AIBU to think that even if Labour are mediocre then they are STILL BETTER THAN WHAT WE HAD BEFORE?

[Cluborange666]

Not worshipping Starmer btw. There are plenty of things I would like to see him do that he hasn’t. BUT it’s still an improvement on the Tory pantomime.
(This is really just because I’m bored of the ‘sick of Labour?’ daily threads.)

To be honest, I think they’re all as useless as the the rest. But, I long ago accepted that, so my expectations of any party were always low.🤷‍♀️

How is it better?

More criminals on the streets and cold pensioners aren't better in my view

Absolutely. To be honest, they won't have to rise to the dizzy heights of 'mediocre' to be an improvement.

I can't imagine anyone being more ineffectual than the Tories were. Liz and Rishi?

Just embarassing. And get over yourself with 'cold pensioners' ffs. It's means tested - those like my Mam and Dad (currently with an income from private pensions of well over £4,000 a month PLUS their state pensions of £1600 a month, and no mortgage) won't freeze without a one of winter fuel payment.

As @Hatty65 said, they could be piss poor and still be comparatively covering themselves in glory.

No better than immediately before, just different. Some things will be better, some will be worse.

Sunak supported everyone with bills when the Ukraine invasion made prices go up nor did he take away WFA.
Labour will do something else.

(Truss and Johnson on the other hand...)

I think it's early days but I can't imagine them being worse than the Tories. The country is like the aftermath of a tornado.

Wait until the budget next month then post this question again.

This. It's too early to say.

If they make good decisions at the budget that encourage growth then they will be taking the first steps in the right direction because that is the only way public services can be adequately funded and the spending be made sustainable.

If they strangle off growth with punitive taxes and introduce more means testing for things that should be universal and create more illogical and perverse cliff edges in the tax system rather than removing these and incentivising investment and work, then yes: on top of the already high taxes and woeful services, things will get even worse.

There isn't a single MP in any party I have any faith in at the moment.

It sure how they are better … targeting pensioners and accepting any freebies they can and Keir Starmer’s ratings have plummeted already, but it is very early days.

They haven't been in power long enough to know either way. But they haven't got off to a good start.

It will probably turn out to be shit in some ways. That's politics (and politicians). The difference between them and the Tories is that it will be shit for different people. Targetting the very rich and tax dodging companies - good. Targetting pensioners - bad. Despite a fairly popular opinion on MN that OAPs are wealthy and making younger people pay for them, actually relatively few of them are. There are far more at or near the poverty line.

The budget will be their first truly big test but there will be a lot more tests to come.

I don't honestly think Labour are any better than Tories, just in deeper denial about how self-interested they are.

Would love them to prove me wrong and make great changes.

But I don't want mediocre! I don't want to compare degrees of crapness. I want to feel that there are competent adults running the country, not perpetual disappointment.

YABU. Not a fan of the Tories but I think Labour are going to be infinitely worse if that is possible if what they have done since being elected is anything to go by. Terrifying!

Depends if you have any money or any likelihood of ( washes mouth out with soap)inheritance..🫢

Labour and Conservatives are two cheeks of the same arse.

more criminals on the streets

AKA former Tory MP's

This country is in a pretty bad state. Someone needed to come in a make significant changes to put us on the road to actually living within our means. All the ‘nasty’ stuff has to be done immediately, so that people have time to complaint and forget by the next election - because this needs a 10-20 year plan not a 3-5 year one.

Whether Labour will actually make changes that prove in time to be both necessary and worth it remains to be seen. But the Tories (1) were completely dysfunctional and (2) no longer had any ability to do anything except follow the winds of popular opinion.

We will see how it goes.

Sorry - the glory days of deep thinkers with vision are far behind us. Now it’s all five second catty soundbites.

Come on Labour, give us a reason to be glad you're in charge!

Give me mediocre/ boring any day over the absolute shower of shit that presided for 14 years.

As for their record so far, I will say what I've said on the numerous anti Labour threads that have sprung up in the past two weeks - I'll judge them at the end of the parliamentary term they've been elected for. If, on balance, they get more right than they got wrong, and things are an improvement (not difficult) on what they inherited, then I shall vote for them again. It amazes me that so many people expected them to turns things around overnight. They literally said, multiple times, during the pre election period "don't expect immediate improvements".

The press have doubled down on anti Labour non stories, as they always do when we have a Labour government. And pensioners seem to expect everyone else to make sacrifices other than them. Someone said to me the other day that Labour are killing pensioners and the disabled. Just wait until they hear about the herd immunity experiment that Johnson et al presided over. Or the stripping of benefits from disabled people, plunging them further into poverty.

If this government improves living standards for everyone, including pensioners, then the sacrifice is worth making. And yes, as a higher earner I'm even prepared to pay more tax to make it happen.

I totally agree. Without quality candidates going into politics, it's not going to get better. It's so sad to see issues like the long term future of the NHS being avoided/fiddled with instead of competent leadership coming up with solutions. I just don't see people with sufficient intellect, competence, experience and vision in the cabinet.

I wouldn't say they are better in any way. Nor do I think they are "mediocre". They are damaging to the UK.

I don't like starmer and a lot of his cabinet but I do feel that there is a fundamental difference between the current tories (and the tories of the last 15 years) and labour. I believe that most people in the labour party go into politics because they want to make a difference and make people's life better. I think they mean well. Whereas with the tories I'm convinced that they are amoral chancers who are just in it for money, power and prestige.

So yes, I definitely agree.

Give me mediocre/ boring any day over the absolute shower of shit that presided for 14 years.

Yep, give me a boring competent government anyday.
We're just getting the same distain for the electorate in different coloured tie.