Time for a new PM and Chancellor?

[Whenwillitgetwarm]

I wrote this on another thread but feel it should have its own thread.

Although I voted Labour (the current Tory’s are too insane), I think it may be time to swap out Starmer and Reeves. If this is done early, there’s enough parliament time left to bed a new PM and Chancellor in.

They both lack ideas, seem confused, no vision etc. They had 14 years to think up workable plans. Coming in and throwing their hands up saying there’s no money so they can’t do anything is very poor. They want to continue austerity on the sly. They indulge in stupid culture wars like VAT to rob Peter to pay Paul (and Paul won’t see a penny anyway). They have bad advisors and are arrogant. It looks like they are just excited to have the job titles and don’t know what to do.

Get a top two who will come up with a bold plan. We’re in the gutter so there’s opportunities to deliver quick wins. They don’t always need funding, simple policy changes can make big and quick differences. If they gave each department a target to deliver one quick legislative win by Christmas, we’d start 2025 differently.

Unfortunately we’re stuck with two people who can’t believe their luck, and who are afraid of the Daily Mail, Murdoch, some loud Redwall types and bots on X who wish our country economic harm. They are weak.

If Labour were a football team, there would be fans screaming for Starmer to be sacked now.

This is not about getting rid of Labour. I believe there is talent in the wider party, much more than in the Conservatives who hollowed out their party under Johnson. Nevertheless I just don’t think Starmer and Reeves should have their roles.

I think the Tory press are going to be against them however good their PR machine is.

I don't think the gifts/donations/Sue gray were a sign of doing anything wrong.

All gifts and donations were declared and a lot less egregious than Boris Johnson going on freebie holidays with Russian oligarchs/gold plated wallpaper etc. it's just presentation.

Sue gray earned a bit more than PM and rubbed a few people up the wrong way. Again, who cares?

Whatever they do the press would lay into them. I'll just them by results not media fluff

Agree. Like the forthcoming employment rights and draft equality bills, the Tips act and changes to SSP and NMW.
But of course the naysayers will be on here moaning and groaning about them.

The press go for whoever is in power

It’s about comments and interaction and headlines about whoever is in will get that

Any change rocks the boat. The Tories were always punching down to people who didn't write newspaper columns.

The WFA debacle also shows lack of political nuance. It’s as if they see different demographics in sweeping categories. One is ‘Rich Baby Boomer Pensioners’. Yes of course some are, but many aren’t. Some in the video may have nice goods they’ve bought during their working lives but not ones with millions in shares. Are we saying that they ought to start selling those to pay for heating?

If you had a working life that afforded you your own home and to buy a piano you aren't likely to be on PC and are likely to have some kind of pension and ability to pay the utilities.

That's the point people are making.

The Tory's missed a trick. If they'd have filmed pensioners in high rise council estates, with poor teeth and without all the latest mod cons they'd have shown the people who are most likely to be affected by the WFA cut off.

No ones denying there's a subset of people who fall between PC and comfortable. But it ain't the ones with coffee machines and pianos!

You may not see anything wrong, but the optics were shit when they were taking away WFA. People keep repeating they weren't doing anything wrong, but free clothes, tickets, apartments, Ibiza dance booths and donations don't look good when you are removing pensioners allowances. Whether pensioners need that money or not, a Labour government accepting these freebies doesn't sit well. We'd been told this government was going to do things differently. Starmer needs to tighten the rules and get his government working and communicating successfully to the electorate. @Crystalbits listed the bills they are currently working on, did you know about them? I certainly didn't, but know all about Sue Grays salary.

You don't know?

Agree.

What I will never understand is how they took power - knew the legacy would be shit - knew that the electorate were bruised and traumatised- why didn't they go gently? Why did they have to go in all guns blazing? Why tell us how shit it all is and then have MPs all jolly on the tv saying how they couldn't turn down free Taylor Swift tickets because their dd is a fan? It's been so crap and disappointing.

There's ample evidence in the media and reports of cash-for-access. It's time for politicians to modernize. When audited, scandals and malpractice are quickly exposed.
Angela Rayner is an embarrassment to UK politics. It's quite likely this was a social media publicity stunt. The thought of having someone as deputy PM who, at 44, spends all night in a nightclub doesn't inspire confidence or respect. Most of us would have outgrown this at least a decade earlier. Gove was a berk too.

Can you give me some cash for access links that relate to the current government? Not that these would constitute evidence, but it would be a start.

I have no time for people who think that there is an age limit to the kinds of fun people are allowed to have in their lives. That is just judgemental and sad. It's like people saying women shouldn't have long hair when they're over 40. Michael Gove was a well known cokehead, and coke is associated with slavery so that is worthy of condemnation. A night out clubbing by itself really isn't, unless you're a killjoy.

Angela Rayner is perfectly at liberty to dance in a nightclub (at the age of 44 - clutches pearls!!) so long as she does her job 100% whilst she's in office.

If these donations and gifts are definitely proof of bribes then surely the Tory party is screwed? If one goes down, they all go down?

I think they're appalling but that said it is still very early days, let's wait and see.

My worry is that they're going to push even more to vote Reform when it rolls round again. Now that would be an even worse disaster than a labour government.

I agree.

God it was naff though!

Please do some research and find your own links. It's currently a hot topic. I'm sure you've heard about it. There is legislation regarding bribery in the workplace, to the extent that many employees are unable to accept even the most basic gifts, while politicians can accept items worth hundreds of thousands. Now, because it's Labour supporters, they have their fingers in their ears and blindfolds on, spouting sophistry to deny the obvious breach of trust and behaviour. This is the party that also claimed they were going to put an end to 14 years of Tory sleaze.
As for Rayner
She's an agent of the Crown, an MP with access to highly sensitive government information. What's she doing dancing the night away in Ibiza? Actions have consequences. So she's not you or I and no I wouldn't compromise myself or my employer by behaving in such a manner.

Now you see, I didn't think so. I think it looked like a happy, successful woman, who had just won an election, enjoying herself.

I didn't. I thought it looked excruciating. Like when May did her robot dance.

It was a million miles from that but hey, each to their own.

She's an agent of the Crown, an MP with access to highly sensitive government information. What's she doing dancing the night away in Ibiza? Actions have consequences. So she's not you or I and no I wouldn't compromise myself or my employer by behaving in such a manner.

Of all the complaints about Labour, this has to be the most batshit.

It was utterly cringe particularly her awful red dress

I don’t understand the attitude that just because gifts are “declared” that makes it all fine. The gift can still be an attempt to gain access, and therefore influence,even if declared. This applies to all politicians whatever their political hue.

most people who work for corporates, the civil service etc aren’t allowed to accept so much as a cup of coffee from a supplier. It’s just not allowed.

The whole serious, 'we are here to serve' thing. That would have been great if it hadn't been utterly undermined by seeing them bopping in ibiza and pratting about at football matches and Taylor swift concerts. Just do your fucking job.

We can watch Gogglebox if we want entertainment.

Maybe they should just be allowed to do their jobs without being spied on while they’re on holiday or at a football match.