want to say that I hold my husband's hand all the time. He just put the bins out and I was there holding his hand lovingly and reassuringly and don't get me started on my elderly parents they never let go!

None of which is relevant to a PM disembarking a plane, getting snapped by the global press clasping his wife's hand looking like a little boy on his first day at school, about to wet himself and burst into tears.

I don't mind that he won the election tbh. He might do good things, we'll have to see I just wish he didn't look like a rabbit in the headlights every time he's out in public. He's not steely looking is he. I just hope he won't let everyone, including his own side, trample all over him.

Are you suggesting that Angela Rayner's comment was made in Parliament?

They are often a baying jeering mob. I think being semi recumbent on a bench pretending to be bored to sleep is nothing compared to some of their antics. Didn't someone once bellow 'Tory Scum!!'?

Oh what a compliment! Another intelligent, wise poster who posts inconvenient facts. Thanks I'm happy you got 'mixed up' 😘.

Are you enjoying your holiday, btw @janiie?

Eta: oops, got you mixed up with Clavinova. I am always doing that for some strange reason 🤔

Yet you think looking unprofessional by lounging on the benches of the HOC is perfectly acceptable.

If you don't see the point I made I see little point in explaining it further.