AMA with Tom Baldwin: author of "Keir Starmer: The Biography" - the Sunday Times bestselling biography of the Labour Leader

[RhiannonEMumsnet]

Hi there,

We're pleased to announce that with just a few days to go until the General Election, Tom Baldwin, former Labour advisor and author of "Keir Starmer: The Biography" - the Sunday Times bestselling biography of the Labour Leader will be joining us for an AMA on Sunday evening.

Tom's biography of the man who looks set to be the next Prime Minister has been described as "the first serious and consistently readable biography of Starmer" (Patrick Maguire, the Times) and "absolutely riveting and very timely" (Amol Rajan). You can join him live on this thread from 7.30pm on Sunday, or post your questions in advance below.

Thanks,
MNHQ

Someone who has conducted themselves thusly on a thread they are supposedly meant to be giving clear transparent answers needs that advice I would say. Can't believe he actually used the word shrill on a largely women's only social network.

Talk about not reading the room.

Perhaps just needs a reminder that calm down dear doesn't work here.

So you said Kier cares about the dignity of trans people. Does he care about the dignity of the 26 nurses who've been forced - against their consent - for over a year to share an open plan "woman's" changing room with a male bodied person who made some feel uncomfortable some downright scared and forced some religious women to wear two sets of clothes so they wouldn't be forced - unconsenting - to undress in front of a male bodied person.

Can you not see why women feel hurt when Kier responds to questions about women's safety, dignity, and rights -51% of the population - by immediately talking about prioritizing a tiny number of trans people. Why this seems at best disingenuous and at worst a whole scale intention to dismantle women's sex based safeguarding, dignity and rights.

What's the point? The q&a with Sunak was ridiculous. Now you offer us Keir Starmer. Oops no you don't, you offer us a bloke who wrote a book about him.

As an incoming PM, he would have more experience in dealing with world leaders than most. He did so as a human rights lawyer fighting the death penalty in Africa and the Carribean. He did so as DPP, representing the UK at Eurojust meetings and in negotiations with the Obama administration. He did so as Shadow Brexit Secretary trying to get a better deal than the one Johnson got. He's now much more engaged than more on the middle east and Ukraine.

My sense his priority will be to try to rebuild Britain's influence abroad by showing a Labour government can be a stable ally rather than a weird posturing or unpredictable one. That'll probably disappoint some but it may be the better way of making progress.

I used the word "shrill" to describe the tone of our politics which has largely been set by men.

Thankyou for replying though I'm curious how relations between us and Europe will develop, if Europe move further to the right and we move to the left.

No. Sorry.

Not just humans but all mammals have two sexes. This is a fact of life more basic than the earth being an oblate spheroid (not flat). Can you understand that people have doubts that someone who doesn't seem able to grasp this pretty basic scientific fact and / or is willing to lie about it due to lobby group pressure can run the country and deal with reality not fantasy?

Be the change you want to see then. Listen to women. Stop using words like shrill and ignoring and dismissing valid concerns. You can pass that on from me.

You, a man, don't get to come onto a female focused forum and manipulate our language. There are far cleverer women on here who see what dear leader is sleepwalking into.

I will phrase my post the way I choose, if your reading comprehension is so lacking that you cannot see I didn't say all women then that is a problem for you.

Really interesting point.

There's at least three dynamics.

1. Easing trade and other obvious restrictions from Brexit.
2. Labour's plan for a security pact with Europe. which may become more important (Trump, Putin, refugees, climate etc) than any narrow debate about the EU.
3. Being a bulwark against right wing populism at home and abroad. I've interviewed Paf McFadden in today's Observer and he talks about how politics is changing and may be more about fighting far right populism in the next few years.

The word shrill has a long history of historical use against predominantly women. I find it hard to believe someone who's business is words wouldn't know that.

You're not aware that it has misogynistic overtones given that it means 'high pitched' and is not generally used to describe men's discourse?

How far do you think he'll go on policies to address climate change? Is it a priority for him and his cabinet?

Hi Tom

Do you understand why many women don't trust Keir when he says he will protect "safe spaces for biological women" and then doesn't engage further, when others in his shadow cabinet contradict this? Males are not women, and they certainly aren't biological women. All polls show that endorsing males in women's spaces isn't popular with the public.

Being a bulwark against right wing populism at home and abroad. I've interviewed Paf McFadden in today's Observer and he talks about how politics is changing and may be more about fighting far right populism in the next few years.

I would suggest it would be a good idea to look at why far right populism is gaining ground.

I think the Left promoting the sterilisation of kids might be one thing fuelling people running away from the Left, or so called Left, but hey lets not take any responsibility for that eh?

I would suggest it would be a good idea to look at why far right populism is gaining ground.

This. It's not just here, look at many other countries.

Hi
he has notably avoided getting involved in the debate for reasons which are clear, but
q. do you think he sees the UK eventually rejoining the EU? And would he like to take some part in that path if so.

WHY CAN'T HE GIVE A STRAIGHT ANSWER TO THE QUESTION, WHAT IS A WOMAN???

Hi Tom, also interested in whether Keir views he made any missteps re the party's approach to the situation in Palestine?

Absolutely he can pick up the phone now and ask her what women need and protect her from the threats and misogyny in the party and give her assurances that she can serve on the women's and equality committee.
Keir can call her right now.

You don’t need to say all women to imply it. Constant references to women quite clearly implies all.

Does he agree with these statements?

Just reiterating what others are saying, we need to understand why people are moving to the right side of politics through respectful discussion. The word 'fighting' feels too combative and I think we need a calmer and more respectful political discussion in this country. Too often I read people on the left insulting those on the right but I think this just drives people even further away.