To think it's not a foregone conclusion that Labour will win the next election?

[flashbac]

I am seeing things here and there predicting Keir Starmer being our next prime minister etc, as if its already been decided.

I won't be voting for them under Keir that's for sure. Their stance on Gaza is the straw that broke the camel's back. I don't care if the Tories get in again. I am so disenfranchised I dont give a shit and at least with the Tories its "better the devil you know" and not Labour pretending they give a shit about people/human rights.

He didn't really praise her, he said he can acknowledge the affects her policies had, her self belief but still disagree with her on policy.

Personally, having listened to some of his speech on the economy today, he has plenty of policies, both on public services and an industrial strategy, essential for any eco growth.

Yes, what really gets the red wall back on side and demonstrating that you are ready to be a party that listens to their core voters again, is invoking the image of Thatcher. That's going to be fun. And don't forget mobilizing the labour supporters who are willing to canvas on your behalf - they like Thatcher too.

No.Big.Deal. Just keep saying it...like a mantra

Desecratedcoconut I don’t think a lot of Southerners understand the visceral hatred many in the NE and Yorkshire had and still have for Thatcher.
It’s a fundamental response to her name being mentioned, with anything other than loathing, from people who saw and experienced their communities ripped apart and destroyed.
Many won’t care what Starmer said, other than her name without spitting.

Bah. You have a lot of former Labour voters in the North who backed Boris Johnson. Thatcher was forty years ago. Anyone who still feels strongly about her isn't voting Conservative. And presumably was asleep when Brown and Blair did the same as Starmer.

At the moment Kier's approval rating sits at, what 26%? His almost certain route to victory is based entirely on the country's abjection of the Conservative Party. But people don't like him. His only job is to not fuck it up. I can't really imagine that you actually believe that this was a necessary and good move - rather than blundering uselessness?

Of course it's not.

I'd worry more about Sunak, a negative -26 approval rating amongst Tory voters.

Across the UK, Starmer is on 34%, Sunak on 21%.

I'm not pissing rainbows at the prospect of Labour riding roughshod over women's rights, freedom of speech, and safeguarding for women and children once they are in power but I'm resigned to the outcome. I'm told it's all for the greater good - that we need a sea change in government - but not to worry that Starmer is fangirling Thatcher - that he a) didn't really b) and it doesn't matter if he did and I'm a bit concerned about how Labour has given up on listening to the working class and being totally out of touch with its core voters while it appeals to the right, which is fine because...meh?

But I can enjoy the political slapstick and comedy incompetence while everything goes to shit.

Could be worse. The Tories could win again and really grind British women into the ground with their unique blend of Rape Culture, misogyny, Trans Rights Activism and Incompetence that has already done so much damage.

Hear, hear.

I think Labour will get in but there will be no money for them to do anything. They won't be able to improve services without increasing taxes. It won't be popular.

Just watching Johnathan Reynolds labours business mp
never heard anything so non comital

Yes there is nothing; at best they can reallocate some spending. We are absolutely in the proverbial. Higher tax and declining public services with a sickening and ageing population with fewer people working. The UK is stagnant, and we could decline further post Brexit. It's not all Brexit, but we have thrown away a major point of growth for the UK in leaving. The whole country has been so badly governed in the last 9 years that it should be understood it's a decades work to get out of it.

Brexit is almost certainly the reason we're not in recession like the EU

Be more than wary of Labour. Women (apart from trans) will remain outside Labour's consciousness,.irrelevant and a nuisance if they speak up for themselves as Rosie Duffield has found. The sight of Rosie being bullied on the.very floor of the HofC is imprinted on my memory along with amazement that her leader and Party had such contempt for women's concerns.
Half the electorate are being dismissed. That really shows that Labour has lost its mind.

I don't think they will win

Seems lots of the reasons given to not vote Tory is ... Labour will be worse (seriously!), tax will rise (its the highest its been for years under tories), VAT will be applied to private school fees (affecting a very tiny percentage of people), national debt will rise (seriously, its risen massively under the tories), I don't like Keir Starmer (is the party just one man).

The arguments against Labour seem weak and whataboutery

They’ve got a bigger lead than Blair had though.

People can have whatever reason they like not to vote for somebody.

I’m voting for Labour although I have serious doubts over what they’ll actually be able to do. Not because of them, because the country is in enormous debt, is unproductive and basically in a downward spiral that I haven’t the foggiest how they will break it.

If it was as simple as ‘taxing the rich’ they would simply do it and transform the country, so why aren’t they? We’re screwed I reckon.

They can indeed, I never suggested otherwise. In my opinion some of the reasons I've seen appear weak and whataboutery. Again I'm allowed to have that opinion.

Paragraph 2 indeed.

Paragraph 3, I never suggested it was as simple as taxing the rich. Who would simply do that and improve things? The Tories? They haven't. No other party in charge for last 14 years. Your comment makes no sense.

Independent candidate for me. I believe only way to get any representation at all. Sick of Tories and just watched shocking new film about Labour that shows Keir Starmer's true colours that knock
him right off the menu. No Corbyn fan but what an eye opener about Starmer!