Olly Robbins has just nuked the premiership of Sir Keir Starmer

[ProudAmberTurtle]

What are the implications of Olly Robbins’s testimony for Starmer?

There was so much in his testimony that was damaging but surely the worst was that:

• He was instructed by No. 10 to find an ambassador's job for Starmer's then director of communications, Matthew Doyle
• He was told not to tell the foreign secretary about this
• Robbins considered leaving his role because this request was so unusual and inappropriate
• Doyle was then suspended from the Labour Party due to his links with a convicted paedophile (not Epstein).

And on Mandelson, he said there was "constant pressure" for him to fast-track the appointment, there was no interest in the vetting from the PM, concerns about the vetting were dismissed by No. 10 and Mandelson had already been given IT access that should only have been granted after the vetting process.

What can Starmer do now? Say Robbins was lying?

The PP didn't miss anything

It does amuse me how you all u-turned on using polls since the GE

The PP (being you) said that Starmer was more popular than all the other leaders that as it turns out are in reality actually in fact more popular than Starmer.

We were just giving you the benefit of the doubt that you didn't seek to deliberately mislead the House thread, by suggesting that perhaps you missed some punctuation. But I see you have clarified that you meant what you typed.

His net favourability is below, it’s the lowest, perhaps for anyone at any time. Not sure which poll you’re referring to.

Kier the construction firm? I didn't know they had moved into the political arena.

@TheLandlordsAreFrowning Very very witty, really good.

Labour supporters have access to all sorts of polls and statistics that others don’t; opinion polls, unemployment figures, crime statistics, immigration numbers etc. This is why they disregard all the opinions based on mainstream ones.

Isn’t it KEIR? So No!

There is no denying the (un)popularity ratings, but voting will be more complex than that. Looking at recent by-elections (both national and local), there does seem to be some emerging pattern at times of either voting for Reform, or voting strategically to keep Reform out.

An Ipsos poll published earlier this month shows that despite his low popularity, those polled still preferred a Labour government led by Starmer to a Reform government led by Farage (can we assume they’re not expecting a Tory or Green majority from that?).

Labour mayor Andy Burnham is the politician with the highest favourability.

I’ll add image and link to wider poll: www.ipsos.com/en-uk/when-forced-choose-britons-prefer-labour-government-led-keir-starmer-reform-uk-government-led-nigel

The local elections will put it into practise. We’ll see if people prefer Labour still or not.

I know you meant me with PP, my username is only 6 letters long so not much effort to type.

I think you misunderstood what I said, I didn't deny he is unpopular but despite that he is still seen as the most capable PM compared to KB and NF

I didn't say anything about misleading the House or thread? Perhaps you missed the context?

Would it please you if people prefer Reform?

The only thing that will truly test this is the next General Election in 2029.

(Although I fully expect that Labour will suffer huge losses at the upcoming local elections for many different reasons).

It depends what you’re looking at More in Common put Kemi as most popular

Kemi Badenoch has become the most popular political party leader as the public warms to her straight talking, a poll has revealed.
The Conservative leader has seen a significant boost to her popularity in recent months, surpassing Reform UK leader Nigel Farage in approval ratings.
Mrs Badenoch has a net approval rating of minus 9 – a remarkable change of fortunes for the Toryleader, who had a minus 32 net rating ahead of her party conference in October.

She is ahead of Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey, on minus 11, and Mr Farage, on minus 16, the survey by pollsters More In Common found.
The Leader of the Opposition is also ahead of Green Party leader Zack Polanski, who sits on minus 16 despite his party seeing an upturn in the polls. And Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer is behind all four major party leaders on a lowly minus 42.

All the numbers show some leaders up and others down, in the end the votes will count. Local and regional elections soon for example.

You referred to yourself as the PP though? Thats why I carried on with your example as you set it?

You said "The polls say that people still prefer Starmer over Badenoch, Farage, Davey, Polanski.". Which polls?

Im suggesting you weren't intentionally misleading the House (topical joke)/thread because maybe you gave false information by mistake because you missed the "-" sign in KSs popularity scores. Just kindly trying to give you a way out.....

I think the reason K Starmer is still PM is because the more moderates in the party are scared the other option is Angela Rayner - if she gets in as PM they’ll lose the next election unless she changes her views which is unlikely

Preferable to Labour. It is imperative that Labour are removed.

Just copying your comment

I don't need a way out, however "kindly" you meant it

If you prefer Farage over Starmer, just say so.

At least you're honest. Other posters pretzel themselves around giving a straight answer to that question.

Can you provide evidence of your comment that Starmer is seen as more capable compared to KB and NF? I haven't seen any polling that backs that up.

Latest yougov head to head polling, ie leader vs leader from January shows that Badenoch and Starmer tie.

yougov.com/en-gb/articles/53845-who-would-be-the-best-prime-minister-january-2026

What views does she have that you think she’d need to change as PM?

The IPSOS poll is already shared and then there are the polls on his handling of the Iran war. So despite being unpopular it is not all doom and gloom for Starmer.

It doesn't matter if he stays or goes, whoever replaces him will get the same treatment from you and other posters who don't like Labour.

I think you’re giving too much weight to a few posters on mn. You’ll never get totally pro Labour threads and even if you do get what you’re after and read nothing but praise on here the public can still vote against.

Why do you think I want totally pro Labour threads, what an odd comment.

Don't just assume I am a Labour voter because I don't shout 'Starmer out'

Why worry about what a few posters think of Labour? The party has bigger issues than that.

More negativity...

Less people on benefits = lower welfare bill & with an aging population, we will of course get more and more people taking earlier retirement.

Imho Students should be studying, not out working all hours.

My point though, which you make well, is Tory supporters constantly look for negativity in anything at all.

One recently made about the £117 drop in average energy costs was "well its not enough"