To wonder if Starmer can survive the vibe-shift?

[User09678]

Trump has been going hell for leather since his inauguration it seems, things are changing fast - Trump likes the UK, but he doesn't like Starmer. Starmer seems out of sync with the changing tide, and seems (to me) to get it wrong and make it worse everytime he opens his mouth. AIBU in wondering how long Starmer can hang on?

I've never heard before of the Times Radio covering the impact of competitor coverage on PMQs. So was there an article?

What are you talking about? An article?

It's the radio, try listening to TR on Wednesdays your best bet. It's focus groups post PMQs

Well, MN has never been a representative demographic, I suppose. And I've no claim to be posh!

I am not surprised that Trump does not like Starmer. He does not like decent honest people one bit. But I trust Starmer to do the right diplomatic thing to try and preserve US/UK relations.

Not everyone is convinced that he needs to be 'got rid of', but there will be a general election in 2029 or possibly a bit earlier. If his party lose, he will no longer be Prime Minister and will probably resign as leader of the party. He's not going to be forced out of office because the Daily Telegraph or TikTok or some opinion poll says he's unpopular.

But the Daily Mail doesn't like him! Some posters think that is the be all and end all of political discourse.

I'm talking about what you said, in our discussion about why you think Starmer isn't actually good at PMQs and his performance explains the polls.

You said that you don't listen to Times Radio any more, and recommended it as having coverage that would back up your claim about the impact of DM PMQs coverage on current polls. If you don't listen to it any more, obviously you must have learned about the content in some other way.

But the Daily Mail doesn't like him! Some posters think that is the be all and end all of political discourse.

Ongoing mn threads talking about how well he's doing pretty much aren't either

More than that they're removed from general sentiment

You don't think a building site in the red wall is real world? What about small business owners who's businesses will be lucky to survive like myself? Or the local farmer who was proudly donning his Stuck Farmer hoody this morning when I went to buy eggs? If you want to stick your fingers in your ears and pretend it isn't happening, happy days.

@QuimCarrey it's just a separate recommendation for anyone who might wonder what impact PMQs has on the public.

It's pretty much what they discuss via focus groups. Listening to Starmer a couple of times was enough, maybe others feel similarly. But if you want a segment that's pretty much related to what you're after that's it.

Some posters spend hours every day agonising about whether complete strangers like or approve of them. They would not last a week in politics. Serious politicians are in politics to get things done, not to be popular.

He might be forced to stand down by his party if they start fracturing under the pressure. It was never going to be easy leading any country at a time when things are going so wrong

Given that I’m from a working class background in a red wall town and my husband is a small business owner, then I’m actually very far from ‘sticking my fingers in my ears and pretending it isn’t happening’ but you enjoy your rant and meaningless tales of builders doing silly impressions and buying eggs from farmers.

Ok thank you for clarifying, and for the recommendation for next Wednesday.

Does that mean your view that Badenoch isn't doing worse than Starmer in PMQs and the public actually care about PMQs is just based on comments you've seen in the Daily Mail below the line?

Some posters spend hours every day agonising about whether complete strangers like or approve of them. They would not last a week in politics. Serious politicians are in politics to get things done, not to be popular.

Tbf some posters spend more time telling everyone how well someone is going when it's really not the case.

As for 'serious politicians getting things done' do you mean shrinking the private sector and stalling growth?

So as you're in the 'red wall', did reform place second in your constituency in the GE?

Apologies, I wash a bit harsh.

True op.
I don't think it will be popular in the ranks if Labour introduce austerity mk2 in the spring. Having a large majority can be a blessing and a curse.

Thing is, even the left hate Starmer. He culled Corbynists, Novara Media loathe him. I don't really believe centrism is a thing. The right surely hate him, and according to many posters here rightoids account for about 80% of the population. He's kinda defaulted into position amidst this realignment throughout the West... 4 years is a very long time to hang on against these prevailing forces.

@TheNuthatch Reform did indeed come second in my hometown - I know people who voted for them. So while I’m disgusted by Reform’s rhetoric and tactics, critical of their lack of policies and political credibility, and suspicious of how a limited company run/led by tax-evading millionaires born into wealth will really be focused on the best interests of working class communities, I’m also able to recognise a lot of the how, why and where factors contributing to their popularity - I get why they have got to where they currently are. I wouldn’t describe it as a ‘vibe-shift’ personally (and X is something else entirely), but I think for the government to dismiss and ignore Reform and their supporters would be dangerous. I also think that a government with a significant majority of MPs, who were elected in July should be getting on with their jobs in governance (with scrutiny and criticism, of course), and not pandering to every social media bandwagon, weekly popularity poll or petitions for another general election/resignation.
As an aside, you don’t have a monopoly on what constitutes ‘the real world’ you know - you have no idea at all about other people’s lives and the worlds in which they live and/or move between.

Do you think that Reforms popularity is in large part due to the lack of options available on the electoral menu as it were? Rather than a solid endorsement of all their policies and how they are presented, they're simply the only chicken dish available on a menu where everything else contains shellfish?

No worries.

I think they’re certainly marketing themselves as that (and anti-establishment too, which is ironic) and I understand where you’re coming from, it certainly has to be part of it, but also there are other factors too, in my opinion - thinking back to Brexit, the red wall votes for Johnson, etc. and how that relates. Certain Tories (e.g. Jenrick) certainly seem to be trying to adopt a Reform-like approach…sadly, I can’t think of any witty chicken-shellfish process food product to describe them/him.

I voted Reform, I certainly didn't do this out of any liking for Farage, but because the options to communicate via the electorate leave me nothing but this very blunt instrument.

They are marketing themselves as anti-establishment, but - the political and media establishment hate them. Sure they're finance elites, but they're not the elites that are currently in power.

There was a real hope when Keir Starmer was elected - that has gone. The problems of illegal migrants, knife crime and rising cost of living appear to getting worse. If Trump shows he is solving the US illegal migrant issue I think people will move to Reform. I also think he average person feels too many people excuses are being made in the name of poor mental health. Undoubtedly there are some people who have genuine issues but resilience is needed and we should be tougher. The average person is not a drain on society and they feel ignored and often silenced that is why people are turning to Reform.

What do you think people feel ignored about?