Keir Starmer - response to my question

[DeliaTookATumble]

Just watched the MN interview with Keir Starmer. Thank you Mumsnet for putting my question to him. But the answer was so disappointing.

I said that I’m a single working mum and have told my kids that we need to wrap up warm this winter because I can’t afford to pay for heating. And that it’s going to be a cheap Christmas. And, crucially, that I haven’t told them we might lose our home. I asked what Labour will do to help people like me.

He said ‘grow the economy.’ Justine, to her credit, said people like me need help now. He said something about freezing energy bills.

I’m so scared, . I can do without heating, though it will be uncomfortable. I can’t do without my home.

I don’t think he has any real understanding at all about how frightened people are right now. Or the difficulties we’re in through no fault of our own.

Sorry! Wrote without glasses on. I know he is not called Keit Stamer.

In fairness though, Labour can’t do anything to help you right now because they aren’t in government.

As above, he’s leader of the opposition. Other than sending you some money himself he’s not really in a position to help.

Are you claiming all of the benefits to which you are entitled, and are you using the CMS to get the correct amount of child maintenance.

Ah no, I get that. I just meant if they get into power. What would they be doing? I’m not expecting an instant fix.

Yes, I’m claiming everything I can. Ex is dead so no support there.

The whole point of the chat was to ask what Labour would do if they got into government. I just felt like my current situation was disregarded.

Op direct your anger at the tories!

Unfortunately the only thing coming out of labour atm is that Keir has pledged that he will make misgendering an arrestable offence.

This statement does nothing to help those who are worried about heating/cost of living etc

To be fair though to answer you very specifically, should he mention mortgages or social housing crisis and private renting; is it childcare costs or welfare state or below average salary increase that’s your main concern etc.

It’s a generic response as the need is so broad. I don’t want to get into a political slanging match but what is Rishi doing to help you and how have we landed here?

That’s what I find so frustrating about Labour at the moment. Obviously they criticise the government all the time and question their plans but they don’t seem to put forward any ideas of how they would do things differently if they were in government. It’s fine calling for a general election but I want to know more about what they would do to sort out our economic problems. Just to freeze energy bills is not the answer, we need to know how they would fund all their ideas as well.

Keir is so bloody annoying

Do not get me wrong, I am FURIOUS at the Tories! I’m on the verge of losing my home unless I can find a job that pays me thousands more a year and very soon. I have two children relying on me as sole parent. Six months ago, we were doing fine. I could afford everything. Now I’m in dire straits.

I am a lifelong Labour voter and I was curious to hear his plans. There was nothing tangible. No-one has anything to offer that reassures me.

I asked specifically about mortgages and he didn’t mention them at all. Just energy prices and growing the economy.

Well let’s start with philosophically do you think there should be a further, and more substantial, windfall tax on energy companies who have made supernormal profits. Truss said no, Labour says yes as one way to raise income needed to offset expenditure.

Both parties will have to borrow heavily as Truss & Co. shit the money bed. There is no balancing the books, it’s just a question of who gets shafted the most on tax or benefits.

I think I’m in a position where I just want some hope that things will get better. I have no hope right now. I know there’s no magic wand, but I just wanted some hope that this mess could be sorted. Actual plans.

Philosophically, I am totally for a windfall tax on large profits.

I’m genuinely not trying to argue with you but you know it’s the Bank of England who sets mortgage rates? They are independent of government.

They are going up to offset inflation. Inflation is because we have low productivity/growth in the UK (for years) made worse by global COVID and Brexit. Labour have said about reducing taxes for small businesses I think to encourage said growth.

He’s not a great speaker and with Rishi I don’t think it’s a slam dunk they get in as the plan isn’t succinct/soundbite enough. People have to dig in the detail and it’s not what most are doing.

I don’t feel like you’re arguing and I appreciate you responding! I guess I am looking for a magic wand in a way. Which is silly :) Fear has made me silly.

No, the BOE do not set mortgage rates, those are set by individual lenders.

The BOE set the base rate.

Yes, I should have said base rate. It’s not the govt though.

@DeliaTookATumble do you know what the tories are doing/planning to make your life better? Actual plans?

Tories have been in since 2011. Much like you, my world has been getting shitter for some time.

I quite like that labour and by extension KS are staying its hard and are being open about the challenge. The blind trust that people showed in boris johnson in 2019 for "oven ready deals" (anything but) was delusional and irresponsible. And the tories will pinch any decent well thought out strategy,

I really, really, really hope your circumstances change and you can get some breathing space and security. Kindly, I think your anger is displaced. KS is in no place to help you, until he gets elected to lead a government (and even then it'll be tricky). It tough, hard and difficult but it's got to be better than where we are?

And the BOE should have been keeping an eye on inflation. probably putting the base rate up much sooner and advising that constantly propping up the housing market will end in the same mess as 2008.

FTB discount on up to 600k. What sort of insanity are they waiting for if they think that's realistic?

Oh lord, I don’t think the Tories give a shit about people like me! And I know that Labour can’t actually do anything until they’re in power. But I guess I wanted some reassurance that things would get better if they get in. I hope they do.

I am being extremely self centred right now. Thank you so much for your kind words. I think fear is making me lash out in all sorts of wrong directions.

I don’t think that waiting / hoping for the government to help is likely to end well.

I personally like what KS says about the environment and green energy, green Industrial Revolution is it?

Economic growth assumes/increases consumption which is bad for the environment. The whole concept of how the UK handles this needs a radical rethink and relative to alternatives I support the plan. We have great scientists and engineers in the UK, we should invest in continuing to build the IP, make ourselves green, then export the knowledge.