To not get the visceral levels of hatred people have for Keir Starmer

[LastChristmasigaveyousomesocks]

I’m not suggesting he’s the greatest prime minister ever. I’m not even suggesting he’s good at all. But some people really, really passionately hate him.

He is a bit insipid and doesn’t have much charisma but overall he seems like a decent enough bloke who perhaps lacks the political skill and acumen he needs. He’s out of his depth basically.

But that’s not a reason to actually despise someone is it?

When did we get to a point where we can’t just disagree without painting the other person as the devil incarnate?

All those break throughs and game changers are working well in smashing the gangs as Starmer indicated pre GE so it’s all good.

,I believe your mates in the Telegraph are predicting an economic boom over the next 2 or 3 years

Tricky one for poor Alpha. I note they haven't done their usual cut and paste job for that particular article.

Tbf the left wing press can’t see those successes either. Maybe it’s just a few posts on here

What usual cut and paste?

My mates in the Telegraph?

What usual cut and paste?

Usually Keir Starmer cites breakfast clubs. So that's one thing. The UK is saved! Hurray!

I often muse on why people say he is great at foreign affairs. Based on what exactly? He has never done anything significant in his past career relating to foreign affairs. He had never been in government. And then immediately on taking office hes lauded as being amazing at it. Like some newly hatched international super-diplomat. But I'm not sure the Trump relationship (which is what sparked the praise for Keir) is going that well for a start?

Foreign relations need a period of time to have lapsed before they can be judged to be successfully pursued or not, and what they have achieved for the UK and the outcome of any policy. So I think premature to praise him or otherwise in that area.

They can’t help it. I thought Thatcher had been dead for 12 years but apparently she’s performing miracles from beyond the grave.

Thatcher was originally raised as an example of a transformative PM which is what we need now. This was in response to someone who just wanted the same ping pong back and forth between Labour and Conservative and for no other party to attempt change.

I suppose the people who think he’s that good still will whatever. His problem is so many don’t think that. Hence all the feedback in votes, polls and focus groups. And that’s not just ‘right wing criticism’ that’s 2024 voters and people moving to the Greens.

It’s quite hard to get people to support you again when the feelings of the majority are as they are currently.

There is no doubt that the long term impact of shutting down early interventions such as Sure Start by the Tories, has led to a rise in many societal problems, not least in worse behaviors in schools, unemployment and poor parenting.

Anything that reverses this should be welcomed, instead, its derision.

3.5 years until the next GE, plenty of time to for opinions to change, its been seen the world over, its not an unheard of phenomenon.

According to YouGov, Reform support is falling and now have just a 5pt lead of Labour.
Tories in 2022, had a 10 pt lead over Labour.......

The state taking over the role of parent does not prevent "worse behaviors in schools, unemployment and poor parenting."

Sure Start did not solve these issues.Breakfast clubs will not solve these issues.

Bridget Philipson is undoing the educational reforms of Gove which is what would have helped solve these issues.

"give us money or we'll act feral"

But he’s NOT sticking to the same rules he called out for years. I don’t hate him but I do dislike everything they have become - in opposition it was disgraceful how the tories took freebies, three weeks in power and kier takes few Taylor Swift tickets. In opposition the Tories were ‘wasting money on themselves’, in power he signed off on hundreds of thousands for Angela Raynor to get new headshots taken. In opposition it was disgusting the Waspi women were unjustly ‘ignored’, in power ignores them and worse patronises them for being old.

Sorry for all those that think he’s ‘nice’ but whilst I’m largely indifferent to him as a human being, I can see how he draws the huge levels of dislike by simply being so weak and pathetic now after years of calling others out for inaction.

Uh??? Gove was Ed minister years ago, if his reforms were going to work, they would have but they have not, in fact matters have got worse.

Yes unfortunately the state does have to parent some children, unless you want sterilisation of people you think will make terrible parents... remind me when that that last tried?

Surestart, made a real difference, its political posturing to say it did not.

Or are you of the opinion of Badenoch? no good policies from the 'left or centre?

I don't like Reform supporters much either, but calling them "feral" for claiming benefits is a wee bit unfair.

Anyway, Sure Start benefits (calm down Chickenpet, not those sort of benefits):

ifs.org.uk/news/sure-starts-wide-ranging-and-long-lasting-benefits-highlight-impact-integrated-early-years

I was slightly agreeing with you until I got to:

in power he signed off on hundreds of thousands for Angela Raynor to get new headshots taken

which is utter bullshit. Where on earth did you get that from?

It’s unlikely that any PM is involving themselves with trivia like signing off photo shoots, even more unlikely that they found a photographer with a fee in six figures. I doubt even David Bailey costs that much!

I think @Hotair1234 took this story and twisted it out of all recognition:

www.lbc.co.uk/article/angela-rayner-under-fire-over-taxpayer-funded-68k-photographer-5HjcrJD_2/

I use a dentist on a salary of over 100k pa..... funnily enough, a filling or even a crown, doesn't cost 100k.....

No concerns over Sunak hiring the same photographer.....

Change takes time.

Regardless of who was in, changing 20 years of economic decline and its social impact, would take longer than 18 months.

Governments will always do some stuff you like, and some stuff you don’t.

Problem is we live in a society than now seems to want instant answers and solutions (easy ones at that), where everyone wants to be happy at the same time, where there is race to the bottom over how abusive you can be, and where the media (and many others) create Pantomime Villains , and whip up controversy, because engagement pays.

We have lost the ability to have a reasoned debate, people just take a view then throw shit at anyone that doesn’t agree with them.

I think Keir Starmer is doing an ok job in a difficult (global) political situation.

The education reforms under the Conservatives were transformational and one of the best things they did. Check out how we have risen through the world league tables in maths and English.

Unfortunately BP prefers to dumb down as we all know. Latin is not for state school pupils you know. Just for private schools. The dead hand of the state is to reassert control over the academies, the independence of which under the Conservatives was hugely responsible for the rise in standards. She wouldn't even meet Katharine Birbalsingh.

She wouldn't even meet Katharine Birbalsingh.

Don’t blame her. Odious woman.

And yet she has significantly improved the life chances of hundreds of children from deprived backgrounds by giving them an outstanding education.

Can you say the same? No.

Labour will have blighted the futures of thousands of children by ensuring the benefits trap continues and stuffing up their employment prospects.

Why would I say the same? I have no professional link to education. If the education secretary wishes to learn lessons from Birbalsingh‘s work she can do it without a face to face meeting.

"Odious woman"