Labour victory feels flat - just me?

[Rafting2022]

I seem to remember after the 1997 landslide the country was on a real high for days - this feels like an anti-climax. Is it just me?

I read earlier today that the general election was called asap because the Tory Party was wanting a leadership battle, but RS didn't, and so he called a snap election so there couldn't be a leadership challenge

Yeah it probably feels flat because Labour's share of the vote is five points lower than Jeremy Corbyn's supposedly humiliating defeat in 2017.

Looking on the bright side, the Scots Nats are doomed and they can’t moan about the nasty Tories in Westmonster anymore.

Crack open the (English) sparkling wine!! So much for a de facto referendum Lmao. Every cloud and all that…

Ave! Duci novo, similis duci seneci

Here comes the new boss, same as the old boss

Yep
She's a gob on a stick.

As a red headed northern bird myself; I feel she makes us look bad. (Northerners not red heads)

And she's far too willing to throw women under the TWAW bus.

As someone to the left of Labour (but voted for them) I felt a massive relief yesterday at the tories finally being got rid of and that reform didn’t do as well as feared.

I am very glad for a more moderate government that is closer to my principles and hopefully kinder and more stable than the last.

However, I find keir starmer very underwhelming. His treatment of Jeremy Corbyn was appalling. His position on Palestine.

I am glad they got a good working majority but glad of how well the greens did and to an extent how well the LDs did and hope they provide better opposition to the Labour government than the KS Labour Party did to the last.

The country needs boring and dependable people to provide a change, but some stability. England has lurched so far to the right that Labour who are centrists (although one or two good ideas) were seen as far left. As someone on the far left this was laughable. I would never vote LD as they are a contributor of the mess of the last 14 years but Ed Davey has ran a decent campaign and it’s the Tories that suffered the LD gains.

The public sector is in such a mess due to mismanagement and incompetence under the tories, who pandered to far right populism and forgot what they actually stood for. It is a very poor country to inherit, we are not the global player that is made out and only the rich have benefitted. It will be a difficult job.

I am more aligned with the greens (and to an extent the SNP) but am a socialist and opposed to the EU, so I leant my vote to Labour to GTTO. I will only vote Labour again if they show some substance in dealing with the massive issues in this country.

Makes us look bad? To who?

I’m a northern woman, opposite side of the Pennines. I’ve no interest in looking good for / to men, tories or for people on mumsnet.

A northern redhead gobby woman that’s deputy PM and Secretary of State. Someone that has done proper work (care work), been a young mother and helped GTTO.

A bit of conviction is what she has. Good on her.

KS was no Jeremy Corbyn supporter. KS is socialist in name alone. Do you know that Jeremy Corbyn has been ousted from the Labour Party? He is an independent MP.

We do not have a socialist government. We have a centre to left of centre government.

England has shifted so far to the right that if Tony Blair was elected PM last night he’d have been made out to be hard left too.

I agree Keir Starmer is not independent minded, as a centrist PM we will continue to see reliance and pandering to the private sector and to people like you. They need to be careful on brexit as facing centrist pressure about rejoining but left and right in the UK would not support this, especially in the North. Your point about over development - I agree there are too many new builds, but we cannot have our cake and eat it. We need affordable housing, not detached new builds springing up everywhere.

I do not share your view on immigration but agree it will be a challenge for Labour. There is a massive skills shortage in the UK/England. More people in the UK/England need to come in to skilled work including healthcare. I’m sick of the attitude that we don’t want to do it, but we don’t want the immigrant to do it either but then complain about waiting in A&E. I am a nurse, a reduction in immigration would need to go hand and hand in an uplift of British people doing care work, NHS work, agricultural work instead of expecting anyone but them to do it but never the immigrant.

Celebrations here 🥳🎉🍾

I'm still ecstatic this morning... and expect to be for at least another 6 weeks or so.

How anyone isn't positively jumping for joy that that bunch of grifting cunts have been kicked into oblivion is quite beyond me.

I am obviously a socialist but am not so blind as cannot recognise integrity when I see it. There have been plenty of Tories with integrity over the last 50 years.. I might not agree with their politics but respect that their views are sincerely believed.

This last Conservative government was almost an integrity free zone. The rot set in with Johnson. Already a known lier who had been sacked for it (3 x) so god knows what posessed them to vote him in. As for integrity - it's an anathema to him.

His entire family are europhiles. He has been pro Europe since he first espoused any political views. He didn't believe in Brexit.. it was simply the ONLY political vehicle where he could utilise his particular 'clown' popularism to appeal to the little englanders of both sides of the political system. (The sort of people that he would be taking the piss out of behind close doors in the way that only privileged entitled posh boys can) His abounding lack of integrity lit the touch paper for all the other grifters to follow suit and fill their pockets until stuffed to the brim.

That THESE particular political vermin have been held to account absolutely feels me with joy . Why would it not fill everyone with joy ?

I work in criminal investigation. I know from experience that KS has integrity in bucket loads. Now I expect him to get in and sort this country out.

Agreed Starmer isn't inspiring

Exactly what we need after the last five years!

It's a good thing.
But it doesn't feel anything like as positive as Blair coming into power did.
That was a truly feel good moment. I miss the tunes and feeling of optimism.

There was such optimism in 1997 but the reality of the Blair administration didn’t live up to that moment of promise. Getting rid of the Tories this time feels very different and while that’s mostly about the shitshow of the last few PMs it’s also because the residual disappointment of the New Labour years hasn’t gone away.

The last few years we have been living with a chaotic and often corrupt government here and seeing the rise of right wing populism around the world. Starmer’s cautious approach can be maddening but fundamentally I think he has integrity and, if nothing else, having a government that isn’t solely focused on lining the pockets of its mates will be a welcome change.

There is no easy fix for the state we’re in (globally as well as domestically) but I think we’re safer with Starmer’s steadiness and his determination. I’m dreading Farage as an MP though.

I see ot as a change of CEO, and not much else.

This

Agreed Starmer isn't inspiring

He doesn’t need to be inspiring, he’s solid, has integrity according to anyone that’s worked with him, has a commitment to public service, he has a solid team around him and wants things to improve. That’s a good hand to be sitting with.

I’m so tired of politics of personality - we can’t keep voting for people because they’re jolly, jocular muppets, or not voting for people because they look a bit dull, or don’t have the right accent. It doesn’t get us people who can actually do the job.

There may not be the wave of excitement and optimism there was in 1997, arguably the country is in a much worse position now than it was then. I’d much rather see a PM roll his sleeves up and get started than
blasting our D’ream and dancing up Downing Street.

The last labour government made my life easier as a parent to young children. There was tax credits (which had their wider issues but made a massive difference to my life) and other family friendly support. I’m hoping they now help those same children get decent wages and affordable housing… but we will see I guess. I didn’t vote labour but I’m hoping they will make a difference for youngsters.

Yep. Really got your point across there. Just lots of name calling and stomping around like a toddler who hasn’t got their own way. This is what worries me about the lefties. They occupy an echo chamber where only their opinions matter. People can’t think independently. Bit like Nazi Germany mentality - my way or the high way. Just hope that Starmer has a bit more intelligence, and sees and takes on board our worries and needs, without just bulldozing through with what his left leaning comrades are demanding. A good leader listens to everyone, not just those who agree with him.

Worries me after reading this hate filled rant that you end it saying you work in criminal investigation. Hope to God you’re not in the police force. Would be awful to think we have such people who are supposedly responsible for our well-being and safety, consumed with so much hatred towards others.

I'm thrilled to bits! I know it's going to be a hard road, but progress will come.
I did get concerned by thread after thread on here by Conservative voters trying to create panic about alleged extremist policies, and many recommendations to spoil ballots, but it was a good result in the end.
I feel very happy and positive this morning.

I agree. Dull is fine. I don't want someone on a zip wire or a being performing seal. I want an intelligent, capable, diligent person who wants to do the job for the right reason. Not personal fame, wealth and kudos.
Starmer is the person for the job, and so different to any of his predecessors since 2010.

Not personal fame, wealth and kudos.

Good luck with finding any politician, let alone a PM, who’s not motivated by one or more of those things!

But you left out ‘a craving for power and control’. That’s a particularly common trait in all politicians.

They are not all the same.
Some actually want to improve society. Some care about the NHS and education.
I know it's fashionable to be negative and pessimistic and to slate every politician, but there are decent, hardworking and conscientious ones.

And which party do these people belong to, in the main?

Yep. It’s a fucking disaster that’s what it is .