Thread 9 Starmer : Return to Westminster

[DuncinToffee]

Previous thread:

https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/_chat/5169266-thread-8-starmer-cat-fur-on-new-clothes?page=40&reply=138729672

Taxes are voluntary

Well the r/w media will be delighted - and will now complain that Starmer was weak to let her resign.

Interested to know what her new role covers.

The r/w media wanted her out ever since the partygate report

Let's wait and see what her new role covers.

From LBC

Sue Gray said: “I am pleased to have accepted a new role as the Prime Minister’s envoy for the regions and nations.

“After leading the Labour party’s preparation for government and kickstarting work on our programme for change, I am looking forward to drawing on my experience to support the Prime Minister and the Cabinet to help deliver the government’s objectives across the nations and regions of the UK. In addition to building a close partnership with devolved governments, I am delighted this new role will mean continuing to work alongside and support the Prime Minister, Deputy Prime Minister, the Cabinet and the Mayors on English devolution.

“It has been an honour to take on the role of Chief of Staff, and to play my part in the delivery of a Labour government. Throughout my career my first interest has always been public service. However in recent weeks it has become clear to me that intense commentary around my position risked becoming a distraction to the government’s vital work of change. It is for that reason I have chosen to stand aside, and I look forward to continuing to support the Prime Minister in my new role.”

There was an insane amount of articles and political cartoons focusing on Grey throughout September and the last week - wholly out of proportion to her actual significance.

So odd because her Partygate report was utterly toothless and frankly benign as per the Daily Mail headline.

Morgan McSweeney new No10 chief of staff

Vidhya Alakeson and Jill Cuthbertson will be deputy chiefs of staff

Nin Pandit will be PPS to PM

James Lyons — former NHS comms chief and Sunday Times journalist — will head up new strategic comms team

x.com/alexwickham/status/1842897953649811797?s=46&t=Uw4lJNwxFZFnX0Xs3doHYg

This looks quite sensible to me (but what do I know)

x.com/samcoatessky/status/1842901350281007489?s=46&t=Uw4lJNwxFZFnX0Xs3doHYg

Feels a bit like the media won.

Not blaming Sue Gray for saying sod this for a game of soldiers.

Hmm

IDK her successor was already lined up and the 2 deputy posts were advertised over the summer before the recent hoo-haa so maybe longer in the planning than it appears?

The amount of attention she received in comparison with Simon Case seemed extraordinary - I don't remember seeing political cartoons featuring him.

Of course neither had a right of reply which always makes it seem quite unfair.

Cat tax duly paid. This is Tilly.

Sybil (Grey) is fully supportive of Sue.

As always, I have cat envy.🥰
Unfortunately our dog is a knob and we live on a busy road.

Just to go back to assisted dying - I think the bill is sensitive and there will be and should be a range of opinions. I didn't mean to suggest I didn't.

My point about the hashtag was more that it appears an anti-Starmer culture war is mobilising because the right wing people who enjoy sowing division know it's going to be sensitive and so I'm expecting a huge influx of posts about it.

I feel bad for Sue Gray. At least Simon Case is also toast.

If euthanasia was good enough for George V, then it should be good enough for us plebs surely ?

It's not that I'm afraid of dying, just I'd rather not be there when it happens.

It is a matter of conscience for every MP as it should be. Every few years there is an awful case brought to the Supreme Court where someone tries to argue the law permits assisted dying. The answer is that it does not. A free vote on such a bill is well overdue, because this is the kind of moral and ethical decision not for lawyers but for elected politicians.

It is a matter of conscience for every MP as it should be.

Surely all votes should be a vote of conscience ?

"Obviously my conscience says I can't approve a measure that will see poor people die. But because Sir Roly-Poly says I have to, my hands are tied" ?

We're all imagining assisted dying being done as an act of kindness. We all know the risk that it will be abused, with the consequence that people will die unnecessarily and in awful circumstances.
Just to add, God help us if the private sector gets their hands on this.

Today's lesson from the Daily Fail in how not to report the truth but twist the facts to their own version of reality.

Sue Gray was quite clear in her statement " in recent weeks it has become clear to me that intense commentary around my position risked becoming a distraction to the government’s vital work of change" how much she holds the media to account for her resignation.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-13929989/The-Government-free-fall-Labour-chaos-Keir-Starmer-ditches-powerful-chief-aide-Sue-Gray-Tories-asking-run-country-now.html

Yeah same twisted nonsense is being mainlined on MN too

I liked Blossom's comment on another thread clarifying that the toolmakers factory was a garden shed 😂

Sadly they already are.

Many parents of children who have disabilities (generally severe with severe medical needs too) and end up in hospital LT (especially on life support) are encouraged to switch it off.

There are of course many cases where there is no chance of survival. As some of the "armies" have proven.

But I know of a few cases where it's been refused and the child is still alive a decade later.

Did anyone watch "My child - I decide" on this subject on channel 4 quite a number of years ago?

I feel exactly the same. I want to be able to choose to die if I wish.

But I can also see the potential dangers for disabled people. I am on the fence.

I'm sat there with you. For the reasons stated as well. I fear for elderly and disabled if a bull isn't passed cautiously and correctly.

But I also want to have the choice legally if I ever need it which comes from watching my mum die of cancer.

It's very difficult. For ages my mum would say she wanted me to make sure I didn't let her go on if she became elderly and physically and mentally incapable. Until I pointed out that that actually wasn't very nice to ask me to do that. Even if she was being serious but it was a long way off and she could afford then to be dark about it.

Now she's in her late 80s, physically largely incapacitated, pretty good mentally.

Fortunately for me we're not having that conversation right now. But I've got no idea what I'd say to her as she is at the moment.