To believe that we now have a real Leader of the Opposition

[LaureBerthaud]

Who will hold the Tories to account.

Listened to Sir Keir Starmer on the Today programme. He was articulate, direct and reasonable. I'm hopeful he'll sort the Labour party out and hold the Prime Minister to account.

Phew - what a relief!

On the contrary, if watching other countries can give us a priceless heads-up on how (not) to fuck up releasing the lockdown, then we’d be fools not to take the opportunity

Agree strongly with this. It would be utterly non-sensical to do otherwise.

You mean Saville who was completely protected by being friends with Thatcher and Prince Charles?

Centrism has been a failure over the last 4 years

Whereas the far left suffering its worst landslide defeat since 1935 was a roaring success, right?

On the contrary, if watching other countries can give us a priceless heads-up on how (not) to fuck up releasing the lockdown, then we’d be fools not to take the opportunity.

The UK watched as other countries locked whilst British football matches and horse races went ahead. Its abit late to mitigate against fuck ups.

I don't see why he's pushing for an answer about an exit strategy right now, they likely don't really have one yet. I'm sure they said the other day they were going to watch what other countries do.

If the government have locked down the country with no strategy - that is a dire failure of planning. If they do have a strategy, we deserve to know it. We need clarity and transparency not this drip feed release of information if we are to have any confidence that they aren't just making it up as they go along

Its abit late to mitigate against fuck ups.

Actually no, not at all. That’s a bit like saying that just because you didn’t put your seatbelt on you might as well go the whole hog and refuse to use your brakes, i.e. completely bonkers.

You mean Saville who was completely protected by being friends with Thatcher and Prince Charles?

No, I think she means Saville who had charges dropped against him while Starmer was the Director of Public Prosecutions from 2008 to 2013

I quite like him. But I'm unlikely to vote Labour while Lisa fucking Nandy is on the front benches!

Whereas the far left suffering its worst landslide defeat since 1935 was a roaring success, right?

Its only the far left if you've swallowed tabloid hysteria. I'm surpized Boris' supporters haven't had a melt down over the nationalised railways and magic money tree Sunak has shook down.

I'm surpized Boris' supporters haven't had a melt down over the nationalised railways and magic money tree Sunak has shook down

We’re too busy enjoying having 365 seats to your 202 and watching Corbyn disappear back into well-deserved obscurity

But Sunak has chopped down the magic money tree that was never there but was really and used it for firewood.

So now we shall need another twenty years of austerity, this time with bedroom tax, bathroom tax, toilet tax and cupboard under the stairs tax.

i don't think Starmer had any direct involvement or control over those charges being dropped - the DPP doesn't directly control the decisions of the CPS on that level as far as I'm aware. It's more about guidelines and general directives. And the CPS had had a good 40 years before Starmer arrived on the scene in which to do something about Savile.

Early days but I think he will be a strong leader. He could have really taken the Tories to task for their inadequate planning and is showing admirable restraint instead focusing on the exit strategy.
I do think we need to see how other countries manage and actually learn from them this is not the time for going it alone,! Hope he can moderate Labour and make it a party that could actually win an election.

A refreshing change just to hear from the opposition party!

That hasn't happened in a while

I think she means Saville who had charges dropped against him while Starmer was the Director of Public Prosecutions from 2008 to 2013

Are you genuinely suggesting that Starmer (and presumably others) looked at the evidence, decided there was enough evidence to go to court but then just thought: "No, we'll not bother."?

We’re too busy enjoying having 365 seats to your 202 and watching Corbyn disappear back into well-deserved obscurity

Politics isn't a football match in which you pick a side. We are now seeing the impact of austrity and inept government (see exercise Cygnus) through lack of PPE during a pandemic. All of the cut and pasting in the world won't explain that a way.

Are you genuinely suggesting that Starmer (and presumably others) looked at the evidence, decided there was enough evidence to go to court but then just thought: "No, we'll not bother."?

Well, some people clearly did decide not to bother...!

www.independent.co.uk/hei-fi/news/cps-must-explain-why-savile-probe-was-dropped-8225774.html

And the Director does have far-reaching responsibilities;

www.dpp.act.gov.au/about_the_dpp/the_functions_of_the_director

Basically a massive screw-up all round.

GhostofFrankGrimes

We are now seeing the impact of austrity and inept government (see exercise Cygnus) through lack of PPE during a pandemic.

Exercise Cygnus happened in 2016, and yet the Labour Party and its followers never said one single word about it until two weeks ago. Where was the Opposition? Did they conspire with the Evil Toriiiees to commit genocide? I think we should be told!

@SuitedandBooted

Fair enough, I'm by no means an expert. On the face of it, it seemed a bizarre claim. I'm going to read up on it before I make any further comment.

he seems unaware that this country has not reached peak yet let alone a flattening of the situation so no need to publish an exit strategy

I’m sure he is aware.
And an exit strategy is needed soon so business and families can prepare. We can’t have the government giving us a couple of days’ notice on these things.
Emmanuel Macron has announced a further lockdown but in conjunction with the bones of an exit strategy... this week is time for our government to do the same I think... last week would have been too soon but now is the time.

@CendrillonSings

Tories - in power but when the shit hits the fan responsible for nothing. Right out the Trump playbook.

Tories - in power but when the shit hits the fan responsible for nothing. Right out the Trump playbook.

I’m just wondering why the great socialist god Corbyn never said one word about Exercise Cygnus or pandemic preparedness during all his years as leader. I guess he must have had other things on his mind...

Thank you for proving my point CendrillonSings Zero responsbility.

A refreshing change just to hear from the opposition party!
I agree it's good to actually hear from the leader of the opposition on this. We do need some kind of exit strategy even if it's just 'we're thinking about this but it may change with further evidence.' It's good to see the opposition actually doing more than infighting amongst themselves although Momentum are doing their best to reopen some old fights on their way to hopeful obscurity.

It's just the same old party politics bullshit. Remember when Corbyn got in, him saying he wanted a grown up, polite and considerate parliament? Didn't take long for Labour MPs to let that go to the wayside.

Starmer's only intention - as with all opposition parties - is to undermine and criticise the present government for their own benefit.

All this bullshit about wanting to see the exit strategy for lockdown. It's utterly pointless - nobody knows what the exit strategy will or should be, because it will depend on the circumstances at the time. Sure, the government could publish a dozen potential exit strategies, but what would be the point? Time and energy would be better spent elsewhere.