@NoWordForFluffy I quite agree about quality of MPs. We are losing people who are very bright and make a very good living elsewhere. Being an MP isn’t attracting the best people. I see lots of relatively good people now but too many who are not good enough.
Starmer is interesting in a way. He became a civil servant. Didn’t stay at the self employed bar. So turned his back on being in court and constructing an argument, He left the cut and thrust of the courts. He seems robotic to me and unable to grasp that what he’s taken feels a betrayal of the values he espoused.
The Cons are a problem too. Jenrick has lurched right and is trying to get Reform off the scene. I think many Reform voters were Labour anyway. Labour only got a bit over 33% of the vote so hardly a ringing endorsement. Teresa May, when she lost all those seats, got 42%. Makes 40% for Labour in 2017 look outstanding. In 2024 turnout was below 60%. That clearly shows people are switching off and it stems from poor MPs/Ministers and poor quality decisions. Starmer had to go nearer to the middle to get the Cons votes from moderate people. Reform grabbed the right wing and Labour voters often don’t want immigration. Therefore Labour lost vote share too. Our FPP voting system masks voting patterns.
I have no doubt some of the Cons decisions about procurement during COVID were wrong but they were desperate. It’s now difficult to believe Labour would have been different. Turns out they have wealthy business mates too. They also would have been desperate.