Keir Starmer on on R4 today. What he DIDN'T say

[bellinisurge]

Just heard Keir Starmer on R4. Lots of blah blah about taking the heat out of this and being respectful of the range of views within the Labour Party on this.
A very good exercise in not talking about it or getting drawn into anything.

Yep. The more information you have, the crazier it gets. And the less any rational, non-religious person can support it, and will speak out against it, as the last few weeks makes plain.

It's the MRA version of Scientology.

Sorry - when I say, "non-religious" I mean to this particular secular faith. None of the people I know who do believe in deities expect me to worship alongside them.

To be clear, I'm no longer a Labour party member and the kindest thing I can say about Starmer is that I think he's the sharpest in a depressingly feeble pool. He would still get my vote if I had one

Whatever the case, he's offered both Nandy and Long Bailey shadow cabinet positions should he win.......and Nandy has already accepted.
Forget it; and him........we need 10 years for the public to be fully educated on this issue...before I'l let Labour anywhere near government, myself.

I'm keen to get the 'third spaces' argument out there.....because it is inherently reasonable.......and also it would reveal the extent to which the TRA ideology is actually seeking validation more so than safety or comfort.

I want to see people explain why third spaces are a bad idea.

Yep.

I'm waiting for the day when Lisa Nandy is confronted with an 'in your face experience' of her own - and when she finally has to say that"when she said that TWAW, she didn't really mean it", or believe it......Not when she's confronted with a situation in which she sees actual women losing out.....say Eddie Izzard becoming the women's officer, or similar.

Forget it; and him........we need 10 years for the public to be fully educated on this issue...before I'l let Labour anywhere near government, myself.
I'd probably agree with you. But leader of the opposition is still a powerful and influential post and I do think it matters who gets it.

KS is keeping his powder dry
he knows how Momentum can behave so he's giving them no reason to act
once he wins I think the fiery Starmer will reappear
(and yes, it does exist)

Given she was presumably very comfortable with a certain floral teenager being their CLP's women's officer, I think it's fair to say that wouldn't change her mind.

It's astonishing that Labour have reached this place. They might as well have a Pledge saying that anyone supporting Black Lives Matter is advocating a hate group, and should be expelled. Just shocking, how overtly bigoted and totalitarian they have become, and how fast.

These people are not Labour. They're Make Britain Misogynist Again.

JustHadAThought
("Whatever the case, he's offered both Nandy and Long Bailey shadow cabinet positions should he win") To be fair, if under Starmer's leadership the party moved away from its present policy (which I don't know whether it will) then Nandy and LB's membership of the shadow cabinet would become dependent on them agreeing with or acquiescing in the new policy.

Qcng ("I would have voted for KS if I hadn't have quit, except actually I wouldn't be able to beause I'd be expelled") - I don't think that's quite true as I don't think anyone has been expelled yet. We don't yet know whether such expulsions will go ahead - let alone going ahead before have had chance to vote in the leadership contest - voting has opened now. Starmer certainly hasn't advocated such expulsions. Long Bailey and Nandy have (though even they started to row back a bit) but they're not in charge (yet?).

In KS's powerless shadow cabinet, RLB will likely stay as Business shadow and Lisa Nandy will get what? Transport? Not Home Office, surely?

It's Dawn Butler I'm keeping an eye on.

Coming directly after KS's woke bollocks it was was lovely to hear some common sense even if it came from TY!

Keir is a former DPS, with many years experience in these areas; yet Toby Young is clearer and more precise about changes in the law.

For all that KS is by far the most competent candidate for leader. The other two are terrifying.

How the fuck did this happen?

KS is keeping his powder dry he knows how Momentum can behave so he's giving them no reason to act once he wins I think the fiery Starmer will reappear (and yes, it does exist)

He has said he'll give positions in the caninet to Nandy and RLB, though.......He'll always go with the consensus is my opinion.

I had some hope when it was mentioned about Yvette Cooper andEd Milliband returning to the shadow front benches...but the worst scenario is that he gives a credible account of himself at the next election...and wins....and he pushes all of the pledges through on the GRA.

I really do think this all needs more time to play out and unravel.

cabinet

This may be an unpopular opinion and probably nobody will agree but I can’t imagine someone like Donald Trump purposely avoiding saying certain things on a topic like this.

Should we be putting faith in wannabe leaders who are afraid of backlashes?

I expect Keir will win, I'm waiting to see how he does with Andrew Neil before deciding whether he gets my vote. I'm wondering who he will chose for 'Women and Equalities', I can't see him keeping Dawn Butler, think he might go for Jess Phillips. Will be interesting.

The Mhairi Black fiasco though not directly related is adding more light.

but the worst scenario is that he gives a credible account of himself at the next election...and wins....and he pushes all of the pledges through on the GRA.

His current position is exactly that, isn't it. He is deluding himself if he expects people to fall for the single-sex spaces (with self id) promise for a second time.