Anyone notice the quick change of wording in Kiers speech?

[Deftandglory]

When he was talking about not raising income tax, NI etc he said that's our ....and I think I heard him start to say " promise" which he quickly changed to "commitment".
I mean it's wise not to promise things but on the other hand it's annoying that that always cover their arses.

A commitment is stronger than a promise, though?

That's what I thought when I read this.

He's all smoke and mirrors just like the rest of them. I am resigned to a tsunami of shit whichever party gets in.

He uses weasel words when talking about women's safety too - you will never hear him say single sex spaces, only safe spaces. 🙄

A promise means you’ll do it, in political terms when you’re in government.
A commitment means you intend to do it. The assumption being when you’re in government, but you could keep pushing it back for other things ( self I’d? ) but say you remain.committed to the idea.

Another anti Starmer/Labour thread is indicative of how worried some people must be.
It's squarely the fault of the Conservative governments of the last 12 years, which have given Labour this open goal.

However great Starmer’s intentions might be, this government have lowered the bar of government in general to rock bottom, and digging. I expect many people are resigned to more of the same, whoever gets in. I remember when Blair was promising total fairness and the moon on a stick; Starmer knows people won’t believe anything like that this time.

Listening to Penny Mordaunt last night on the debate, I think you'll find that it's all labour's fault.

Definitely.

Yes, I thought so!

Also, it's Keir.
Probably just a typo, but it does annoy me.

Yes sorry. I even checked the spelling as I always mis spell it and still got it wrong.

Its not a anti Labour thread per se. It's about the way he's watching his words so they can back track later. They all do it. I just noticed this one.

I think it's a politician technique called something like "denying-denial" which is doing word gymnastics so that they can deny making promises - for example: we're not planning on raising taxes.

If he’s said it’s a promise and a commitment, how much clearer can he be?

He changed the wording to be even stronger. That's a good thing.

Cannot wait for a Starmer government.

hopefully by a landslide

may finally get all these whinge-bots off MN

It's not an anti Labour thread per se.

😂😂😂

@Scautish unfortunately our democracy needs a decent sized opposition. It’s one of the only ways the government is held to account. Other than by the courts. We have one party with a huge majority and inevitably we have poor governance. Be very careful what you wish for. Next time it could be a Farage led government.

Tbh my experience of Labour in government was fairly positive and I don’t live in a nice affluent part of the country btw.
I don’t think Blair was in any way as bad as this lot (appreciate that Iraq was a massive error) and certainly there was not the same degree of corruption and lying that we’ve witnessed recently. I find it irritating that Labour are kind of getting dragged into this world weary cynicism with politicians. As if they’re all like this, including Labour. It’s as if the tories have caused a complete disengagement with politics and it’s painted everyone with the same brush.

It's not though. As @tanstaafl said a promise means you'll definitely do it come what may. Being committed to it means that's your intention ( but you're not making any promises).

Its not a knocking Labour thread. I don't think it's healthy for any party to be in for longer than 3 terms. I just get fed up with politicians being all the same.

Could you post the clip @Deftandglory. If he said ‘I promise’ during an election campaign then that’s what he’s done.
Same with I commit

And, in fact, I will has equal force. It’s a commitment.

Fair enough!
I think that it's important to focus on how policies will impact, and I don't think in this instance the wording indicates anything of concern.

We do live in an affluent area and Blair’s government was mostly fine by us. DH’s company did well and Mandelson was famously not phased by the better off!

The big problem we have is “promises” or “commitments” being worthless as they cannot be implemented after the election. Both main parties have been guilty of this. Most just remember recent elections but all governments have got form on this one. It’s making it more difficult to trust what they say without being honest about where the money is coming from. Or the ramifications: eg PFI.

Where are you getting those definitions from?

The relevant definition of commitment from the Cambridge dictionary is:

“a promise or firm decision to do something”

I’ve never seen the word defined as a loose intention before.

A promise is a commitment to do (or not do) an action in the future.

A commitment to do (or not do) something means you’re already doing (or not doing) that thing and will continue to do (or not do) it. That’s why a commitment is generally stronger. A promise is words, a commitment is actions and words.

In the particular context of what Starmer was saying (and since Labour are not currently in government) they’re basically synonyms.