Keir Starmer's popularity ratings now higher than Boris Johnson's

[effingterrified]

Shame we don't have an election for ages.

But great to finally have some opposition to this government again, particularly as UK deaths overtake every other country in the world apart from the Us, that has a population 5 times as big.

We can all have different opinions, that's allowed. I don't like him, think he's a twat, I don't think he's achieved anything as labour leader other than arguing and achieving nothing. Can anyone list his achievements (in the past month or two) to back up why he's the best thing since sliced bread apparently?

Yes we need opposition but not this kind. The kind where all you do is stand there and point out things that can't be rectified and have no original thought or solution yourself. You can't criticise unless you have a better way of doing something. He's all about the criticism but he's yet to have materialised anything else, to be vocal about how he would do things because he hasn't got a clue.

At least other oppositions have actually voiced what they would do, he hasn't! He actually hasn't so I've no idea why he is going down a storm on here 😂. All mouth and no action

@ethelredonagoodday I don't know if you agree with this, but the reason I joined was because whilst I didn't personally dislike Corbyn, I think his brand of socialism puts people off. What we want is a party that actually have a chance of getting into power and THEN doing some good, and I think Starmer represents that. I'd love to hear the reasons for you joining though!

Not took any interest in his popularity as it's not particularly relevant at this present time.
To me its easy to sit and criticise without actually having to deal with anything.
Rather than keep harping on about what has happened why not give suggestions to help rather than just gloating

@FliesandPies Ain't it just!

Yes very pleased to see his performance today.

@Alsohuman

He’s wittering on about Israel today. Clearly hasn’t had the memo about Covid.

This was one of the single most infuriating things about Corbyn, and for me, his single biggest failing as LotO.

May's government stumbled from one crisis to the next, one PR gaffe to the next, basically fed Corbyn consistent open goals, yet every single PMQ's he'd get up and start ranting away about some issue or other that nobody other than specific cliques and pressure groups was particularly bothered about.

To continue the analogy, May and Co were presenting open goals every single week, and Corbyn would run up and smash it miles over the bar. At least Starmer is getting the ball roughly on target, even if he's not scoring every single time.

@FloggingMoll exactly that. I liked some of Corbyn's policy, and initially I thought he was good for the party. But in time, he just became so divisive, and through Brexit, when we really needed a functioning opposition and strong leadership, he just couldn't get the wider population to support him. He became almost like a pantomime figure. I despaired.
KS being elected leader has given me hope.

And as PPs have said was often wittering on about something that most people (granted, not all) had less interest in. And all the while the government fudged and bungled, and got away with it.

@Clavinova

Do you know how many people were being tested for Covid-19 before being sent home to care homes ?

The testing regime in care homes - and before discharge to care homes - has been a disgrace.

It's going to be a damning inquiry after this.

But I am looking forward to see you defend the excess deaths of the older population, especially those in care homes.

At least other oppositions have actually voiced what they would do

Have they? I’m a bit of a news obsessive and I haven’t heard them. What have they said?

Easy to be a back seat driver. We would be eating grass now if Corbyn had won.

Here we go. More Corbyn. He’s history. Just bloody forget him and concentrate on the present.

@YappityYapYap what do you think anyone could achieve when they came to their position actually in the middle of a pandemic? It definitely wasn't a time when he could start launching a manifesto or laying down plans. Even in more usual times 1 month is not sufficient time to have actually achieved anything. Your question (and the point behind it) is ridiculous.

The only thing an opposition leader can, helpfully, do right now is ensure questions are asked - and answered.

Easy to be a back seat driver

Remarkably easy when the actual driver is someone like Johnson.

chomalungma
It's going to be a damning inquiry after this.

In all areas - not just government policy, but the policies of individual hospital trusts, failings in privately run care homes, agency staff continuing to work with Covid-19 symptoms as per the BBC Newsnight report last week...

Criminal investigations already underway on the continent;

www.euronews.com/2020/05/08/the-deadly-impact-of-covid-19-on-europe-s-care-home

I political discussion really on the agenda right now.. ffs

This is exactly the time for it.

In all areas - not just government policy, but the policies of individual hospital trusts, failings in privately run care homes, agency staff continuing to work with Covid-19 symptoms as per the BBC Newsnight report last week

True.

Absolutely true. It’s not going to be pretty.

Is this even true OP?

What is your source please?

www.standard.co.uk/news/uk/keir-starmer-approval-rating-boris-johnson-first-time-a4438786.html

"A YouGov survey carried out over the weekend found that 40 per cent of Brits believe the Labour leader is doing either "fairly well" or "very well" and 17 per cent think he is performing "fairly badly" or "very badly". The Prime Minister is more divisive – 57 per cent think he is doing "fairly well" or "very well," while 35 per cent think he is doing "fairly badly" or "very badly", the survey found."

Actually, reading the poll, it's actually more favourable to Johnson than I would have thought. 57% (!) think he's doing fairly/very well, which is beating KS hands down. It's just that a lot of people really don't like Johnson... me included

Its alright for him to get on his high horse when in actual fact he’s not doing anything.

He's suggested lots of things. How false to assume otherwise

ts alright for him to get on his high horse when in actual fact he’s not doing anything

That's one of the benefits of being Leader of the Opposition - when he is not the one who has to make political decisions

@BeltaneBride

Easy to be a back seat driver. We would be eating grass now if Corbyn had won.

Yeah, thank god the "five years of chaos under Ed Milliband" just ended the other day and the UK has been so stable and prosperous since 2015.

"Eating grass". What a load of nonsense.

Its alright for him to get on his high horse when in actual fact he’s not doing anything

He’s not really in a position to do anything, given that he’s not the PM. It’s his job to oppose the government, the clue’s in the name - Leader of the Opposition.