To think no one can SERIOUSLY want Starmer to go now, it’s media created instability designed to damage the UK.

[partmermaidpartplant]

trump, wars, Israel invading Lebanon, US mid terms…….

it would mental for Starmer to go and it’s a trap.

yabu - of course Starmer has to go, despite what is happening in the world right now.

yanbu - time to move on and deal with trump and the blatant manipulation of the media by Russia, right wing billionaire interests.

I don't want Starmer to go - he needs to finish the job of destroying the Labour Party

If it is media manipulation Starmer’s government might do well to stop doing so many completely fucking stupid things to create things for the media to manipulate.

I'm sick of the media pushing for resignation. Yes starmer isn't charismatic, and he prevaricates before making decisions which comes across as indecisive, but at the current moment I'm glad he is the PM. He didn't knee jerk jump into an ill thought out war as the other leaders were clamouring for.

I want a grown up in charge for once, not someone just looking out for their popularity and votes.
As for mandelson. Trump is unstable and unpredictable and they needed someone who could work with him.
Yes it was an unwise decision but I kind of get why they wanted a trump whisperer in that position.someone who knows how to handle him.

Agreed.

So many people seem to have their head in the sand about the geopolitical situation (of which the UK has little influence) and the potential worsening of it

Starmer is boring and sensible. I want boring and sensible at the moment.

I agree, OP. We've had so much turmoil in the last ten years that journalists can't stand political stability and not changing PMs every few months.

He is a liar, an Islamist terrorist supporter and has a cabinet full of incompetents but apart from
thet yeah he’s great

Starmer is a great disappointment but democracy isn't a pick'n'mix sweet stall. Labour backbenches would be barking mad to orchestrate a leadership election. Far better to hold on until 2029 so at least they have full term under their belt. As for journalists, they're doing their job. Politics is a dirty business and there will always be dirt to dhovel.

I totally agree, OP. I'm appalled that the Guardian seems to be working itself into a froth about the Mandelson stuff too. Why the fuck is the Guardian trying to destablise the government right now?

We don't even know why Mandelson failed the vetting!

Compared with all the shit the Tories brazenly did, this seems like a weirdly minor issue to beat Starmer with, when he's actually doing the core job really well - of navigating the current geopolitical tinder box.

We could very well be at war. He's avoided it.

1. The media only cares about clicks / reach, not what is in the best interests of the general public or the country (see Brexit / Reform)
2. The media is largely run / owned by rich, right wing interests (see culture wars)
3. Labour is not always held to a much higher standard but a standard! (see 14 years of unashamed corruption committed by Tories — they made a heap of cash with no accountability)

All the drama surrounding him is entirely of his own making.

I don’t think Starmer should resign but I do think he should reflect seriously on his own failings in this whole affair. I accept he wasn’t told about the failed vetting but he seems curiously incurious about Mandelson, who, let’s face it, comes with “baggage”.

There was already somebody in post who was able to do that. They got rid of her to put Mandelson in. Stupid decision.

Rubbish. His predecessor Dame Karen Pierce was extremely popular with Trump. He even extended special privileges to her.
He didn't like Mandelson. Whatever Starmer's reasons for putting Mandelson in place, it wasn't to placate Trump.

Totally agree. I don’t even like Starmer that much and I think he’s doing a great job standing up to cunt Trump

I honestly don't see the point in getting rid of him only to replace him with an equally repugnant, useless liability. And I've loathed him as a vacuous moral coward since long before he became PM.
But look at the choices? Rayner? Lammy? Streeting? Nah. We need a change of government. Swapping out the head won't help. They're all useless. Lammy might be the stupidest man in the entire cabinet.

I do agree that the media are pushing his resignation. And yes, we can't keep having PM's resign.
The solution to this would be to have much better quality PM's who don't keep giving the media ample ammunition to call for their resignation.

Then we really are fucked.

The Tory dramas for the last few years have led many to believe changing PM regularly is normal. It’s not.

I agree.

YANBU @partmermaidpartplant. GB News is the worst. They hold the UK in utter contempt.

I'd love Labour to go, but given it's not an option, I'm actually scared about Starmer going. He's the best out of this lot. Who would replace him?

ETA: I seriously believe that this it externally sponsored attempt to destabilise UK.

This.

I will be interesting to see what the civil servant who resigned over the clearance has to say on Tuesday when questioned by MPs.

No government in living memory has been close to winning 50% of the vote share.

There have been a number in the 40+% though. It doesn't change my point that FPTP gives big majorities on low % votes, however.

I voted for AV. Did you?

100% agree with you OP. The opposition parties should be ashamed. Self-interest is rampant.

The Guardian is acting oddly. It didn't like Corbyn. It really doesn't like Starmer. Has it gone Green, perhaps?

It’s the opposition’s job to oppose.
It’s the media’s job to scrutinise.

It’s not a Russian plot.
It’s not any different from what the Conservatives endured.