Labour isn't working - Thread 23

[TheNuthatch]

A chat thread for those who don't like this Labour government. 💙

The problem with socialism is that you eventually run out of other people's money.

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Well, at least the darkest day is out of the way - I do hate this period of the year, sadly including Christmas. Last year was okay, I don't know if I'm going to get away with an okay Christmas this year! Two years of it being okay would be a bit too good to be true!

I've mentioned before that there was a period where I didn't really engage in politics or pay much attention

So what I picked up in that time is quite vague.

There was a journalist called Matthew Syed who I thought was left-wing. You know how social media means you occasionally catch a glimpse of something? - I caught a glimpse of a few things that suggested he was changing course. I finally got round to looking it up. He stood for election in 2001 as a labour candidate but feels that the current version is completely removed from what he was standing for.

This made me wonder even more if some people voted Labour expecting something like the last lot.

The other thing that I've vaguely picked up on over the years, was what I would call the long march. This was a book which I haven't read 😂 but the author, Marc Sidwell, was interviewed on Triggernometry a few years ago. NGL I didn't understand the whole interview. But I did pick up the left being "on the march" in a way that wasn't reflected in our election results at the time, but the author clearly felt that it was coming. He also works as a financial writer. I could see the the point he was making but again, it was just something I sort of skipped over in my brain.

I looked up the book now and I guess it didn't do well because it's not had any kind of reprint and it's very expensive. To be honest, I might struggle to read it anyway.

I'm not sure that more reading and listening around politics is going to do me any good. Occasionally, I think "I should read XYZ" but, no.... it's probably too depressing and we have no idea what's going to happen.

I mean, you'd like to see that be immediately discounted in a very unequivocal way. But the simple answer is that Turley is a bit thick and likely went in to the interview armed only with her talking points and wasn't able to talk confidently off-script.

I expect the only reason that she got party chair - the fourth under Starmer- was to shuffle Ellie Reeves into the background before the Chinese spying bollocks hit the fan.

@Upstartled yes this is a rare moment where I would go for a cock up rather than conspiracy. I haven't seen the full interview, but I do wonder if she was thrown by the question. The members of the party who are less accustomed to the press do seem to just have a script and they can't work without it.

ISTR the housing minister making an absolute stuff up of an interview that was clearly going to be about targets, and he had no figures at all.

Mathew Syed is an excellent Journalist both Politically and in Sport. For the record he is regarded as the greatest Table Tennis Player the United Kingdom has ever created.

Matthew Syed - Wikipedia

Before I saw that interview, I wouldn't have even entertained the possibility that this govt might consider delaying a GE. I hope you're right, that Turley is simply shit at interviews, or was ill prepared. Perhaps it will be corrected in the coming days by other ministers etc.
She absolutely could and should have dismissed it instantly imo, but it took a few attempts and lots of waffle before she got there. I'm also immediately suspicious when they utter the words 'no plans'.

I love this picture. 😂
I was just about to post the same article, but thought I'd check back to see if anyone else had picked it up.

Before I saw that interview, I wouldn't have even entertained the possibility that this govt might consider delaying a GE. I hope you're right, that Turley is simply shit at interviews, or was ill prepared. Perhaps it will be corrected in the coming days by other ministers etc.
She absolutely could and should have dismissed it instantly imo, but it took a few attempts and lots of waffle before she got there. I'm also immediately suspicious when they utter the words 'no plans'

No because at present they believe that come May 2029 they will be Polling around 40% ! not: (4%). They think they are doing 'Great' .

TheNuthatch · Today 20:25 Sorry Plagiarism ....

40%! Where have they said that? They only got 34% in the '24 GE and half of those voters have abandoned them since then. They have some supporters who are willing to tolerate all their bad decisions but they are noisy minority.

They, are so deluded they probably think the Polls are a prank from Beadles About !

🤣 That's a blast from the past!

They’re on 14% and to the faithful you’d think they were doing brilliantly. I can imagine there’s plenty saying the same inside the party.

If NI threw out hunting reform please dear god let it happen here so bloody depressing everything good about this country is being decimated and replaced with utter shite. I’m at excel doing Horse of the Year jeez a more forsaken place I have yet to see

It's an issue that's been rattling around in my skull for a while now re the Welsh election next May 🙈

@Parsley4321 "I’m at excel doing Horse of the Year jeez a more forsaken place I have yet to see"

do you mean the venue or the area?

@EmeraldRoulette area sorry

Yeah, that's what I figured. I just wanted to clarify.

No need to be sorry. I'm just interested to hear the perspective. Last time I was down there for work, I felt the same. I'm not sure if it's me though. I tend to feel very unhappy in most parts of London now. I can't tell if it's the lack of green that's bothering me - I now live among some green - or if it's just a vibe. If it is a vibe, then I don't really know many people who are tapping into it.

So I'm interested to hear whatever you have to say about it, if you have any further observations.

The last poll I saw for the Senedd had Labour on 11% - so the same as they got in the Caerphilly election.

We went to Excel when the boat show relocated there from Earls Court. The area was so bleak - as in tumbleweeds bleak. So depressing; we've never returned.

Jokes at Starmer's expense from the stage at the Royal Variety Show this evening. Is this a first for an incumbent PM?

I believe it's decimated the boat show. Mind you the market is flat lined now

My observation for what it’s worth
it’s a dump there are soulless hotels surrounded by a dump of down at heel restaurants halal halal halal everywhere. The shops are Nisa and considering its very smart excel it’s just awful. Excel is an over priced shit hole made to make you depressed I don’t know I was there today watching the little kids on their ponies the agility dogs the riders just feeling fucking sad that this government are killing everything good. Hunting is going to be a hard one though but then just look at the farmers battle. I hate these traitors so much

@Parsley4321 Thanks, that's interesting to hear

We seem to have bucked the trend; put our boat on the market in early September, new owner took it away on 17 November.

We went to see another boat last Friday, agreed a price, and would have completed the purchase by the end of this month, but had to delay because of Christmas.