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Original poster

AIBU - Keir Starmer's ok - getting rid of him wouldn't help Labour

219 replies

Twiglets1 · 09/05/2026 08:44

As a result of the disastrous results for Labour in the recent elections, many people - even within his own party - are now calling for Keir Starmer to stand down.

Would that really help Labour though? It seems to me that a lot of the reasons people are fed up - like the cost of living & housing crisis for example, are not his fault personally but more a result of years of underinvestment, mainly by previous Conservative governments.

Yes he does lack charisma and personally I think the Conservatives have a better leader in Kemi Badenoch. But I wouldn't vote for a political party purely based on how charismatic their leader is.

When you look at the alternatives - I like Wes Streeting but would he be able to turn around the fortunes of the Labour party before the next General Election - I doubt it. And the same goes for Andy Burnham, even if they did find a way to make him eligible for party leadership in time.

The Tories caused turmoil with their constant leadership challenges and it didn't help their brand. Starmer hasn't done anything too awful that I'm aware of - wouldn't it be better just to keep him in post?

OP posts:
SkipAd · 09/05/2026 09:02

Shedmistress · 09/05/2026 08:52

Is it worth explaining why you think he IS ok?

I see an intelligent, educated, conviction led (not career led) politician who truly wants the best for the country.
I have also been very pleased with his attitude to Trump.
I like his quiet air of getting on with the job, which is night and day from Johnson’s performance based leadership.

Original poster
Twiglets1 · 09/05/2026 09:01

EasternStandard · 09/05/2026 08:54

Labour are in a tough place. Starmer is a key part of why they lost so many votes, and so many to Reform.

Hi @EasternStandard why do you think Starmer is a key part of why they lost so many votes and in particular to Reform?

I'm genuinely trying to understand why people think this is the case and I normally agree with your posts.

OP posts:
EasternStandard · 09/05/2026 09:01

Twiglets1 · 09/05/2026 08:57

Yes the lack of charisma doesn't help, his somewhat robotic delivery makes him easy to mock.

But - I do think that behind the scenes he and his party and doing good things and he made the right call with a big decision recently by not getting the UK too involved in the Iran war.

He's cautious and has an obsession with doing things by the book - probably because of his legal background. There have been times I wished he would be more proactive - such as prescribing the IRGC as a terrorist organisation faster, in line with the rest of Europe.

BUT - all leaders do things that can be criticised. Overall, I don't see how it will help the Labour party to replace him at this point.

Show quote history

Look at the votes, they’re losing to everyone everywhere and in key places like London and Wales gone after 100 years.

Starmer is a major factor in that. But they don’t like replacing leaders and have to wait for AB if it’s him.

The current leader could drive a Reform win. So it’s a tough decision for them.

Original poster
Twiglets1 · 09/05/2026 08:59

Shedmistress · 09/05/2026 08:52

Is it worth explaining why you think he IS ok?

He seems a decent person - no scandals attached to him that I am aware of. Why do you think he isn't ok? (him as a person not Labour generally).

OP posts:
HRTQueen · 09/05/2026 08:59

I agree he needs to stay on as PM for now

but I do feel he isn’t the person that can win the next election which I feel sad about so Labour do need to carefully plan for this

LizzieSiddal · 09/05/2026 08:58

I’m a Labour member and had such high hopes for him.

I think he’s a decent person who’s doing an extremely difficult job against a media who hate him. However I think his judgment is questionable, the first thing his government did was take way pensioners heating allowance, a stupid thing to do for a Labour government, also caving in totally to back benchers when he tried to cut the welfare bill, shows he is weak. And let’s not talk about him agreeing to Mandleson.

I think he’s does need to go and the sooner the better. I really like Wes Streeting he’s a much better communicator and that’s what we need.

Original poster
Twiglets1 · 09/05/2026 08:57

OnceUponATimed · 09/05/2026 08:47

I am so split about this
He is very uncharismatic and a good leader should have charisma. He is also lacking a a strong vision, hence everything seems directionless.
They are bringing around some quite significant improvements to the country, but obviously the press, predominantly right wing in this country, are ignoring all of that.

I do feel it's a bit now, or never to allow time for a new leader to bed in.

Edited

Yes the lack of charisma doesn't help, his somewhat robotic delivery makes him easy to mock.

But - I do think that behind the scenes he and his party and doing good things and he made the right call with a big decision recently by not getting the UK too involved in the Iran war.

He's cautious and has an obsession with doing things by the book - probably because of his legal background. There have been times I wished he would be more proactive - such as prescribing the IRGC as a terrorist organisation faster, in line with the rest of Europe.

BUT - all leaders do things that can be criticised. Overall, I don't see how it will help the Labour party to replace him at this point.

OP posts:
Notmyreality · 09/05/2026 08:57

Labours problems aren’t due to its ineffectual leader or stemming from the previous government. Its key problem is it need to decide what type of party it wants to be. Is it the traditional left wing party that Angela Raynor or Andy Burnham is desperate to get back to or the more centrist party of Keir. If you could start all over I expect Keir would really be more at home in the Liberal Democrat’s. That’s really where he’s trying to take the party. As a result Labour is suffering an identify crisis- like all the main parties.
Either way Keir is an ineffectual leader and needs to go.

UrbanFan · 09/05/2026 08:56

We do not need a change in PM at this time. But he needs to step up and understand why somany people have turned their backs on labour. For traditional socialist voters to go completely to the dark side is a reflection on how betrayed they feel by l abour. Stop hurting the working classes with more and more taxes and start listening. He and his chancellor do not understand what they have done killing jobs and opportunities.

Reform will make everything worse for everyone except their rich backers, but people are angry, fed up and lashing out.

Bad times ahead with racist Reformers at the table.

EasternStandard · 09/05/2026 08:54

Labour are in a tough place. Starmer is a key part of why they lost so many votes, and so many to Reform.

Shedmistress · 09/05/2026 08:52

Is it worth explaining why you think he IS ok?

Erin1975 · 09/05/2026 08:51

He is in a difficult position. He is governing a country which is in decline while pretending that is not the case. For various reasons, some of our doing, some not, the UK is less well off than it was and this is likely to continue. Replacing Starmer will not fix that.

SkipAd · 09/05/2026 08:50

They have been talking about this on the BBC this morning and I wasn’t paying full attention but apparently anecdotally, candidates have said that many people on the doorsteps said they don’t like him.
Personally, I’m not sure why but I am a Labour voter so maybe it’s my partisanship that blinds me to something everyone else sees. Or maybe it’s because the right wing press have taken against him.
I welcome stability but if his alleged unpopularity is adding to the current anti-Labour rhetoric, maybe he should go.
I do however think that whoever replaces him will also get destroyed by the right wing press so ?????

OnceUponATimed · 09/05/2026 08:47

I am so split about this
He is very uncharismatic and a good leader should have charisma. He is also lacking a a strong vision, hence everything seems directionless.
They are bringing around some quite significant improvements to the country, but obviously the press, predominantly right wing in this country, are ignoring all of that.

I do feel it's a bit now, or never to allow time for a new leader to bed in.

Meredusoleil · 09/05/2026 08:47

I agree. BoJo was a lot worse!

RS1987 · 09/05/2026 08:46

I think he’s done really well with a really tough job. After what we put up with from the last lot, I am genuinely baffled.

Zhu · 09/05/2026 08:46

I can’t think of anything I want less right now than another prime minister. Constant chaos!

Original poster
Twiglets1 · 09/05/2026 08:46

Yay! I like a positive start 😁

OP posts:
SomedayIllBeSaturdayNight · 09/05/2026 08:45

Totally agree.