Where is Keir Starmer?

[DirtyCarrots]

Does anyone else find it weird Keir Starmer isn't more visible this week? He hasn't held a press conference in days, wasn't obviously present at No. 10 after the Cobra meeting and won't recall parliament. Surely he can't have actually gone on his holiday when the UK is in meltdown?

Doesn't fit the narrative, it confuses them

I don't find it weird.

Unless laws are going to be changed, even temporarily, then I see no reason to recall Parliament. Indeed I think many MPs could do more in their own constituency.

It's terrible- he likes to have dinner with his wife and kids on a Friday. What is the world coming to?

@stronglatte

yes at No 10, probably for an hour or so, something about a little unrest in the Middle East I understand.

You do realise that he has a whole Cabinet of Secretarys of State responsible for government functions.

can you tell me precisicely what you are expecting him to do - ie specific tasks for him to do. Everyone will have left COBRA with a big to do list, its the PMs job to manage that.

No, he said he’d try to take Friday evenings off. Do you seriously begrudge him a night off?

You know the people who call, email, call again and then call again to complain that you haven't dealt with their complaint/claim at work yet? The ones where the person trying to sort their problems out would like to be able to do it, but every time they try they're stopped by having to deal with the person complaining to all and sundry, including the CEO, Watchdog, the unfortunate person on Reception, Facebook and the problem page in the Sun that it hasn't been sorted yet?

That's the OP.

He's probably sitting somewhere thinking why he took this job on. He should probably capitalise on the Deputy PM's experience here, she is probably much more skilled to deal with these mobs.

Floating on a pink flamengo in the Med probably

This. People have gotten so used to performative politics filled with grand gestures and empty rhetoric that they seem to be genuinely dumbfounded by people doing they're jobs quietly, effectively and with a degree of competence.

Now I know using the words like effective and competent to describe Keir and Co will send elements of this site into an utter froth but, in the 4 weeks they've been in power they've already sorted out the junior doctors strikes, made amendments to the immigration act that will save the taxpayer hundreds of millions and announce a new national planning framework that may help withnthe housing crisis. You might not agree with these but there's no denying they're motoring on.

He's literally out having meetings etc. What else do you want him to do? Come round for a cup of tea?
He's cancelled his holiday, so why would you think he'd be sunning himself in the Med?

www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2024/08/04/starmer-not-going-holiday-riots-downing-street/

A bit thick?
Thick as fucking mince and with an agenda to boot.

in these circumstances - yes I do

Why?

They could discuss the approach they are taking and whether it is working.

Maybe they could discuss the issues that are causing this?

They could even discuss finding a resolution for all?

@DizzyBumble

Is he allowed to eat? It's dinner with his wife and kids, not a Bullingdon club piss up.
I do believe that PMs are now equipped with all mod cons and communications devices, plus numerous staff, that in the event that something required his immediate attention he can be contacted immediately.

In any event, we don't know what he did last Friday, its Monday so not really an issue.

I seem to recall Boris Johnson got married and had enough time to procreate in the midst of the pandemic and no one seemed to mind

I know posts like this are supposed to be terribly funny.

But racist violence on the streets of the UK doesn't make me giggle.

And 30 seconds on google could have informed you and all the other 'funny' people that you are misinformed. Its not a good look.

The approach is 'arrest anyone committing acts of violence and get them to court quickly'. Works for me. Must apply to all rioters of all backgrounds.

The issues: racism, thuggery, scapegoating and misinformation. A lot of it driven by the last government.

The solution: investment in housing, health and education, consequences for violence, I.e. jail, reducing inequality.

Pandering to rioters is not a solution. I have been unhappy with many government decisions over the last 14 years. Not once have I considered filling myself up with booze and going out to set things on fire.

I assumed Starmer had been in meetings all week. He’s held press conferences too, have you missed them?

Don’t get me wrong, if it was say, Johnson in charge right now and he’d not been seen much I’d assume he was on holiday or shagging someone who he wasn’t married to. But he has form for being a lazy useless bellend.

Wonder how many people who voted him in are pissed at his handling (or not) of these riots.

I think laziness and gullibility are part of it too.

didn't he say he doesn't work weekends?

No.

Unless you have a source to the contrary?

@Radarkeigh are you not in the UK or just ignorant of how the voting system works here?

The only people that could vote Starmer in live in his constituency. Recent UK history should have taught you that the leader of the party can be changed without a general election and is the decision of the party not the electorate. Sunak was not the leader of the Conservative Party when they won the previous election. The Labour Party, with or without Starmer as leader, won this election. HTH.

Basic UK politics should be taught in schools as the ignorance is now getting embarrassing.

No, he didn’t say that.
Maybe you could do with a day off though, busy work posting all this nonsense.

@PocketSand blahdiblah! You may vote in your MP but you never see them and we all know effectively you're voting for the leader at that point in time. Starmer is the best Labour has and wont be going anywhere any time soon.

Why is this anything other than a matter for the police? Riots are a public order problem.

They sort the tactics and the policing. Who wants a PM that directs the police? He’s done just what he should, provided extra resources and got his colleagues to make provision in the justice system. End.