I am utterly repulsed by Starmer's attempt to jump on the 'patriotism' bandwagon, and try to coopt it for his own benefit.
They. Just. Don't. Get it.
I can almost hear the confused discussion at a focus group where they're trying to understand the anger being displayed.
"So they say it's about being patriotic? Well we can give them flags. Lots of flags. Talk about how much of a patriot you are Kier - that works for Trump. The thickos there go nuts for flags. Maybe our thickos will go for that too?
We need to redirect that patriotism though. Good citizenship is about being Liberal and Generous. In exactly the way we say, obviously. Let's drip feed that lesson in, remind them to Do Better. They must naturally be awed at our superiority, so if we shame them they'll shut up.
And they say we're not listening to what's important to them? We know what's best for them, that's far better than giving them what they think they want! They're thickos, and obviously wrong.
Oh, OK - we probably do need to give them something. Let's see, what's important to the yobbos? All they care about is drinking and violence. Pubs! They want better pubs! And youth clubs where their children can drink underage, and they don't need to parent them! Fine... let's make a bribery fund and call it regeneration. They can fix up their pubs, leaving us to get on with The Important Stuff which we know best about."