Thread 29 Starmer - Paint your Bandwagon

[DuncinToffee]

And do a little rain dance

previous thread
https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/_chat/5385382-thread-28-starmer-weodmonath?page=40&reply=146569893

An accurate headline, if you don't define "it".

I'm sure this has been said before but I saw a reference to NF on a post here yesterday. In my 60s & 70s childhood NF meant something completely different.
Just read the Wikipedia entry for the National Front and I find the similarities with today's political landscape chilling. My concern about Farage is that he seems to have been able to legitimise these views.
If we assume that MN can be held up as a mirror to society (albeit perhaps through a glass darkly) then I think it's clear that there needs to be substantial change in the next four years to avoid a significant lurch to the right.
I'm just hoping that Labour can stop shooting itself in the foot and produce some populist policies to shout about without pandering to the right.
I recognise that four years is a long time, but to be honest I'm worried.

The War of the Roses began in St Albans. And there was another battle, Lancastrian victory, there as well. I lived in St Albans for nearly two years.

That post could have come from 1976.

I recognise that four years is a long time, but to be honest I'm worried

@Grumpyoldpersonwithcats I said similar to my DH yesterday. MN aside, every time I switch on LBC these days the discussion is almost always immigration related and Farage friendly.

He just said to stop listening to and reading the racist shit and remember that the real world is very different to that of MN, X, LBC.

I am still worried though, and am nervous about our Senedd elections next year.

Same Grumpyoldpersonwithcats I don’t remember the NF having the coverage that the currant incarnation receives most MSM/politicians condemned them also remember the outrage when Nick Griffiths made an appearance on newsnight.

I think you should listen to your bloke. Perhaps I’m being overly optimistic but I think Farage has peaked way too soon. There’s nearly another four years before we go to the polls. Hopefully immigration will be less of an issue by then. Reform councils will have a four year record to be judged on and it won’t be pretty. And he’ll have run out of ideas, having squandered them all to get attention now. Add to that the lunacy of Reform’s “economic policy”.

I don’t think Reform will be a complete irrelevance by 2029 but I think they might have burnt themselves out a bit.

I am out until later so here you all go

https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/_chat/5399546-thread-30-starmer-magic-roundabouts

Feel free to fill up this thread first

My ex is from East Lancashire and, amongst other petty shite, was quite sore that it was no longer part of Yorkshire..

Me too on the Senedd. We don’t need an election when Farage is being lauded by the press and people haven’t had chance to realise how much of a grifting liar he’s being this time (again).
A friend and I were talking yesterday about how scary it is. At what point do the non racist majority (I think and hope) stand up and say enough? And how?
Parallels to Nazi Germany and questions about how everyone let it happen are getting a bit obvious.

I hope you are right @BIossomtoes
He's managed to stay in the spotlight for a decade though. It really needs Labour to change the story and put focus somewhere really important rather than fighting a rearguard action on asylum. Any chance of you taking on their comms? I’ll help.

Sorry but that made me smile. 50 years and still a bone of contention.

I’d absolutely love to take on their comms. I honestly don’t understand how it can possibly be as poor as it is. The team handling their social media pre election was brilliant, it’s beyond me why that didn’t continue after they’d won.

Interesting piece about Jack Straw here.

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2025/aug/17/jack-straw-urges-labour-not-panic-threat-nigel-farage-reform

I am just hoping it is all still bounce from the elections four months ago and that the next eight months might bring deflation of that bounce. 🤞

I agree but also wonder about the momentum and interest of people over the next few years.

I was recently reading an interesting piece by Jonathan Rutherford in the New Statesman, that discussed the need for Labour to establish a new social contract, to win back the votes from those who are dipping their toes in Reform water. Essentially, the next GE will be a referendum on Reform but that referendum can be won. However, Reform have shot the parrot when it comes to media coverage so how do the Labour party or any of the opposition tackle this problem!

I'm just thinking back to A level History here but the rise of the Nazis, very much helped by their manipulation of the media and therefore controlling the narrative. What I don't understand is, we know all that but it continues to happen in 2025!

We need you Blossomtoes!

I don’t think Labour should panic. Thats ridiculous. But this is a very timid Labour government.

Nevermind their external comms, their internal political management does not look good. The disability bill was a disaster. That was handled badly from start to finish. The fault on both sides: but fundamentally with a majority this large and so much financial pressure on the UK it should not have happened. Labour MPs should not have been allowed to drift into outright rebellion in those numbers.

I keep going on about this elsewhere. This government is broke. It has made a lot of promises to working people on tax. That got it elected. I am not impressed by the current crop of MPs who think there’s money for extra principles. It’s very clear there isn’t.

I am gloomier than some of you. I think the disability bill was when the wheels came off this government. It really showed that Labour will not exercise power. The rest of the country have not given them this huge majority for nothing. I accept a lot of their decisions and manifesto is going to piss off people on all sides. Labour MPs should have read it carefully. I wonder how many did.

Nevermind their external comms, their internal political management does not look good. The disability bill was a disaster. That was handled badly from start to finish. The fault on both sides: but fundamentally with a majority this large and so much financial pressure on the UK it should not have happened. Labour MPs should not have been allowed to drift into outright rebellion in those numbers.

Spot on and they could learn some valuable lessons from the Blair government which had iron clad party discipline. I realise that Starmer is distracted by geopolitical issues but liaison with MPs is an area where Rayner could really excel. If I were handling their comms that would be part of her remit.

His partner would have to love ashtray breath.

I

Can

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Fred?