Sir Kier Starmer on GMB now being asked what his stance on trans gender is

I'm sure that Starmer was a competent DPP. It's just worth remembering that the DPP isn't the badass trial lawyer prosecuting terrorists that Labour would have us believe. The DPP is effectively the Perm Sec of a small department and spends his time on the duties of a Perm Sec.

There are three people who will matter in a Labour government. That's Starmer, Reeves and Sue Gray. They're all Whitehall functionaries. I'm sure they will be quite competent at the bureaucratic stuff that makes up most of what government does.

Still and all, I'm not sure I approve of making Sir Humphrey the PM. That's not Sir Humphrey's function. And at least as much of this mess can be laid at Sir Humphrey's feet as the feet of the elected politicians.

Starmer has started to realise how big this issue is and it’s not going away. It’s only getting bigger.

There’s a reason he had the view in the first place. That reason obviously hasn’t changed. Therefore he won’t - can’t ‘change his mind’. Clearly he doesn’t actually believe what he’s saying.

So here we are. What a pickle he’s in. It may be a relief to him, for him to lose - it’s feasible.

There is part of me that thinks Starmer is deliberately trying to lose, no one can be this bad.

The trouble seems to be that they think women are stupid. Even the female Labour politicians seem to think we're stupid. Or that we don't have a vote each.

Ffs! Now that’s definitely guaranteed to get us onside 🤦‍♀️

What is it, that whoever it is, has on him?

Rebellious I guess hefty donations from trans supporting organisations (to the Labour Party, I mean - I’m not suggesting he’s taken bribes to line his own pocket).

Ive heard much the same, but that was then, now is now.

Something has changed with starmer, now he makes a fool of himself every time he is asked about this because he is tying himself in knots and has no confidence in what he is being told to say.

Whenever asked anything on this issue he looks frozen - as he tries to remember the script one of his young LGBTQ advisors has written for him

Absolutely! Rosie Duffield basically just said as much on LBC with Tom Swarbrick.

Whenever asked anything on this issue he looks frozen - as he tries to remember the script one of his young LGBTQ advisors has written for him. Wriggling and worming - with nothing new at all to say in all of these years of having been asked the same questions.. Totally avoidant. What is it, that whoever it is, has on him?

I absolutely agree with all of this. 👏

Think I'll stick to running / jogging with the 🐕 🤣

To be fair, the jokes in the HoC are almost all lame or nasty. And the laughter is horrible, real braying. But at least I’m keeping fit.

The scripted farce that is PMQ is hardly a test of anyone's wit or wisdom.

I am happy to accept would KS would, and did, make a good DPP. Doesn't make him an effective politician.

I used to listen to Times Radio on PMQs which was often quite funny at unpacking them but the jokes by Starmer my goodness

I had to stop listening

On being good in other roles as pp that may be so but understanding the current laws and being able to lead on policy off the cuff in interviews are quite different

He really struggles with the latter

I put it on the radio occasionally, but they don't get the sound right so it can be really hard to hear what's going on.

It is generally awful. However, it coincides with my Wednesday gym session, so I watch it while on the exercise bike as added penance.
Because it makes me angry, I pedal faster.

A friend of mine who worked with rape victims did quite a lot of work with Starmer when he was DPP. She and her colleagues had a lot of respect for him, and said he was one of the few people in positions of power who both fully understood the issues and was determined to do something about them, and he was as good as his word. He has plenty of gravitas when it matters.

What the hell is "the woke agenda"? Can we have a few items from it, with evidence that they actually exist and/or are an issue?

I hate PMQs. It's all Qs and no As! Just lots of jeering!

I’ve never seen even a smidge of humour from him.

I suggest you watch or listen to PMQs then.

As I said, I’m not a fan, but it’s generally a good idea to give credit where it’s due, to anyone.
I would never vote Conservative, but on occasion even Rishi says sensible things and performs well, at least appearing sincere.

Same!

So either he’s an inept orator
or
he doesn’t really believe in his policies
or
his policies have no substance because they are just pandering to the usual Labour electorate to get votes.

I'm amazed the usual suspects haven't appeared on this thread yet.😬

And somehow they convince themselves that this will win us over...

I don’t think Keir has any gravitas at all. That is my view. I find myself cringing when he speaks. I don’t trust him at all. I don’t know who he is, what he even stands for. He seems soulless to me, an empty vessel. That’s my view.

I also look at the team of misfits behind him and cringe a bit more, with the exception of Wes StreetIng I can hardly believe such chronic ineptitude is even possible for a potential government in waiting. Seemingly swept up from certain departments from the local council and wheeled out, there is not a hint of competency, creditability and polish between them. It’s really dire.

The woke agenda is already so dated, and yet they seemingly haven’t got the memo…

I think that’s a regular occurrence with some posters