Starmer

[Tristan]

You keep saying that, but you haven't said how many more small companies are involved than big companies. If it's 100 times more (and I'd expect it's more than that given the likely scalings), then you're not making sense.

You’re assuming that the effort required grows at the same rate as the number of companies. Perhaps that would be the case if it was all the gap needed prosecutions to fix. But if it’s more likely down to errors etc. (as you claim) then solutions could be put in place that help many more companies meet their tax obligations.

Eh? That's not what I'm talking about at all.

Sure, whatever.

[bjn]

This is extremely disturbing, to put it mildly. The Labour faction now running the party and proving itself to be utterly crap at delivering change for normal Britons took undeclared money from a number of rich folk to fund their campaign, all while trying to make it look like a grass roots movement. In the process they smeared journalists looking into this and set private investigators on several of them.

Note that McSweeney is a protege of Mandelson.

https://democracyforsale.substack.com/p ... ns-starmer

[TopBadger]

So much for a crackdown on sleeze... I've been right put off Labour by Starmer and the moves to see off Reform.

I've never voted Green in a GE before... next time could be the first time... although tactically it's likely to be a vote for the LD's.

I find myself wondering if it really could have gotten this sh.t under Corbyn? Or Milliband?

[Grumble]

I’d really love Labour to be able to articulate a positive vision for the country that isn’t just reacting to what Reform are doing. I think Milliband is definitely trying to do that in his department, but I don’t see much else in the positive messaging.

[discovolante]

I’d really love Labour to be able to articulate a positive vision for the country that isn’t just reacting to what Reform are doing. I think Milliband is definitely trying to do that in his department, but I don’t see much else in the positive messaging.

Well, they have done some good stuff, they just don't want anyone to know about it apparently. Which probably makes it much more un-doable when they get voted out. Got to love it.

[Grumble]

I’d really love Labour to be able to articulate a positive vision for the country that isn’t just reacting to what Reform are doing. I think Milliband is definitely trying to do that in his department, but I don’t see much else in the positive messaging.

Well, they have done some good stuff, they just don't want anyone to know about it apparently. Which probably makes it much more un-doable when they get voted out. Got to love it.

Yes, it’s the not talking about it I’m complaining about. Milliband gets lots of flak from the usual suspects when he does pop up, but at least that means he’s getting noticed.

[discovolante]

I’d really love Labour to be able to articulate a positive vision for the country that isn’t just reacting to what Reform are doing. I think Milliband is definitely trying to do that in his department, but I don’t see much else in the positive messaging.

Well, they have done some good stuff, they just don't want anyone to know about it apparently. Which probably makes it much more un-doable when they get voted out. Got to love it.

Yes, it’s the not talking about it I’m complaining about. Milliband gets lots of flak from the usual suspects when he does pop up, but at least that means he’s getting noticed.

Fair enough. From recollection I think the only bigotry Starmer has responded to clearly and decisively is antisemitism, so I'm not that surprised that he's not up to much in the face of Reform type rhetoric. It's pretty worrying given that the situation has gone well beyond what you might call liberal handwringing (I mean, if you really wanted to).

[jimbob]

I’d really love Labour to be able to articulate a positive vision for the country that isn’t just reacting to what Reform are doing. I think Milliband is definitely trying to do that in his department, but I don’t see much else in the positive messaging.

Well, they have done some good stuff, they just don't want anyone to know about it apparently. Which probably makes it much more un-doable when they get voted out. Got to love it.

Yes, it’s the not talking about it I’m complaining about. Milliband gets lots of flak from the usual suspects when he does pop up, but at least that means he’s getting noticed.

Exactly.

You cannot fight bigotry by letting them set the agenda and pandering to them. It's one thing that Corbyn almost got right. Of course he went off on stupid causes (Cuban solidarity when the PM was changing to May from Cameron, for example). But actually pointing out how the NHS needs immigrant workers, for example, and calling out the racist dog whistles would be good.

Also trying to publicly fix the corruption in British politics, which would be popular and harm the Tories and Reform.

[TopBadger]

Interesting piece today which rather sums up where things are in my mind:

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfr ... bour-party

[Grumble]

The fact that Starmer was actually a good lawyer seems to be helping him with the current situation between the USA/Israel and Iran. He’s clearly trying to stay on the right side of international law, despite the annoyance of Trump.
As a Prime Minister he’s a very good Foreign Secretary

[FlammableFlower]

Trump is basically saying that when the US says "jump", Britain has to respond "how high?" and the Tories and Reform are whole-heartedly supporting that view, helpfully for them not in power and in the position to suffer any similar effect that Labour had post-Iraq with pretty much everyone deciding it was a bad idea...

Now Starmer has to thread the course. Whilst it was sudden, I can't quite believe the UK didn't have some inkling this was in the offing. Only last week various online voices were noting that the US carriers in the gulf were having their combat extension further extended, to the point that a new record was soon to be set; and that this puts incredible strain on the crew, so either something was going to happen or the US command had taken leave of its senses.

At least in Iraq, an attempt was made for a case for war before it happened, whereas here there were ongoing negotiations, where you had people involved saying they though things were progressing towards a deal.

I'm not surprised Starmer chose not to go all in with the US on even flimsier grounds.

[jimbob]

The fact that Starmer was actually a good lawyer seems to be helping him with the current situation between the USA/Israel and Iran. He’s clearly trying to stay on the right side of international law, despite the annoyance of Trump.
As a Prime Minister he’s a very good Foreign Secretary

Well put