to believe Lady Starmer should pay for her own clothes and personal stylists?

Are people really this rude?

Let’s be honest, Starmer’s personal approval rating has never been great and I don’t imagine it ever will be. He’s very much in the Attlee mould. It’s undeniable that Frockgate hasn’t helped even a little bit. It also hasn’t helped that the economic inheritance is so dire, any PM having to deliver these messages is going to be unpopular because it would appear some people would rather be lied to and offered fantasy, unaffordable tax cuts.

We’re less than three months into this administration and it’s too soon to judge it. It’s farcical to take polls into consideration when we’re right at the beginning of a parliament. We’re further away from the next election than the last government was when Covid hit, I don’t know about anyone else but that feels like ancient history to me now.

Are people really this dim?

Although 83% on this thread is yanbu so perhaps not posting as much but doing that vote

Yep because I read off here then read threads here and the difference in commentary is stark. And the polls show this too.

Some post who said it was only 'stalwarts' would think Labour were not feeling it, that kind of thing

I'd suggest it's the other way around as the pp did. It would only be Labour stalwarts but for the opposite thinking

Starmer's approval rating however is lower than Sunaks was, so there's clearly a trust issue within the electorate that the party is ignoring. The question is, can they do something to demonstrate that they are in control and can be trusted. Let's wait until after the conference and the budget.

After all, by then they will be well past the first 100 days, in which they said we would notice a difference. Now, one could argue we have - but not in the way we expected!!

Those costs would be incurred anyway. Are you seriously suggesting that someone worth £200 million rents out their personal property to strangers? I’m clearly not as naive as you are if you think that.

Then the rules need to change for all politicians. Though if the rules are to change it should be family only as "friends" is too vague and can easily be fudged.

And in the interests of balance, lets not forget the sleaze under Blair. Not long after coming into power (seeing a theme?) there was the small matter of the million pounds from Bernie Ecclestone. And the priceless Blair quote - I'm a pretty straight kind of guy".

Then of course there was the loans for peerages scandal - £3.5m from 3 subsequently ennobled 'friends' of labour, and a further £10m that remained mysterious

We could of course then move on to Mandelson and the home loan scandal that forced him to resign twice...albeit and no long term detriment to his ability to milk the UK and EU taxpayer...

You keep saying this, but I have seen very few posters saying all is great.

Many Labour voters on MN have been very critical of what has happened over the past couple of weeks, me included. Blossomtoes too.

The government is not in crisis, though. That is Daily Fail wishful thinking.

From family and close friends, yes.

Otherwise no. Nothing ever is free.

Yes, there were headlines, tbf. I take it back.

Starmer et al have really fucked up. It is infuriating.

Yes, there were headlines, tbf. I take it back.

Starmer et al have really fucked up. It is infuriating.

New Year.

So are you saying no MP should ever accept free accomodation, even if doing so breaks no rules?

I agree he should. Not sure if this a serious comment though as the press reported regularly on Boris' wild expenses and it was widely talked about; the hypocrisy of the Tories claiming for x, y and z whilst plunging people in to poverty was often covered too. It's not new, but it's a shame a party who were (rightly) quick to criticise also suck.

Or was it New Year's, not Christmas?

Sorry if I got this wrong.

Of course it costs something.

Service charges, cleaning, maintenance. Tax. Lost income because it could have been rented out over Christmas.

Every single thing costs something, or did you think there is a free lunch out there for everybody?

Are you naïve or are you choosing to see it this way?

I agree. But it is odd that until July 5th 2024 the right wing press were not overly bothered.

Starmer should change the rules for all MPs.

To be honest I don’t know why anyone cares about the Manhattan flat, it didn’t cost anyone anything and it was declared. It’s a complete non story.

Of course she should, they all should.

Bizarre that anyone could suggest that they were the kind of donations that contribute to a political campaign.

It's already very rich people claiming to be working for average working people opposite to the Tories in England while spending thousands of pounds on outfits and luxury penthouse holidays and glasses, donated by 'friends' of the party.

I'm not sure examples of people with no morals committing fraud is an overly good way to illustrate anything.

Same in the private sector for us. Anti bribery policies were really strict.

But most public sector workers have strict hospitality and 'gift' policies, it's wild that those with actual power don't seem to be held to the same standard when arguably they are most at risk from being seen to be bribed etc. In the NHS as you'll well know you can't accept anything over £25, and even if its under there's a tonne of rules.

I do think that they haven't come across well with this. I work in the NHS, in a role that has a fair bit of public health promotion and have to go to events. If someone tied to the NHS tried to donate clothes, apparel and event tickets to the tune of thousands I'd definitely stop to think how it would look and I am pretty certain it would be a no from me.

However, people rarely turn down handouts do they? Not just MP's but your everyday Joe Bloggs too. During covid there were friends who ran small to medium businesses who pretty much took everything they could get from the public purse 'grant' wise to the tune of thousands. One friend ran a cafe and incredulously told me she got a grant for outdoor seating for 20k - she took it and the outdoor furniture she bought was not 20k. My best friend was telling me at the weekend that she was about to get 3k from the 'covid universal credit scheme' - her and her DP put £50 each into a savings account each and the govt have matched it and they now have 3k to match their own 3k input and are off to Japan. My Mum and dad were decrying the fact that their winter fuel payment has been 'snatched' and when I questioned whether they really qualified as 'needing' (they have been on 3 holidays this year) they said it came in handy last year for Christmas presents. They got the UC cost of living payments too because my Dad's pension hadn't quite kicked in and my Mum will only work 2 days a week max. People seem to have a bit of cognitive dissonance when they see a handout - even if deep down they know these handouts come from other people's tax bill. Not excusing MP's, who really should know better because their image really does impact on their job, but there is a mindset at play here too.

Ah you are not alone. Polls show a big drop