To feel relieved and optimistic that we finally have a PM who knows something about something

[mytuppennyworth]

So impressed to see the speed rioters are being dealt with. We have someone at the helm who knows something about the law. As opposed to the series of buffoons we have had in recent years who literally don't know how to pay for something in a petrol station, let alone how to manage a pandemic. And the worst of it was they were so thick they didn't even know that they didn't know.

I think Starmer knows what he knows, if you get my meaning -he has his areas of expertise, and will know when he needs to refer to someone else's area of expertise.

I feel more optimistic now than I have done for a very long time

Great to have you here.

nah I’d say you’re still asleep, brace yourself, you’re in for a shock

How ? What do you know ? Most intelligent folk give a new government a chance don’t they ?

Most intelligent leaders of the opposition are a bit less shit in the role than Starmer was. He didn't win the election on his own merits, he won it because the Tories trashed the country.

Even if that were true surely most people can see he's doing a decent job now. Or shall we just condemn him no matter what? That's what it feels like for some posters.

HAH your last sentence says all I need to know about you 🙄

Whilst I agree WFA should be means tested, your point re other benefits is wrong. There are several benefits which aren’t means tested.

Compounded by the government’s lack of support for green, local energy. Blocking wind farms, removing subsidies for solar panels, etc. The privatisation of our energy systems is also to blame - they are still largely state owned, but by France. Ridiculous

This.

People said he was boring. I prefer calm, capable and steady.

I've had enough of was it 5vor 6 useless PM's in what 5 years. Mostly all of them self serving

Exactly, he won because Tories lost their votes to Reform, not because he was popular, like Tony Blair was.

But you’re not giving him a chance. If the country is trashed why would you be willing him to fail ? Come on say it, you want him and the government to fail, then you can crow ‘look Slothonarope is an amazing political commentator, she/he is so politically astute’.

And what merits does any Party leader win on ? Rishi on his honesty ? Theresa on her bone headed stubbornness ? What does it matter what his merits are or aren’t, he won, that’s the way it works in the UK. And that’s on the tories for losing, trashed the country, countless lies, couldn’t be trusted.
Not sure who you think should have won - Farage, Corbyn. But if you’re talking about merits, neither of those too have any.

But again, so what ? Are you basically saying he has no legitimacy to be in government because the tories fucked up and folk voted reform? How do you want the political system to work ? That millions voted for a genuine charlatan like Farage with his empty promises or were still prepared to give the Tories a chance despite their mess says a lot about the country. Sad really, no ? Why do you want them to
fail ?

This is spot on. It looks like two tier policing to me too. Not surprised though, the antisemitism in labour doesn’t go away, it just becomes better hidden and more insidious.

No OP, recent events have not given me confidence, quite the opposite.

@NoSnowdrop "
nah I’d say you’re still asleep, brace yourself, you’re in for a shock"

What do you mean?

People who don’t like Starmer or Labour winning go out and trash communities and loot Lush then go onto social media to say ‘this is Starmer’s fault’.

It’s tedious. Wishing bad on your country. Wishing for failure just so you can go on SM and crow. Ok, so your team didn’t win, boohoo, get over it and hope LP can turn things round for all our sakes, especially if you have kids.

The UK's problems are now entrenched, systemic and unresolvable in a 4-year term. I don't remember KS ever speaking well or convincingly against the Tories to hold them to account effectively. I don't remember him publicly tackling the real issues (such as drugs, crime and the criminal injustice system) with workable suggestions and plans. But I do remember him wasting a lot of time and energy on distractions and non-issues such as trying to define a woman. Rightly or wrongly, that is what I associate him with: talking crap, not inspiring confidence and being ineffective. Just a typical politician, when what the UK needs is a pioneering reformer who gets stuff done (no, I do not mean Mr Farage).

Starmer's words about "meaningful change" (complete with unwise reference to Thatcher) and "sense of purpose" are just that, words. What have you seen that makes you think Starmer can deliver anything meaningful?

Drugs, gangs and knives are out of control, those are the underlying issues. Until the country admits it has a massive drug problem it will continue to fail. Potheads are lazy and make bad workers, but they are everywhere. The demand for drugs/proliferation of gangs and feral teens are not being addressed. Nobody wants to work.

Who cares if the rioters got immediate prison sentences. Do you really believe that's a deterrent? Is it a sign of effective government, when they'll be out in 5 minutes and the overcrowded prisons are basically lawless and full of drugs anyway?

Several ? Like what other than pip , which they've made ridiculously hard to get without a fight

If it was two tier policing then it would be pretty pathetic to aim it at Starmer, given that Labour have been in power about 5 weeks and therefore aren't going to have had any influence yet on the direction of policing in this country.

Personally, I am optimistic, I am glad that the previous government, with their grandstanding but ineffective policies have gone but I fully accept that it's too early to judge Starmer or Labour either way.

What I would say is that those who referred to wanting to see rapists rather than 'brick throwers' in prison are understating the seriousness of what happened a week or so ago - these people were causing serious disorder in places and seriously threatening people who didn't deserve it. Yes, obviously we all want to see convicted rapists in prison but it is possible to want to see a rioter and a rapist locked up.

Yeah, it's irritating when people post stuff like that, clearly intending to sound like they're 'in the know' but fail to actually explain what they are referring to.

I think it is a strong start.

The riots were a complete disgrace, and all the people involved and caught should face the consequences of that.

Racism needs to be called out and dealt with by the law and abusing our police and others needs to be the same - let's get some respect back.

I'm sure all the criminals getting early release to accommodate his decisions will also be relieved, doubt their victims will be.

Sadly there wasn’t much choice at the ballot box. Starmer knew that the largely right wing press would jump on literally anything he said pre GE. He saw precisely that happen with Corbyn. If he’d started talking about the need for huge investment in youth services, Surestart and the criminal justice system to solve the intractable problems you mention, immediately the ‘Labour spending all our money’ tropes would start up. You know that. Vision and inspiration are difficult when as an opposition party you’re attacked for spending any money on the infrastructure and all folk want are tax cuts.

But that was a Tory policy. And those criminals are low level. Again you know that.

Love that people are moaning that thugs are visibly and quickly going to jail for rioting and whipping up riots.

If they weren't going to jail the same people would be moaning that Starmer was 'soft'.

And if they weren't going to jail the same people would be moaning that Starmer was 'doing nothing to stop the riots'.

Nothing that he would do would be the right thing in their eyes.