I am a Labour voter, a Labour supporter and I do not regret my vote.

[CurlewKate]

However, I think that Starmer has been incredibly stupid and/or very badly advised over this expenses issue. He has done nothing wrong, but his behaviour is not what he led us to believe he would do, and I am incredibly exasperated and disappointed.

In my opinion, he should admit that he made a massive misjudgement, and agree to take no more freebies from now on.

Apart from anything else anything which allows people to say "They are all as bad as each other" (they aren't) is a distraction from the real issues the country faces. He should be laser focussed on repairing the damage caused by 14 years of Tory misrule. Not scrambling around dealing with peripheral stuff.
Starmer-say sorry. Don't do it again. And get back to work.

I've also got no sympathy for the argument that Starmer's wife needs money for clothes to be well turned out. Why can't she do what anyone else would who needs a working wardrobe - buy a small number decent quality high street tems which can be mixed and matched then hire a glam designer piece for the evening if she's got a high profile event to go to. I can't see why any politician, male or female, should need to have their clothes bought by someone else.

No I am not.

I am saying he misled about the school he went to and what his father did for a living. He did mislead them, that is fact.

Where did I say his parents paid for his school? I said he misled people.You cant argue with that.

Just admit Keir Starmer is another lying politician.

Lying about his education, lying about his father, lying about football tickets and we also know now timing receipt of enormous donations from hedge funds to avoid revealing them during the election.

So, an Oxford graduate then. Not that there's anything wrong with that.

My criminal barrister DH (Labour member) doesn't like him because he was DPP despite having been a Doughty Street defender his whole career and probably never prosecuted a criminal case in his life. I don't like him because I know that there are elderly people who will freeze to death over this winter because there's been no time to put any contingency plans in place. This is after scores of Labour politicians screamed bloody murder about fuel prices a year ago and the effect they were having on people who couldn't afford to heat their homes. But the train drivers have got a pay rise with linked defined benefit pension, so that's ok.

It's almost laughable how nothing has changed and no decisions have been reversed since Labour took office. And someone should set Lady Starmer up with a Vinted account.

Particularly a Labour politician's spouse. The party of the working class. I would have thought flash holidays and expensive kit was anathema to their socialist principles. (Although perhaps the £2,500 spent on specs is so that Free Gear can see to pour his champagne in style without spilling it).

That's not what's she's saying. She's saying that he's cosplaying working class because he feels embarrassed about having done well. Caitlin Moran does it also and it drives me insane.

It used to be that people aspired to be middle class and were proud when they had achieved it.

@Rummly "How do you know he wasn’t an employer"

Well, there is absolutely no evidence that he was. The only people saying he was are people like Guido Fawkes, who are no known for their journalistic integrity!

I for one, massively regret your vote and everyone else's who voted for him.

The clothing thing is a massive, avoidable own goal.

The optics are abysmal and everyone who hates Labour will now go on about it for the rest of time, as evidenced by the number of threads on MN and all the silly names.

@Dorisbonson "I am saying he misled about the school he went to and what his father did for a living. He did mislead them, that is fact."

Where did he mislead? He has said he is state educated and the school he went to is a matter of public record.

Good God they've been in Gov for 5 minutes - give them a break and get off all the media tosh

Or she could support up and coming designers who would probably be delighted to lend her an outfit for free.

I agree that they need to be given time, but that doesn't change the fact that they have fucked up with this and the WFA decision.

But what a 5 minutes, eh!

Unfortunately, how they start off their term in office often sets the tone for the remaining time and how they're viewed. Sadly they seem to be fluffing it only 3 months in. They've already lost the moral high ground they could have had over the tories and the winter budget is probably going to make them even more unpopular.

Time isn't a luxury they have to keep the public on side.

His dad owned a factory that manufactured tooling, he was a highly skilled craftsman and businessman - nothing in that infers working class, more middle class, his dad was a successful man and absolutely nothing wrong with that.

Don't be peevish. It's important that potential corruption is exposed and that everyone understands whats happening. The Labour party took the free stuff - there's no way to spin it so they need to cop the consequences.

Also people delight in the silly names partly because Free Gear Keir takes himself so seriously, lecturing everyone on his integrity and was so condemning of the Conservatives regarding accepting free stuff. He has been hoisted by his own petard, revealed to be a sanctimonious hypocrite and an empty shell and people are allowed to take the piss.

And Victoria Sponge is funny.

And they've managed some own goals in that short time

On their own backs be it

I have read that he was employed in a factory and then became a sole trader. I would be very interested in evidence that proves otherwise

i think they are doing what every previous PM has done re clothes, it just makes for dreadful optics when cuts are being made

They were in opposition for a long period knowing they would win the next election. Were they not formulating policy and planning the changes they would make then? I honestly thought once they were in we would see changes very quickly. But no. Other than removing WFA nothing particularly remarkable has been announced. NHS? Transport? Education? Illegal Immigration - Ah yes, they cancelled Rwanda (good) but have only made wishy washy claims of 'smashing the gangs'(won't work) and recruiting someone finally to head up the Border Force. Disappointing. I'm sure you'll agree.

Even the border security hire has said 'smash the gangs' won't work. Finally! If only someone had said this pre GE and we wouldn't be in this mess

The bigger one for them is the promise to grow the economy. Due to spending they created the biggest debt since the 1960s. That will eat up tax payer £ with debt servicing.

The only way out of increasing debt is economic growth. We even rely on that for a higher defence budget. So Reeves and co will need to deliver that or it'll get tougher for them

Did you read the post or just the title??

No the other PMs haven't accepted clothes from other men. Or £2,500 of specs. And they haven't lectured people on the morals of doing it either.

Or gone on about 'pain', 'difficult decisions' and 'broadest shoulders' whilst making pensioners on under £12k freeze

£2,500 for specs? why

Even if he worked for a larger company to begin with, which he would have done to apprentice to the trade, a toolmaker is one of the highest regarded trades in a factory, they make, with huge skill the dies, moulds, jigs etc that make everything else. He would have been on a good wage even as staff.

I know!, I wear RayBans that cost £300 and thought they were dear!!