Keir Starmer's personality

[dustcollective]

Not so much a political commentary here or asking about people's voting intentions, but more about Starmer's personality- a lot of the press seems to paint Keir Starmer out to be "posh" and "boring / grey", however it seems he really isn't either of those things - having just read an extract from a biography of him. I had no idea how challenging his childhood was, his brothers needs, schoolyard fights or how emotionally abusive his father was - not letting them have tv in the house, insisting on silence at the dinner table, no hugging or warmth. I knew about his mums poor health but not to the extent that she / they suffered. It must have bed. So hard for the children.

I found it interesting that he hasn't really "mined" any of these experiences to sell himself and has kept most of it largely private. He's talked about his mums health and his dad being a toolmaker but hasn't shared much else and often comes across as somewhat rigid and dull. In some ways I suppose it's refreshing that he doesn't go on about his upbringing - a contrast to the likes of "Spare" etc - but also I feel he's not coming across as who he truly is. I now think so much more of him having read this and was quite surprised by it all.

If anyone's interested the link is here www.thetimes.co.uk/article/dee0d8b7-c480-4882-a0f2-4f31300f2c02?shareToken=b2a4a731e2c198fb2abafef4137744f8

Wtf?! Based on what, exactly? There is no evidence of that in the article or anywhere else. You can’t just make shit up because you disagree with someone, and when you do that about gender arguments, you hand the moral high ground over to the other side. There are plenty of valid criticisms of Starmer, and of the way he’s handled the gender debate. This isn’t one of them, and if it’s the only one you can think of, it would be better if you kept quiet.

I don't know why Labour don't support women's rights more because there are more women than TRAs. Unless they're trying to avoid upsetting the yoof.

Your arrogance is not though which is always a cert

Some telling posters why they are voting as if they know better. Never fails to surface

Rishi Sunak seems decent and hardworking as well.

As for Sir Keir... he could definitely do with showing a bit more... something.

Starmer has a very dry sense of humour and is very funny.

However when he stands up to do a job he does it with professionalism.

Something many politicians could learn from.

I won't be voting for "personality"

I'll be voting on manifestos

Fewer splinters from fence sitting?

Oh well good luck on that, Labour have just cancelled their biggest pre-manifesto pledge. The one thing they have ever actually pledged to do.

Labour cuts £28bn green investment pledge by half | Labour | The Guardian

That’s not cancelled. They are saying that since the Tories have fucked the economy they can’t guarantee that they can afford the initial figure in the first instance. They refuse to say they will when they don’t know if they can.
If that’s the best you’ve got…it’s actually a good reason to vote against Tories, it’s their fault.

And why is that?

Because the economy is absolutely fucked (hello, Liz Truss and friends!) and it is no longer viable to spend the £28bn they pledged FOUR YEARS AGO when the economy was not a shitshow.

Reconsidering based on the current climate and making amendments instead of ploughing on regardless isn't a bad thing in my book.

Why did you say it’s been “cancelled” when that is inaccurate? Have you actually done any reading/research or not?

Do you think it was politically sound to make a pledge four years ago, and expect to stick to it? When you're not even in power yet?!

Of course they are blaming the Tories. The economy, however, isn't much worse than it was. Labour have just realised that it was going to be a millstone around their neck going into an election. So they ditched it. Having made all those noises and pledges about being a Green Government.

The next thing they'll ditch will be committing to "clean power" by 2030. I'm sure that will be the Tories' fault as well...

Let's look at these commitments, and count them as they cancel them...

Switch on Great British Energy – The Labour Party

Pretty sure they were trumpeting it at their last party conference in 2023

You’d think the repeated ‘fully costed’ claim would have been looked at.

To @LoveAHamSandwhich on Green policy stuff

Exactly! And if people don't think that reducing a £28billion spending pledge to £5billion is cancelling it, then what is it?

"Starmer and Rachel Reeves, the shadow chancellor, jointly announced they would slash the green prosperity plan from £28bn a year to under £15bn – only a third of which would be new money."

@LoveAHamSandwhich The economy isn’t much worse than it was? Really?

And do you think they are the only party to make pledges in advance? Should they wait until a week before an election instead?

UK GDP is down 1.5% from 2019. Germany is in recession too. It's not all about the Tories.

They only had one big pledge. One big thing. And now - they don't.

No, it is not politically astute to make a MASSIVE PLEDGE that you cannot possibly back up.

I’m embarrassed for you.

I think I’ll wait until manifestos are published before shouting about them having ONE pledge, and NO MORE. There is quite a lot of information online about what they are focusing on, and incidentally where the money is coming from, but I’m sure you won’t bother reading it.

Ahh Germany are worse are they? I didn’t realise it was a race to the bottom. I can’t have a discussion with someone who cannot see the absolute devastation caused to this country by the current government, so I’ll bow out now.

I can't believe anyone is promoting Badenoch today of all days.

WRT the OP I'm rather tired of charismatic personality based leaders.

It's a simple statement of fact. Labour made a massive, massive deal out of their £28 billion Green Pledge. And now they have - unpledged it. Just like that.

He seems pretty benign, but he is not any kind of leader. He's just the vanilla choice that offends the fewest voters, but pleases nobody. And his performance in "staying a course" is diabolical.

It is a testament to the appalling Tories that he is anywhere near power.

How are the five pledges from PM Sunak going ?

Half and half. But he hasn't cancelled any of them.

Rishi Sunak’s five pledges: one year on | Institute for Government

So one the one hand, critics say "Labour shouldn't make pledges in advance".
One the other hand, critics say "why don't Labour tell us what their plans are".

Hmm.

Labour have told us what their plans are. But they only had two pledges - one of which they have reneged on.

The Nom Dom has quietly been dropped, the status is not being scrapped anymore

Fanfare about that one at the time but it was glaringly obvious the impact of scrapping

1/5 achieved, 1/5 potentially will be achieved, 3/5 in doubt or failed is not half and half!

He doesn't need to cancel any of them tbf. The GE will do that for him.