To like Keir Starmer?

[Emmanuelll]

Unlike Tony Blair, he comes from a working class background - his siblings would still call themselves working class.

As a very bright lawyer, he could have sought a path which made him rich quickly but instead chose human rights which isn’t an easy route to take and he’s defended ‘the little guy’ against corporations. He’s also anti-death penalty.

Ok, he’s a Sir, and I’ve heard people (perhaps not unreasonably) question why the leader of the Labour Party would have a title like that. But he earned it through work for the criminal justice system.

On the face of it, it seems as though he deserves a chance.

I would much rather have him as PM than a former Bullingdon club member who used to burn money in front of homeless people for the fun of it.

It depends what issue you're talking about.

If you're talking about the impact of human activity on the planet in terms of climate change, pollution, over farming and fishing, destruction of natural habitats etc (as David Attenborough is) then overpopulation is a problem.

If you're talking about the challenges of creating a sustainable society with enough working age people to support an increasingly aged population, then falling birth rates are a problem.

The former is a global problem and the latter is largely a first world problem. The countries most concerned about a falling birth rate tend to be developed countries where most people aspire to a high standard of living (education, a home with enough bedrooms for each child, holidays, car ownership etc) and where contraception and abortions are easily accessible. In these countries women can choose to only have one or two children, or none at all, so the birth rate is falling. Developing countries tend to have a much higher birth rate, partly because of the lack of availability of contraception and abortions, and partly because people in those countries don't have the same expectations in terms of a high standard of living. People in Somalia aren't deciding not to have a third child based on things like the price of holidays if you need to get an extra hotel room, or having to upgrade to a car which can take three ISOFIX car seats in the back. What this inevitably leads to is changes in migration patterns, as wealthy countries will need immigrants to plug the gap in their working age population and working age people from developing countries will emigrate (as they always have done) in search of a better life elsewhere. It would be less of an issue if all countries managed to keep their birth rate at the proper replacement rate, rather than some countries having a fast increasing birth rate and others having a declining birth rate, but I don't see any realistic way to manage that in reality.

Why do you want your leaders to be exciting? It worked out well before, didn’t it? You aren’t supposed to like or dislike their personality. It’s irrelevant.

I find it strange when people refer to him as 'boring.' Why would we need a PM that is entertaining?

I don't think it's about he is boring or exciting.

It was the infighting that caused the biggest issue. You could say Sunak was boring but the constant infighting in the Tories made it all look chaotic, exciting whatever word you want to use.

The difference is now we don't have a party who is fighting amongst themselves hence it.migjt appear thay kier is boring but it isn't about him being boring. His party is behind him so we dont see those headlines anymore thats the big difference

Yes dictators and fascists are 'entertaining'

I do find that Only Fools and Horses Starmer/Sunak deepfake entertaining though. It's just so silly.

I’m very pleased to see Starmer’s comments about Ukraine being free to use British missiles against targets on Russian soil. He has good instincts on Russia policy.

You don live ere no more…

We follow US don’t we?

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cy770l9llnzo.amp

Don’t think it’s new with Starmer

Cut! He did not say that. He said it was up to Ukraine. Big difference legally

How is that different? Nobody’s suggesting he ordered Ukraine to attack Russia with British missiles.

I don't even vote labour and I love him!

It is all the difference in the world! No NATO country should supply weapons to Ukraine and indicate that they have some preference as to their use or infer they may be used for an attack against Russia. Dimtry Peskov would be able to make an argument about a Western directed attack against Russia and all that would mean.

Well, we probably need them to have a bit of charisma and presence as they will be on the world stage discussing and negotiating with other world leaders.

That’s just wrong. Unless weapons were supplied on a positive condition for attack on Russia (they never have been and no one is suggesting they have been) all Starmer has done is confirm the absence of conditions of use - except for the circumstantially meaningless “for defence”. The legal position is completely unaffected.

Interesting. Thank you.

I’ll still credit Starmer for publicly adopting a similar stance though.

Macron seems to like Starmer

Looks like they've stood on each others toes tbh

Find yourself a NATO ally who looks at you like Macron looks at Starmer

Tbh they are all just hugely grateful that we haven’t elected a total fool and that he turns up to international events.

YANBU i like him, hes a breath of fresh air thats for sure!

Starmer front and centre on the world stage.

@Emmanuelll I love him for all the reasons you say and more. I was never a fan of Tony Blair

People who say he is boring, my response is

1/ If I want to be entertained, I'll go to the theatre. I want a polotican to be a politician and serve as he is doing.

2/ Also, he can't be that boring seeing the beautiful sassy wife he has and family. He is intelligent and genuine too

Having listened to the full disclosure broadcast with him and James O'brien, that's when all the extra dots were joined together. He is not boring

I do think it is encouraging. He seems to have got a good reception. There are probably a few countries who would like the more serious, internationally minded Britain back. If he’s representing us well that’s a great start.

keep up the pics @verdantverdure

FinalCeleryScheme · Yesterday 23:35
MrsSkylerWhite · Yesterday 23:30
If they’re smart, which I think they are, they’ll borrow to invest.

Borrowing to invest in development and infrastructure has never been frowned upon by the financial markets because it always yields returns.

Liz Truss screwed up the country’s finances and caused panic by borrowing to fund tax cuts. Which was incredibly stupid.

That sounds implausible

Forty years plus market experience. No, it isn’t.