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Thread 44 Starmer - Knolraap en lof, schorseneren en prei.

1000 replies

DuncinToffee · 19/02/2026 15:42

Welcome to our long running thread for political discussion, general chit chat, a friendly hug and taxes in kind

Previous thread

https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/_chat/5486790-thread-43-starmer-il-ritorno-della-luce-e-la-semina-del-lathyrus-odoratus?page=40&reply=150629477

OP posts:
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105
DuncinToffee · 02/03/2026 17:04

Starmer

"This government does not believe in regime change from the skies"

OP posts:
SerendipityJane · 02/03/2026 17:19

DuncinToffee · 02/03/2026 17:04

Starmer

"This government does not believe in regime change from the skies"

Good. Because it's never been done before.

PandoraSocks · 02/03/2026 17:27

DuncinToffee · 02/03/2026 17:04

Starmer

"This government does not believe in regime change from the skies"

I hope he bloody well sticks to that.

The reaction from some is grimly funny. When Starmer was talking about providing peacekeepers in Ukraine there was mass frothing about him being a warmonger and how he should send his DC first.

Now there is frothing about him being a coward and weak for not wanting to get us involved in an actual conflict. Plus some nasty Islamophobia.

DuncinToffee · 02/03/2026 17:37

Nodding along with Badenoch no doubt.

OP posts:
Lalgarh · 02/03/2026 18:09

Ed Davey calls for Dubai tax exiles to cough up

https://nitter.net/PolitlcsUK/status/2028507765065281595#m

Not sure who the washed up footballers he mentioned are. Beckham?

LlttledrummergirI · 02/03/2026 18:23

Just caught a clip of the responses on the news.
Be
Badenoch is deluded, and Tice is a halfwit.

I'm not overly impressed that we are letting US airforce use our bases, but I understand the defensive position.

Trumps Venezuelan offshore oil account must be making a fortune.

Piggywaspushed · 02/03/2026 18:34

I don't know what to think. I tend to think if I listen To Ed Davey a bit I might be able to untangle the ethics. But I stay out of the arguments and rhetoric as I am woefully uninformed.

persephonia · 02/03/2026 19:37

Evenstar · 02/03/2026 09:00

Seems a delightful gentleman who got involved with the lamp post flag campaign has got himself in a bit of bother 🙄

Is it definitely a hostage video? There has been a spate of (obviously all male) influencers going out there to do "aren't the Taliban great people, Afghanistan is nothing like people say look how safe I am here" (seemingly oblivious to the fact that all the happy people in camera shot are male etc.). There certainly seem to be a lot of clueless influencers going there and not dying which makes me think the Taliban are probably trying to keep them safe for PR if nothing else.
I don't think running a voluntary promotional video for the Taliban and being a raise the colours type is that impossible. A lot of them are quite inconsistent and also often a little motivated by attention seeking. Plus, people don't have any reason to flee Afghanistan the ones that do are losers does fit with being anti-immigration.
So fingers crossed he comes back from his adventure OK and hasn't been kidnapped. If he is, I wonder what he managed to do to get on their wrong side, or was it just bad luck?

MaybeNotBob · 02/03/2026 19:45

Lalgarh · 02/03/2026 18:09

Ed Davey calls for Dubai tax exiles to cough up

https://nitter.net/PolitlcsUK/status/2028507765065281595#m

Not sure who the washed up footballers he mentioned are. Beckham?

Rio Ferdinand for one.

Piggywaspushed · 02/03/2026 19:47

I like Rio Ferdinand as a rule.

MaybeNotBob · 02/03/2026 19:48

He might be alright for measuring lengths, but I don't particularly like him as a person...

DuncinToffee · 02/03/2026 19:51

AI

Dubai and the UAE are major hubs for retired football legends and professionals, offering a luxurious lifestyle with many holding "Golden Visas.

OP posts:
Evenstar · 02/03/2026 19:57

@persephonia sorry I don’t know any details, I did notice he had a small cut on his forehead though

persephonia · 02/03/2026 20:25

Evenstar · 02/03/2026 19:57

@persephonia sorry I don’t know any details, I did notice he had a small cut on his forehead though

I just watched a clip and he's going on about how you can tell Afghanistan is a great country because it's got flags everywhere. Genuinely. Maybe I'm giving the Taliban too much credit but I can't see them drafting something that stupid for him to read out so maybe it's his own words. It doesn't mean he's safe. There was that pro Russian youtuber knocking around the Dombass who ended up being killed by Russian troops. But equally he could well bounce back to the UK under his own steam.

placemats · 02/03/2026 21:01

I like Michael Carrick.

Piggywaspushed · 02/03/2026 21:02

MaybeNotBob · 02/03/2026 19:48

He might be alright for measuring lengths, but I don't particularly like him as a person...

Why, out of interest? I really admire his stuff about bereavement and parenting.

MaybeNotBob · 02/03/2026 21:07

Piggywaspushed · 02/03/2026 21:02

Why, out of interest? I really admire his stuff about bereavement and parenting.

A) He played for ManUre.
B) His punditry is apalling.

Call me tribal if you must...

MsJinks · 02/03/2026 21:16

persephonia · 02/03/2026 20:25

I just watched a clip and he's going on about how you can tell Afghanistan is a great country because it's got flags everywhere. Genuinely. Maybe I'm giving the Taliban too much credit but I can't see them drafting something that stupid for him to read out so maybe it's his own words. It doesn't mean he's safe. There was that pro Russian youtuber knocking around the Dombass who ended up being killed by Russian troops. But equally he could well bounce back to the UK under his own steam.

I just looked this up and there’s a reel from today with bombs or anti missiles above - he looks a bit worried!- also looks like he’s in a compound thing with a guy with a big gun.

I think though that he must actually be insane if he (and his mates apparently) went there.

On the other hand I can’t assess how real the reel is - though equally insane to mock this up so I don’t know, except it’s a worry such people are amongst us.

DuncinToffee · 02/03/2026 21:22

Isn't disaster tourism a thing?

OP posts:
Piggywaspushed · 02/03/2026 21:30

MaybeNotBob · 02/03/2026 21:07

A) He played for ManUre.
B) His punditry is apalling.

Call me tribal if you must...

OK!

Notonthestairs · 02/03/2026 21:50

MaybeNotBob · 02/03/2026 21:40

On Iran, Tim Stanley of the Telegraph admits he's 'far happier that Keir Starmer was Prime Minister, than Kemi Badenoch or Nigel Farage, who are gagging for America to just invade anywhere in the world, so they can jump on the bus & join in.'

https://bsky.app/profile/rolandmcs.bsky.social/post/3mg44tngqas23

Well Badenoch admitted she’d jump to Trump’s orders. Blind faith.

persephonia · 02/03/2026 21:55

MsJinks · 02/03/2026 21:16

I just looked this up and there’s a reel from today with bombs or anti missiles above - he looks a bit worried!- also looks like he’s in a compound thing with a guy with a big gun.

I think though that he must actually be insane if he (and his mates apparently) went there.

On the other hand I can’t assess how real the reel is - though equally insane to mock this up so I don’t know, except it’s a worry such people are amongst us.

In assuming je went out there before it all kicked of between Pakistan and Afghanistan? Thats what the missiles would be about I guess. Though if they arrived after than its even more stupid. But tourism in Afghanistan is definitely a thing! https://www.newyorker.com/news/the-lede/among-the-talibros
I guess people funding out about other cultures, connecting with people who are very different to them is nice. But there's definitely a whiff at times of admiration for a "well ordered male run society" from some of the more right wing ones. Old Raise the Colours guy would slot in nicely. Or manage to fuck up and get arrested for being a spy.

Among the Talibros

Alt-travel influencers claim to show an unvarnished look at some of the world’s most dangerous places. But what are they leaving out?

https://www.newyorker.com/news/the-lede/among-the-talibros

placemats · 02/03/2026 22:32

DuncinToffee · 02/03/2026 21:22

Isn't disaster tourism a thing?

I'm quite sure that Influencers will be banging on social media.

placemats · 02/03/2026 22:35

I may faint. Corbyn is on Newsnight.

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