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?

https://blogs.lse.ac.uk/inequalities/2024/06/19/the-cost-of-austerity-how-spending-cuts-led-to-190000-excess-deaths/

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2026/01/28/britain-on-cusp-economic-boom-no-thanks-to-labour1/

Alright, blimey! I don't know why everyone hates him. I don't like him. No need to have a massive diatribe at me about his failings.

Incredible isn't it?

Economy doing badly = all Labours fault.
Economy doing well = nothing at all to do with Labour.

Wasn't soo long ago, we were heading for the IMF, super high borrowing costs, business collapse.... according to quite a few posters on MN..

Yet borrowing costs fell, UK businesses more profitable than ever (FTSE All share is at record highs....) even growth is higher over the last 18months than the 18m leading into the Election...

So despite the protests, the NI increase hasn't destroyed the UK.... but has filled some of the unfunded costs Sunak left us all.. PO Blood compensation, NI cut, Defence spending....

People are frustrated as he is focussing on the longer term picture when people need change now is how I feel , that plus back tracking on policy changes which are unpopular

I'd prefer a Govt to back track if their policy is wrong headed, as per the WFA & arguably IHT for farms, obviously better if they never did it in the first place, i agree.

But on Business rates, the Tories ignored the issue and just kept subsidising, at tax payers expense, businesses that are untenable, across multiple sectors.

What untenable businesses did the Tories subsidise?

All those whose employees claim top up benefits.

I see that more as subsiding individuals than a business. Individuals who should undertake personal responsibility to live within their means and budget better. Either earn more or spend less.

Temporary time limited support sure. But then should be weaned off state support.

He only beats him by 7 points though, which, as Starmer has his high profile background as a human rights lawyer, DPP, LOTO and 10 years as a politician isn’t quite the win you think it is.

Farage has no big political background, has built his own party from scratch in a nanosecond (by political standards), is by all accounts not a particularly likeable or charismatic man but is still proving to be a huge threat to Starmer, to the point where he has to lie and smear to try and discredit him and harm him politically. He’s shown his hand and it’s pretty poor.

Talking of lies, Starmer (or ‘Downing Street’) has told another lie this week about his past work against the British veterans (I posted the details upthread). If he thinks what he did was so right and good, he should own it. He’s not a good guy.

The number of UC claimants with no requirement to look for work reached 4.03 million in October 2025, a 50% increase from July 2024.

Staggering, isn’t it?

I recognise that this would be a really imprecise survey but in the absence of any Government data on the level of income of those Brits emigrating last year then it's the best I can do.

So of the top 100 UK income tax payers of last year, 6 decided to leave the UK in 2025.

https://news.sky.com/story/uks-top-100-taxpayers-revealed-and-who-has-contributed-the-most-to-a-record-5-7bn-13501755

It is still behind a paywall for me BIossomtoes ☹️

The DT is running an offer - 29 quid for one year’s subs.

£29 just to read one article? No ta. I was relying on you to cut and paste it tbh, but 'twas not to be.😔

Ah. A blog from LSE. That notorious non leftist institution.

I repeat. We did not have "austerity".as most reasonable people would define it.

Creating a benefits class with no job prospects I would suggest would be far more damaging to people's lives than cutting people off from the teat of the state.

Oh, I do believe that Madam will find the DT offers much more besides.

Take investigative journalism, for example - the DT pursued and broke the Rayner tax-evasion story, without which, our cheating friend might still be at it - depriving the public purse of much needed funds…

Why would @SeekingAlphacut and paste it for you?

Sorry. I’d copy and paste but it would probably be reported and deleted before you could read it n

Because I'm worth it?

Official stats? Presumably there’s a link to them?

Worth less than 29 quid?

You are worth so much more @MunicipalDarwinism

£29.50? 😁

Go on @Blossomtoes

Nobody is going to report you for something quite so petty - on one of the other threads, they might…

Pay up then 😬 the Telegraph awaits