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What a Circus - Keir Starmer

121 replies

Viviennemary · 12/05/2026 09:30

Just turned on sky news. Press pack outside Downing Street yelling at Minister as they walk in. They're not answering. It's quite a spetacle. Bit like thumbs down in an ancient Rome arena. Apparently Streeting has launched a coup against PM. What a drama.

OP posts:
Blahblahblahabla · 12/05/2026 11:17

Needtosoundoffandbreathe · 12/05/2026 10:55

The country didn't vote right at the local elections. There's a huge chunk of the electorate for whom there were no local elections as they weren't due this year. The Labour Party still has control of a majority of local councils. I don't actually know what the turnout out was last week, but let's not make things up.

Clearly those elections held last week show that a lot of those who voted chose not to vote Labour or Conservative and voted Reform, LibDem or Green instead.

No I actually agree. The local result was expected. But there was huge reform gain and that was the headline from it.

So I actually agree it’s largely insignificant. But that is why Kier is now being challenged.

And that makes absolutely no sense because the headline is ‘sentiment to the right’. If you don’t think it is well then I don’t know what to say. A new party has that many gains is quite significant. Especially considering they didn’t have candidates in every seat.

So where are these peoples brains. Why do they think oh, that was a big success for the right. Let’s get rid our palatable to centre leader and move left.

WHATTT

How can you work in politics your whole life and fail to understand the centre decides. It’s not the left, or the right. It’s the swing centre who chose the leaders of this country.

NellieJean · 12/05/2026 11:19

Four, possibly five PM’s in four years, is this all the fault of politicians.. There are some sensible comments on here but plenty who want him out without a thought about what happens afterwards. They have a huge majority and another three years so be careful what you wish for.

EdgeofaRevolution · 12/05/2026 11:20

I fucking despise them all. I’m embarrassed that this bunch of misfits hold so much power. It’s sickening.

Hellohelga · 12/05/2026 11:21

PMs never resign and nor should KS. If someone thinks they can take his job they should announce themselves and let’s see. I don’t think WS will cut the mustard.

LadyMeow · 12/05/2026 11:23

It’s KEIR. Sir KEIR Starmer. Not Kier. Why are so many of those against him unable to spell his name? It’s just four letters.

LadyMeow · 12/05/2026 11:25

I don’t even live in Britain ATM but I know how his name is spelled!

CurlewKate · 12/05/2026 11:27

He’s done exactly the right thing. There is a process. If the parliamentary party want him to leave then they need to get on with it. He’s got a stonking majority-he could replace them all if he needs to. But they won’t.

Oblahdeeoblahdoe · 12/05/2026 11:31

Needtosoundoffandbreathe · 12/05/2026 10:36

We don't need a revolving door of PMs. We need stability. What Starmer needs is an Alistair Campbell to make the messaging clearer, louder and consistent.

The current government is being blamed for macroeconomic issues caused by the current geopolitical situation: the wars in Ukraine and Iran and Trump's shift in policy towards supporting Europe and NATO in our defence.

I agree with this. The media are whipping this up, they bloody love the drama. Chris Mason and others at the BBC are almost dancing with glee.

Hellohelga · 12/05/2026 11:33

Popsimaxtins · 12/05/2026 11:08

He's tone deaf.

Obviously he has different views on immigration to Reform (he was an immigrant rights lawyer ffs) but the people have voted for reform in local elections as a protest. They cannot voice their upset at the way labour are dealing with this situation in any other way. The amount of people switching from Labour to reform should be a wake up call to Labour but instead Starmer doubles down and makes a speech about 4 million Britons acting 'unbritish' for wanting to be put first by their own government.

I didn't vote but 99.9% of reform voters are not far right, in the same way you will have the odd far left nutter. Most are just normal, working, British people who feel forgotten about.

My next door neighbour is lovely. She really is but this is my own lived experience. I have 2 children and work 35 hours, I get a very small top up from UC and am struggling to the point I have had to stop using my car everyday and have used foodbanks.

My neighbour is from Somalia and came here 6 years ago with 2 children. She has had 3 more children since arriving here. She doesn't work. She gets full benefits, rent included. Her husband doesn't work either.
This is not hearsay, this is information she has given me.

It is upsetting and frustrating to work so hard and get no where. My rent has been raised. I have a private landlord. I could lose my home at any time. I have no security. No way to get ahead because the cost of everything has shot up.

Why can't I get some of the help she gets? Why doesn't she have to work? Or her husband?

I just don't understand the system and that doesn't make me racist.

Your neighbour came from a war zone. Have you ever lived in a war zone? You have no idea what she might have lived through. She and DH might not work now but they have 5 DC who will get British education and work. We are predicted a demographic crisis caused by falling birth rates and a rising no of old people, with fewer workers to support them. 20 years from now your neighbour and other immigrant families will be the backbone of this country’s workforce. We will also need to bring in even more immigrants to do essential jobs like nhs.

Lammysaurus · 12/05/2026 11:34

Viviennemary · 12/05/2026 09:49

Can't say I disagree. Latest is KS has said he's not resigning and he must be challenged. What a selfish pratt.

How on Earth is that "selfish"? It's the opposite. He was elected to do a job which naturally and historically encounters a tremendous amount of opposition by its very nature. It's bad at the moment. He must work harder to overcome it. The mechanism exists to remove him if the political will is there, but unless and until it is I'd like him to stay and do his job better.

Contrary to what the Press barons have been telling you, the British public do NOT want the PM to resign for no reason - this one or any other. The people who actually voted for Labour in the last General Election are clearly NOT slightly to the right of Attila the Hun; the majority are just people trying to survive and take care of their families and communities.

Starmer should stay. Address the legitimate issues, listen to the public, and buckle down and get working. And make the Cabinet do their jobs too.

Ocdparentocdchild · 12/05/2026 11:37

Destabilise Labour and remove another barrier for Farage. They are totally falling for it. Labour need to sort this out and keep KS. Show a united party. There’s manipulation here from outside Labour.

Nicelynicelyjohnson · 12/05/2026 11:40

Needtosoundoffandbreathe · 12/05/2026 11:02

I'm not sure what you mean. It's nearly always cock up rather than conspiracy.

Why would the far right, etc want the Labour Party to be stronger at the next general election?

Or do you mean they want to destabilise the Labour Party? Which is far more likely.

They want to destabilise the Labour party.
Give it three minutes and they'll start attacking the next leader.
About all Labour have going for themselves at the moment is not having a rotation of leaders every few months.

But Keir needs to take some advice - if he has anyone who can give him good advice.

Needtosoundoffandbreathe · 12/05/2026 11:41

Oblahdeeoblahdoe · 12/05/2026 11:31

I agree with this. The media are whipping this up, they bloody love the drama. Chris Mason and others at the BBC are almost dancing with glee.

Interestingly this morning, the Today programme on R4 ended with Nick Robinson (used to do Chris Mason's job) and Anna Foster (lots of experience reporting from abroad, especially war zones) discussing the media frenzy and their reactions as citizens.

Hallowedturf · 12/05/2026 11:45

Starmer has expressed a wish for ten years of tenure as PM.

His promise of country before party is bullshit - it’s all about Starmer.

He’s a narcissist.

No matter, as there is another unforced Labour fuck up just around the corner.

MrsBennetsPoorNervesAreBack · 12/05/2026 11:45

I've got to say, I admire Starmer's resilience, if nothing else. I really thought he would go this morning.

I am no great fan of Starmer, but I don't want any of this psychodrama right now, I just want our politicians to focus on delivering better outcomes for the country.

Needtosoundoffandbreathe · 12/05/2026 11:51

Blahblahblahabla · 12/05/2026 11:17

No I actually agree. The local result was expected. But there was huge reform gain and that was the headline from it.

So I actually agree it’s largely insignificant. But that is why Kier is now being challenged.

And that makes absolutely no sense because the headline is ‘sentiment to the right’. If you don’t think it is well then I don’t know what to say. A new party has that many gains is quite significant. Especially considering they didn’t have candidates in every seat.

So where are these peoples brains. Why do they think oh, that was a big success for the right. Let’s get rid our palatable to centre leader and move left.

WHATTT

How can you work in politics your whole life and fail to understand the centre decides. It’s not the left, or the right. It’s the swing centre who chose the leaders of this country.

I'm finding your response to my earlier post difficult to follow. I'm not sure what you agree or disagree with, but I think you may have misunderstood part of my post.

I don't think the results from last week's council elections are insignificant, but it is wrong to state the country has voted right, because so many areas didn't have elections. Yes, it's a sign a lot of people aren't happy. A bit like the first by-election for a new government often results in the incumbent governing party losing a seat.

flossydog · 12/05/2026 11:56

WesStreetingForPM · 12/05/2026 11:11

Wes Streeting is the stability candidate.

The problem with Andy Burnham is that he will only come in after too much damage has been done.

Electing Wes Streeting would be following the same pattern as the Conservative party, ditching a leader in favour of someone more odious.

Streeting has accepted nearly £400k in donations from private healthcare. Surely a conflict of interest for the Health Secretary.

LlynTegid · 12/05/2026 11:58

Unfair to a circus to make the comparison. Most of those who work in circuses have an idea of the real world.

WhatAMarvelousTune · 12/05/2026 12:16

I also think he should stay.

And I think they should all do their bloody jobs. Streeting should get on with being health secretary rather than spending time counting how many MPs he’s got backing him ffs.
Doesn’t Burnham have a whole city to pay attention to??

And they’re both delusional if they think there won’t be calls for them to resign before they’ve even moved into number 10.
It was the same with Sunak - people saying he must resign about 3 seconds after being made leader.

If Starmer goes, his replacement would be the 6th PM we’ve had since summer 2019. The 6 PMs before that covered from 1976-2016. You can argue it’s a changing world etc, but I don’t think you can argue that the frequency changes have been to anyone’s benefit.

AbundantFlowers · 12/05/2026 12:17

Needtosoundoffandbreathe · 12/05/2026 10:36

We don't need a revolving door of PMs. We need stability. What Starmer needs is an Alistair Campbell to make the messaging clearer, louder and consistent.

The current government is being blamed for macroeconomic issues caused by the current geopolitical situation: the wars in Ukraine and Iran and Trump's shift in policy towards supporting Europe and NATO in our defence.

Exactly this!!

AbundantFlowers · 12/05/2026 12:19

Hallowedturf · 12/05/2026 11:45

Starmer has expressed a wish for ten years of tenure as PM.

His promise of country before party is bullshit - it’s all about Starmer.

He’s a narcissist.

No matter, as there is another unforced Labour fuck up just around the corner.

What are you talking about? It’s just ranting.

AbundantFlowers · 12/05/2026 12:20

Ocdparentocdchild · 12/05/2026 11:37

Destabilise Labour and remove another barrier for Farage. They are totally falling for it. Labour need to sort this out and keep KS. Show a united party. There’s manipulation here from outside Labour.

Yup

JaneFondue · 12/05/2026 12:24

I hope KS sacks the lot of them. Self-aggrandising twats.

GasPanic · 12/05/2026 12:31

WhatAMarvelousTune · 12/05/2026 12:16

I also think he should stay.

And I think they should all do their bloody jobs. Streeting should get on with being health secretary rather than spending time counting how many MPs he’s got backing him ffs.
Doesn’t Burnham have a whole city to pay attention to??

And they’re both delusional if they think there won’t be calls for them to resign before they’ve even moved into number 10.
It was the same with Sunak - people saying he must resign about 3 seconds after being made leader.

If Starmer goes, his replacement would be the 6th PM we’ve had since summer 2019. The 6 PMs before that covered from 1976-2016. You can argue it’s a changing world etc, but I don’t think you can argue that the frequency changes have been to anyone’s benefit.

I think we need PMs to last longer in office.

But in order to do that the behaviour of the PM has to change.

Starmer got into office by not levelling with the UK people, not strictly a lie but omission of the truth.

Sunak was correct at the election. Starmer was promising wonderful things, but also promised he wasn't going to raise taxes. This has hamstrung him. He can't enact change without raising taxes and he can't raise taxes because he promised not to.

Starmer had an immense opportunity at the last election. The Tories were in disarray and most of the public would have voted for them irrespective of their policy on taxes. He bottled it.

Now he's in a position where he is in government but cannot deliver on what the people who voted for him want - which is more change/money for them.

If he had been open at the outset about what his policy was he wouldn't have this problem.

So if you want to survive the solution is simple. Promise what you can deliver, and deliver it.

Hesperatum · 12/05/2026 12:35

What a motley crew! We need a grown up sensible cabinet not this childish infighting between right and left wings of the party. Remember how 14 years of the Tories left the country in a dire state. Admittedly Keir Starmer hasn’t got the best delivery but we need stability and a clear plan. The media and the billionaires are stoking this at every turn.

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