Taking bets... Keir Starmer or Kemi Badenoch?

[Papyrophile]

Which will lose their party's favour first?

I can't see either taking their parties into the next election. Kemo will blow up over something and Kier will be death by a thousand cuts and fall further out of step with his party.

Keir Starmer will not be PM in a couple of years time. After he’s finished off what’s left of the economy, that is. The other socialists will come for more money, he won’t know how to respond and he’ll be gone.

2 v 1 cos I will vote for her too

I think it will be refreshing to have someone say what they actually think rather than weasel and smooth their way into people's good books.

Maybe then we can start to look at policy rather than personality. FWIW I don't think Wilson, Thatcher or Blair would have survived the social media/instant gratification era we now live in.

No @mellongoose , I agree. But declaring your policies is a complete taboo now, which lands us with last week's budget. We have a tiny company DH set up 35 years ago which has survived, and has been modestly successful for the last decade. And now, at 68, when DH wants to retire without a fanfare, RR is on a mission to ensure he is rinsed to the bone.

I suggest to all chancellors that you do need to pay more and closer attention to small business, and stop letting HMRC send bossy directives. Small businesses, like ours, employ almost 70% of the UK workforce. The big difference is that if you send Tesco HQ a message to do x or y, they put a team on it. If your entire workforce is four or five people, who are all busy earning, there's no one to pick up the admin.

If they improve the NHS that will help Labour at the polls. But if they damage the economy they will just be another Labour government - tax and tax and tax and suffocating any growth. The inheritance tax on farmers is one to watch and increasing the costs of private education and university fees will only help them if the alternatives are good. We will see I guess. But so far they are looking like wrenching squeezing covetous old sinners as regards farmers and education, and hypocritical and corrupt on the freebies front.

This.

We all know we aren't going to see any meaningful change in the NHS and education.

And they haven't even started concreting over the countryside yet, which will be another deeply unpopular move, particularly now Angela Rayner has of course watered down her grand plan and is now letting developers have carte blanche to build as many shitty four bedroom executive homes as they like without any affordable housing.

Small businesses, like ours, employ almost 70% of the UK workforce.

That isn’t true. Over 30% of the workforce is employed in public services, then you get hoards of massive companies like Amazon, Tesco….

We all know we aren't going to see any meaningful change in the NHS and education.

Do we? We saw massive improvements in the NHS the last time we had a Labour government, why would we assume this one is any different?

I'm glad you clarified what you meant by women's rights. Given the awful spew she gave about maternity rights. Shs is hardly waving the flag for women.

Because this isn't the last Labour government, and nothing they've done so far is filling me with confidence.

The budget was ideological, arrogant and bombastic, so I'm presuming that sets the tone for the next couple of years.

I thought it was excellent, lots of people do.

Yes I suppose some weren't affected by it. Anyone who genuinely thought it was excellent must be living under a rock or working in the public sector with no business sense.

And running public services into the ground whilst protecting your business interests and mates has ceased to be a vote winner. We all know what we will return to - multiplied!!!! Just look at Kemi’s cabinet. Priti Patel and Mel Stride.🤣

This is spot on.

Cleverly has gone to the back benches to bide his time.

No just somebody who has lived under a Tory government the past 14 years and seen the huge damage they cause to anybody other than their mates, the rich and their businesses.

Absolutely this. She couldn’t even do the LK show on Sunday without saying something vile.

OMG LOL WTF !!!!

I personally think that Keir Starmer is easily pushing 50, just amongst us.

So you are anti-business?

It might be worth pointing out to you that the large 'rich' businesses will barely feel this budget, and that, exactly the same as the Tories, Labour haven't dared to tax them more. In fact, Labour have been actively supporting their gambling paymasters.

I wouldn't mind seeing a resurge of the Tory centrists, but I think KM and her ragged band will be going for the Reform vote. It's a shame the Lib Dems aren't more attractive as a party.

Because this isn't the last Labour government

What kind of reason is that? This government is using the same advice and experience that brought about massive change, it’s promising much needed reform. Did Sunak’s government fill you with confidence?

Nope not anti business but having seen the impact of business being put first above all else( disastrous Brexit policy aside) I’ve lived with the impact. Time for a new focus and I’d say let’s give labour 14 years the same as the Tories had as opposed to 4 months before we judge.

Wes DID have sensible ideas pre election now its all gimmicks and consultations. Starmer has either put the brakes on him or he was lying. Why consult, we all know nhs needs reform and Labour have had long enough to plan. They'll end up throwing billions down the NHS black hole again.

Yes it's a shame he's gone weird (weight loss jabs and job coaches).

They had FOURTEEN years to work out a sensible plan. So far it's been gimmick after gimmick.

Kemi lost me with the maternity pay comments.