Labour isn't Working - Thread 35

[Nuthatch26]

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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He bats against the public and most - bar some still supporting on here - returned the favour.

He is viscerally loathed, just listening to when he lost popularity rating in Autumn 2024. Southport and the first budget.

I agree with that article’s analysis more or less 100%.

I’ve thought from the start that Starmer being a metropolitan human rights lawyer meant that he would be useless as a politician.

I’m also amazed at how terrible Starmer is as a speaker and advocate for an argument or policy. But then Lammy is also a barrister, so I suppose we’ll just have to radically revise downwards our expectations of at least some in that profession.

Yep, the writing was on the wall even then.

Peter Kyle appears to have confirmed that Starmer is considering resigning in his interview with the BBC.

The business secretary told the BBC that the prime minister is taking the time to think through “what the political realities are today compared to last week”.

This quote rings very true: 'As Jonathan Hinder, the Labour MP for Pendle & Clitheroe, puts it: “The sense you pick up from conversations with voters is that Keir simultaneously doesn’t stand for anything and yet is incredibly sanctimonious, his style embodying the HR proceduralism that people can’t stand from their workplace.”'

Yeah, Hinder hits the nail on the head there.

Numerous media now reporting that Yvette Cooper has told Starmer to stand down over the weekend.
Heidi Alexander has also told him to go.

Oops, didn't spot that @Ereshkigalangcleg had posted the same quote as I liked!

Speaking of barristers' ability to communicate effectively, did anybody watch the prorogation court hearing? Two QCs (as they were then) with monotone voices, stumbling over their words, just being really uninspiring. It always amazes me how people in that profession aren't the talented orators you'd expect / hope them to be (especially those who successfully apply to be a KC).

Hoping Reeves is putting the finishing touches on her resignation speech too - but I bet, she’s telling Burnham he needs her as only she can control the markets…

How the PLP behaves under Burnham will be interesting.

My guess is that the left will be cautiously hopeful that Burnham will chuck them some red meat and will be supportive for a while. Employment rights and more tax will probably be Burnham’s sop to the left.

He can’t avoid economic reality though. And the left of Labour will turn on him eventually. They always do. They live in the world of NUS politics.

Along the way the Labour centre and right (albeit the sensible Labour right - basically unshakeable Blairites - is smaller and quieter these days) may get restless pretty quickly. And Labour’s red wall problems won’t go away just because Burnham defeated Reform in Makerfield. Plus I suspect Burnham’s made a lot of enemies among more senior Labour MPs.

I can’t see a cabinet with Miliband, Rayner, Haigh and Powell in it going well, outside or inside Labour.

Labour in-fighting ahoy!

I wonder whether criminal barristers are better in that way than civil ones. Jury persuasion and all that.

That said, whatever one thinks of Blair - another barrister - he was a superb speaker.

Perhaps you’ve uncovered a new political law: the further left you go, the more rubbish the barristers get!

The only reason Burnham wont go for an early General Election is because the man is a total coward who is frightened of losing is salary ! Notice everyone believed he needed to resign as the Greater Manchester Mayor, before he could stand in the Makerfield By -Election what a surprise he did not have to . Burnham is and always has been a heads I Win and Tails you lose type of person. The type that " runs with the hare and hunts with the hounds" .

My take on that is that Burnham won’t call an election straightaway because he’d be PM for even less time than Truss.

Mind you, I don’t think he should call an election just because Starmer’s been forced out. I never thought the Tories were under any obligation to do that and I don’t think Labour are. The fact that Labour are - as always - totally hypocritical about that is just an unfortunate fact of life, like boilers breaking down at Christmas or a stroppy receptionist at the GP surgery.

This came through my letterbox yesterday, so the day after the by election result. Looks like the mayoral election is already underway. Not sure why they've put Burnham on the front of it.

I don’t see the point in Starmer dragging this out with a timetable etc

Just rip off the plaster and go. Burnham will have momentum in the party rn

Yep, thats what the Conservatives would have done. But no, Labour want to drag it out for three months leaving the country ungoverned until September.
I don't think Burnham has a plan, that will be an afterthought.

A while back someone said once you say you’re going the party pretty much stop listening. They’re thinking what will the next guy (as it’s Labour always a guy) thinking.

All power drains from them. Sounds totally pointless to be there.

Just seen 'deform' used again. Funny how they only care about ableism when it suits.

Yes thats true. Country will be in stasis for months, but they don't care. Party before country.

Timetables for resignation sound good and orderly, but they’re really the opposite. A purely notional PM and government is no good for anyone. Why bother asking what Starmer’s plans for issue A or B or C are when Burnham is the one that matters?

A prolonged political deathbed scene for a bitter loser like Starmer would irritate the whole country, and could easily descend into farce.

I reckon Burnham would refuse a timetable and just trigger a challenge.

Exactly. There’s no point in asking the wrong person what they think. It can’t work.

Agree. It's pointless and will just increase the loathing of Starmer and Labour. Trying to build a legacy after everything he's done is a joke.

From what I've read, its Burnham's team who are briefing out a timetable of September. I don't think they're ready to pick up the reins.

True. And funny how the left’s anti-racist credentials go out the window when it comes to Jews or to black or brown right-wingers.

A good rule of thumb is that if a left-winger bangs on about opposing racism you can be pretty sure they’re actually a selective and conditional anti-racist.

Absolutely 🎯

There are moments when I don't mind Lammy. He's capable of being thoughtful when he makes a bit of effort, it's just that often he doesn't make the effort and comes out with a memorable brain fart.

This is why I thought it wasn't completely mad to make him foreign secretary. In person he's pretty good at slapping backs, projecting warmth and making friends (his odd couple relationship with Vance). I just wouldn't want to rely on him for something where he has to do his homework.

Yvette Cooper is the polar opposite, hence this weird situation where she's supposed to be the foreign secretary but Lammy still gets sent out on diplomatic missions to Washington.