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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

AIBU to be fed up with all the Keir Starmer threads

283 replies

MissScarletInTheBallroom · 22/01/2025 17:56

It's giving me flashbacks to 2016 when there were about 20 threads a day saying nonsense like, "AIBU to be concerned about the EU's plans to conscript everyone into an EU wide army?"

Just put a sock in it, already.

OP posts:
GertrudePerkinsPaperyThing · 24/01/2025 11:35

Didimum · 22/01/2025 17:57

Couldn’t agree more and was literally thinking this about 3 seconds before your post popped up.

Be prepared for the ‘just scroll on’ brigade.

Yes me too!

ilovesooty · 24/01/2025 11:29

MyNameIsX · 24/01/2025 11:25

I cannot take you seriously.

I will instead focus on the adults.

Do what you want. I don't care who you focus on. I'm sure you realise that personal attack and insults are unacceptable, and I'm as entitled to express an opinion as anyone else.

ETA that actually, I didn't state an opinion. I stated a fact.

EasternStandard · 24/01/2025 11:27

twistyizzy · 24/01/2025 11:25

Morrisons just announced job losses on top of those announced by Sainsbury's. Labour incompetence and ideology has an impact on normal people, it doesn't have an impact on Labour cabinet members.

Public sector might feel removed but shrinking the private sector will impact them after a lag

hazelnutvanillalatte · 24/01/2025 11:27

MissScarletInTheBallroom · 22/01/2025 18:00

This is exactly the tone of the threads I am talking about.

So you don't mind threads with this subject matter (obviously), you just don't want anyone to disagree with you.

For the record, I'm not pro-Tory by any means. But the hypocrisy is a bit ridiculous.

MyNameIsX · 24/01/2025 11:25

ilovesooty · 24/01/2025 11:21

That sounds rather threatening. This government has been elected with a mandate to serve for five years. People will just have to get used to it.

I cannot take you seriously.

I will instead focus on the adults.

twistyizzy · 24/01/2025 11:25

Morrisons just announced job losses on top of those announced by Sainsbury's. Labour incompetence and ideology has an impact on normal people, it doesn't have an impact on Labour cabinet members.

EasternStandard · 24/01/2025 11:22

When people lose their jobs, and/or are unable to pay their bills owing to mismanaged inflation, you will see how comforted they are by Starmer’s repeated mantra that he is happy to be ‘unpopular’.

True. Latest today

Chris Williamson, chief business economist at S&P Global, said: “The loss of confidence, combined with widespread concerns over higher staff costs associated with the Budget, pushed employment sharply lower again.
“Barring the job cutting seen during the pandemic, the rate of job losses signalled by the PMI over the past two months has been the highest since the global financial crisis in 2009.”

ilovesooty · 24/01/2025 11:21

MyNameIsX · 24/01/2025 10:12

Unfortunately for you, you fail to hear the drumbeats, to sense the mood, to read the room. The UK is pretty unique in embarking on its current, and ill-advised socialist ‘experiment’. Large, and influential parts of the world have swung to the right. Your beloved Govt doesn’t operate in a vacuum.

Policy will be dictated. Politicians will fall.

That sounds rather threatening. This government has been elected with a mandate to serve for five years. People will just have to get used to it.

MyNameIsX · 24/01/2025 11:17

BIossomtoes · 24/01/2025 11:11

Dissatisfaction with the government doesn’t need explanation or spin. Starmer was explicit that he expected the early days of this government to make it unpopular. The comments on social media, particularly news sites where only the most vocal and politically invested voices are heard are meaningless.

Thatcher’s satisfaction rating stood at 16 in 1981. She remained in government for another nine years having won two more elections. Snapshots in time are just that. Some people need to learn the lessons of history.

Unpopularity, in this case, is a direct by-product of mismanagement of the economy. Equating ‘unpopularity’ with competence and successful outcomes is clearly false - look at the growing adverse data.

When people lose their jobs, and/or are unable to pay their bills owing to mismanaged inflation, you will see how comforted they are by Starmer’s repeated mantra that he is happy to be ‘unpopular’.

A staggering lack of understanding is at play here. Look at readers comments yourself - pick a website that you think represents you if you must, and don’t diminish peoples legitimate views of how poor this Govt is.

BIossomtoes · 24/01/2025 11:11

MyNameIsX · 24/01/2025 11:00

Question.

How do you explain reader comments attached to the MSM? Many websites, including the BBC, Guardian, FT etc permit them. How do you explain readers criticism of this Government - or do you label them misinformed too?

Dissatisfaction with the government doesn’t need explanation or spin. Starmer was explicit that he expected the early days of this government to make it unpopular. The comments on social media, particularly news sites where only the most vocal and politically invested voices are heard are meaningless.

Thatcher’s satisfaction rating stood at 16 in 1981. She remained in government for another nine years having won two more elections. Snapshots in time are just that. Some people need to learn the lessons of history.

MyNameIsX · 24/01/2025 11:00

Sherbs12 · 24/01/2025 10:09

I hear you OP. It’s absolutely right that any government should be held to account and of course, people will always criticise their policies. There is, however, a massive issue with misinformation and misrepresentation both in the MSM and on social media - people need to be held to account on reporting truth and fact. Starmer has become the target for everything that people are angry about - with absolutely no recognition of other factors or any real, credible alternative. As soon as it’s something they disagree with, it’s, ‘Starmer resign!’ or some bonkers conspiracy-type theories.
There are people in the media (journalist is not the accurate term) who make a living off just repeatedly spouting their twisted narratives and whipping up hate - people posting their demands to know more about the Southport victims’ suffering and then detailing what they do know, without any respect for the victims’ families or their wishes to not disclose the details. It’s sickening.
The leaders of Reform and the Conservatives really set the tone for this too - their statements on the Southport sentencing yesterday was all party politics, absolutely disgusting. They’d have you believe that Starmer is responsible for people looting Greggs, throwing bricks at police and trying to set fire to hotels filled with people. Total lack of responsibility, critical thinking skills and ability to recognise that you can be enraged, horrified and want systemic changes without all of this.

Question.

How do you explain reader comments attached to the MSM? Many websites, including the BBC, Guardian, FT etc permit them. How do you explain readers criticism of this Government - or do you label them misinformed too?

MyNameIsX · 24/01/2025 10:50

@Blossomtoes Spin this.

FT citing S&P

Despite the rise in the composite index, employment levels fell for the fourth month in a row according to the survey, with businesses often linking this to rising cost pressures.

S&P Global said that, with the exception of the pandemic period, the rate of job losses signalled by the PMI over the past two months was the highest since the global financial crisis in 2009.

Chris Williamson, economist at S&P Global Market Intelligence, said the survey’s results “add to the gloom about the UK economy, with companies cutting employment amid falling sales and concerns about business prospects”. He warned that inflationary pressures had “reignited, pointing to a stagflationary environment which poses a growing policy quandary for the Bank of England”.

hideawayforever · 24/01/2025 10:33

But it's exactly the same with loads of Trump threads

MyNameIsX · 24/01/2025 10:12

BIossomtoes · 24/01/2025 09:26

Unfortunately for you, you’re going to have to wait another four years and six months. The only person who can call an election is the PM and no PM with a huge majority is going to do that six months in.

If I was as disappointed with the government as the usual suspects here are I’d be more concerned about the quality of what’s supposed to be the opposition. The remaining Tories and Reform should be tearing the government to shreds but they seem to be missing in action.

Unfortunately for you, you fail to hear the drumbeats, to sense the mood, to read the room. The UK is pretty unique in embarking on its current, and ill-advised socialist ‘experiment’. Large, and influential parts of the world have swung to the right. Your beloved Govt doesn’t operate in a vacuum.

Policy will be dictated. Politicians will fall.

Sherbs12 · 24/01/2025 10:09

I hear you OP. It’s absolutely right that any government should be held to account and of course, people will always criticise their policies. There is, however, a massive issue with misinformation and misrepresentation both in the MSM and on social media - people need to be held to account on reporting truth and fact. Starmer has become the target for everything that people are angry about - with absolutely no recognition of other factors or any real, credible alternative. As soon as it’s something they disagree with, it’s, ‘Starmer resign!’ or some bonkers conspiracy-type theories.
There are people in the media (journalist is not the accurate term) who make a living off just repeatedly spouting their twisted narratives and whipping up hate - people posting their demands to know more about the Southport victims’ suffering and then detailing what they do know, without any respect for the victims’ families or their wishes to not disclose the details. It’s sickening.
The leaders of Reform and the Conservatives really set the tone for this too - their statements on the Southport sentencing yesterday was all party politics, absolutely disgusting. They’d have you believe that Starmer is responsible for people looting Greggs, throwing bricks at police and trying to set fire to hotels filled with people. Total lack of responsibility, critical thinking skills and ability to recognise that you can be enraged, horrified and want systemic changes without all of this.

Pamosonic · 24/01/2025 10:05

EasternStandard · 24/01/2025 09:19

Exactly. Mn doesn’t have to be some sort of pro Labour support group. It’s meant to reflect general views

Some people get so tribal with politics these days. Nothing is black and white when the focus is on whatever colour tie politicians they favour.

HermoineFairfax · 24/01/2025 09:46

There was thread after thread knocking the Tories. Every day a new thread, a new moan. How quickly people forget!

I said before the election that I have not lived the online world during a Labour govt so I am quite fascinated how the professional moaners will adapt if they get in and the other side start to criticise their policies and behaviour.

To throw around bot or Tory HQ slurs is an attempt to shut down debate.

BIossomtoes · 24/01/2025 09:26

MyNameIsX · 24/01/2025 07:35

I just love the hoary old ‘six months’ argument.

The negative data is coming thick and fast now - you want to wait another six months, really?

Many cannot afford that luxury.

Unfortunately for you, you’re going to have to wait another four years and six months. The only person who can call an election is the PM and no PM with a huge majority is going to do that six months in.

If I was as disappointed with the government as the usual suspects here are I’d be more concerned about the quality of what’s supposed to be the opposition. The remaining Tories and Reform should be tearing the government to shreds but they seem to be missing in action.

EasternStandard · 24/01/2025 09:19

Pamosonic · 24/01/2025 09:08

I feel it's just quite an accurate barometer of the general mood of the country at the moment. Go down your local pub/social club and ask their opinion on Starmer and you'll likely find he really is not very popular at all the moment.

Exactly. Mn doesn’t have to be some sort of pro Labour support group. It’s meant to reflect general views

Dotjones · 24/01/2025 09:18

When Sunak, Truss and Johnson were in power there were endless threads attacking their incompetence. Probably the same happened with previous Prime Ministers too.

The only difference in attacking Starmer is that the attack is from a different direction politically. The themes of the attacks are the same (incompetence, dishonesty etc.) precisely because the person in charge is demonstrating those traits.

Remember with the previous shower, we were dealing with the third, fourth and fifth best PMs and cabinets that the party could offer. The concern with the current Labour shower is that Starmer, Rayner, Reeves et al might actually be the high point of this run in power. They're no better than the recent Tory leaders were overall, they are already facing scandal, they lie and avoid answering questions. And these are the best we'll get. At this rate, they'll be out the door in 2029 and we'll have another 15 years of the Tories (probably a Tory/Reform hybrid).

Subsequent leaders are always shit. Whatever you think of Thatcher, Major was shitter. Whatever you think of Blair, Brown was worse. The same with Cameron, May was worse, Johnson was worse still, Truss was shockingly bad and Sunak was abysmal.

Pamosonic · 24/01/2025 09:08

I feel it's just quite an accurate barometer of the general mood of the country at the moment. Go down your local pub/social club and ask their opinion on Starmer and you'll likely find he really is not very popular at all the moment.

ilovesooty · 24/01/2025 09:07

EasternStandard · 24/01/2025 07:32

You’re in a minority who think he’s going well. You’ll just have to get used to views different to yours.

That applies to everyone surely? We all have differing opinions.

Babadookinthewardrobe · 24/01/2025 08:56

YABU. Starmer is stuffing up spectacularly on several fronts so numerous threads are to be expected. We’re all allowed a voice in a democracy. If you don’t like the threads move on.

Tryingtokeepgoing · 24/01/2025 08:56

SoapySponge · 24/01/2025 08:24

The Tories are desperate.

it seems more likely that the governments supporters are naive if they didn’t expect debate and criticism of ‘their’ parties flawed polices. Particularly, to the extent that there are any, they are poorly thought through. And that was their behaviour when they were in opposition so they can hardly be surprised.

Due to the unique way the Labour Party interprets fraud, corruption, cronyism and freebies they also lost what moral high ground they had pretty quickly. The British public don’t like being taken advantage of, and for many (the majority) that’s how they feel after 6 months.

There’s a whiff of indignation that anyone should dare to question them though, and that of course their sort cronyism and corruption is fine. That’s inherent in Labour, but even the authoritarian left can’t tell people how to feel ;)

OneLemonGuide · 24/01/2025 08:55

SoapySponge · 24/01/2025 08:24

The Tories are desperate.

If I was a Tory-bot, that’s exactly what I’d write, as it’s arrogance and wilful refusal to meaningfully engage will only have the effect of infuriating anyone who’s not a die-hard partisan Labour supporter.

If you are actually a Labour supporter, your attitude is politically suicidal.