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Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Keir Starmer

152 replies

randomer · 13/10/2020 17:23

to say......More decency, credibility and humanity in his little finger than in the whole of the Government put together.

OP posts:
randomer · 13/10/2020 19:04

If BJ had announced it and said We will be using the 2 week period to go forward with a clear plan, I think people would have been behind this.

OP posts:
FrippEnos · 13/10/2020 19:06

If nothing else he is doing what the leader of the opposition is supposed to be doing.

MrsGrindah · 13/10/2020 19:07

Yes but they’ve been claiming to have a clear plan all along. Who would believe it this time?

@chomalungma I didn’t mean Boris hadn’t talked about it , I just meant it wouldn’t have been Labours magic solution because the electorate, scientist, medical professionals, statisticians and politicians are becoming increasingly divided.

chomalungma · 13/10/2020 19:07

@Nousernameforme

Im not a Tory by any stretch of the imagination but Keir Starmer seems to just say whatever the opposite of the goverment. I can't help but think if Boris had announced a 3 week circuit breaker yesterday Keir would have been all over it this morning saying we should never lockdown due to the economy.

FWIW I don't think we need a country wide lockdown at moment not when there are still places with really low numbers of infections. It doesn't make sense to pay for more furlough than they need to

Does he though?

Or does he support the Government but tell them things that they should do to improve it

Such as get track and trace working
Supporting low paid people who need to self isolate

You can support a Government approach but make suggestions as to how to improve it

StoneofDestiny · 13/10/2020 19:12

People might not like Labour policies, but Starmer looked far more competent, coherent and prime ministerial than Johnson

Absolutely.
The Tories have not been following Scientific advice, they have failed to prepare us when the virus was first identified, and have made many significant decisions that put people at risk, or simply benefited the vested interests. Nothing they have done, or are doing, or plan to do is filling many of us with any confidence. We have a blustering, bumbling buffoon of a PM and Starmer has more brain, skill and integrity than Johnson could ever hope to have.

Crayolo · 13/10/2020 19:16

He can say what he wants as the opposition as he doesn't have to consider how to actually impliment it.

kittensarecute · 13/10/2020 19:23

@poshme

So he wants to shut down the whole country for 2-3weeks.

Some of us live in areas with very low cases. Why should we have to lockdown- killing businesses, when there are hardly any infections?

He can want it all he likes. It isn't going to happen. People wouldn't comply.
poshme · 13/10/2020 19:23

@doubleshotespresso I DO care about others- I care an awful lot about the people who are losing jobs left right & centre. I care about the fact that we can't keep paying peoples wages- that money has to come from somewhere.

And in areas where transmission is low, surely we should keep businesses going as much as possible.

How will we pay for the NHS if half the country is bring paid by.. no- not the government, as they have no money. By us- the tax payer.

What levels of debt are we saddling our kids with? How many people will die from strokes, of heart attacks or suicide because they are locked down and can't cope, or don't go to hospital because they think they 'shouldn't'

That's why I think a blanket lockdown across the country is not a good idea.

Earlier in the year we didn't know where was hardest hit because of lack of testing. We do now.

willstarttomorrow · 13/10/2020 19:39

I think the reality is any PM would struggle right now in a global pandemic, there has not been a similar situation in modern history and as a society we are very used to modern medicine and have not faced similar. The issue is we have a PM who wanted to be PM, well just because he did. He is well known to be lazy in office, got voted in on three word slogans and being a buffoon because the electerate had just had enough of politicians and at least 'Boris has a sence of humour'. I am pretty sure he will deliver a no deal brexit and then fuck off citing family commitments/long covid because the reality being leader of the country has not lived up to his assumption of being a faux Winston Churchill chanelling a Labrodor. And so the merry go round goes on after Cameron's vanity project of the brexit referendum went horribly wrong so he decided to bail out.

FieldsAndSun · 13/10/2020 19:41

I completely agree OP

BigChocFrenzy · 13/10/2020 22:13

"More decency, credibility and humanity in his little finger than in the whole of the Government put together.

Not a high bar, but yes

RedSquirrelGreySquirrel · 14/10/2020 10:27

Exactly. Even the WHO are advising against blanket lockdowns. Starmer would do better to push his Labour mayor in Greater Manchester to comply with targeted restrictions, Burnham is objecting. Maybe he'll suddenly change his tune like Starmer if it scores political points.

If you actually read Burnham's objections, you will find that what he is objecting to is the support package, not lockdown per se. He is objecting to work being made illegal with insufficient provision made for supporting people any other way.

randomer · 14/10/2020 12:13

Burnham said loud and clear, several times 1. We were out of lockdown too early. 2. There was no exit plan.

Every Thursday, he is on local radio, unfiltered dealing with problems.

OP posts:
looseddaughter · 14/10/2020 12:30

@RedSquirrelGreySquirrel

Exactly. Even the WHO are advising against blanket lockdowns. Starmer would do better to push his Labour mayor in Greater Manchester to comply with targeted restrictions, Burnham is objecting. Maybe he'll suddenly change his tune like Starmer if it scores political points.

If you actually read Burnham's objections, you will find that what he is objecting to is the support package, not lockdown per se. He is objecting to work being made illegal with insufficient provision made for supporting people any other way.

This is the problem - people hear or see a snatch of something a politician/scientist has said, possible secondhand, and then assert it as giving the whole picture when it doesn't.

People up thread stating that Starmer has said the opposite of whatever the government says - no he hasn't and others have criticised him for not being critical enough! People say he's too quiet, then others that he is 'screaming' (!) for a lockdown, or always 'moaning'. People accuse him of coming up with no alternatives when he has made suggestions throughout (last night's wasn't the first suggestion, just the most radical/dramatically announced) but because people haven't seen it, probably because they don't look for it by varying where they get their news from, they are happy to insist he hasn't made any.

Even on C4 news last night Cathy Newman said to Angela Raynor, 'It's easy being in opposition - you can make suggestions with no consequences' or words to that effect. Well, yes, but what else can they do?! They didn't want to be in opposition did they?

It just depresses me that people are so ill-informed yet so unaware that they are.

RedSquirrelGreySquirrel · 14/10/2020 12:33

If he is actually representing people and telling Westminster about the problems and issues their policies have caused then he is doing his job. That is what he is there for, as is every useless silent compliant member of the bloody Westminster parliament. It's being silent and compliant to the points of view of our august leaders and insulated politically-correct grabby middle classes that have allowed Britain to become the economic basket case it is.

Cutesbabasmummy · 14/10/2020 12:37

He is a politician. They are all glory hunting shite heads who would sell their grannies to climb the greasy pole of politics. I work in local politics for what it's worth. They are all horrendous.

RedSquirrelGreySquirrel · 14/10/2020 12:47

I was talking about Burnham btw. Agree with cutesbabasmummy about politicians generally.

GrumblyMumblyisnotJumbly · 14/10/2020 13:05

Imagine Boris worked in your office in a position of superiority and you had to sit and listen to his ramblings and outbursts during meetings. Keir Starmer does pose the questions that need asking just the narcissistic featherheaded one refuses to properly answer.

Bit rich that Boris accuses anyone else of u-turns!

Sometimes a memberofthecabinet back bencher MP speaks and I find myself wondering who on earth voted them in?!

MJMG2015 · 14/10/2020 13:08

@randomer

to say......More decency, credibility and humanity in his little finger than in the whole of the Government put together.
He's a lawyer and a politician.

...and you believe him & think he's not playing to an audience for his own gain?

Bless.

GetOffYourHighHorse · 14/10/2020 13:11

'you actually read Burnham's objections, you will find that what he is objecting to is the support package, not lockdown per se. He is objecting to work being made illegal with insufficient provision made for supporting people any other way.'

Well why does he think provision would be any different if the whole country was in full lockdown?! He opposed local lockdown but supports national lockdown. Right. Like Starmer a totally hypocritical prat. The shadow health sec rambling on about the disaster of a national lockdown at 3pm, his boss excitedly recommending it at 5! What a dynamic duo Grin.

AnyFucker · 14/10/2020 13:16

He's a political pot stirrer just like the rest of them

If BJ had announced a national lockdown he would have opposed it

It's all posturing and game playing

tinseltitsandlittlegits · 14/10/2020 13:27

He sounds good but he can say whatever he likes to sound good because he's not responsible for the counties purse strings!
If he was in Boris Johnson's position right now he wouldn't be so keen on shutting down the country ect 🤔
He can definitely talk the talk but I think given the opportunity he wouldn't be able to walk the walk!

LindainLockdown · 14/10/2020 13:33

I voted for him in the leadership contest but actually feel he has been a bit disappointing so far. But let's face it what are the current options. Still annoyed how Labour have allowed No Deal Brexit by the back door, but that's another subject.

randomer · 14/10/2020 13:34

@MJMG2015 absolutley no need for your silly faux concern......Bless

I am a reasonably intelligent person and clearly aware the KS is lawyer and a politician.

My point was rather based on emotion, not rational thinking.
In this hideous quagmire where the country is on the brink of destruction , I found him and his brief speech to have some authenticity.

OP posts:
chomalungma · 14/10/2020 13:37

@LindainLockdown

I voted for him in the leadership contest but actually feel he has been a bit disappointing so far. But let's face it what are the current options. Still annoyed how Labour have allowed No Deal Brexit by the back door, but that's another subject.
Lots of people allowed No Deal Brexit by the back door.

He has a hard game to play - getting the Red Wall back whilst not losing the support of other Labour voters.

Johnson also has a problem of keeping those voters whilst not going too far so he loses traditional Conservative support.

Keir is doing well - in difficult times for the country.