Keir Starmer

[Toodles McGinty]

Caught up with the Piers Morgan interview of Keir. Found myself feeling choked up a number of times. Keir came across very well. Impressive. I hope he puts into action the pointers he was given.

At near the interview end, when he was invited to switch into political mode, he became a bit less convincing, despite trying to take on board the advice he'd been given.

Still on the fence, myself.

Don't get me wrong, I voted for him in the leadership contest, thinking the electorate needed a change. And I do think he'd be a highly competent PM. But if he did some 'opposing' it might convince me.

Not opposition for the sake of it, we need a house united for the most part. But I've been disappointed with a few votes. I've not written him off yet, as an awful lot of the Labour membership has. I guess if we ever get back to some kind of normality we may see a return to politics over circuses.

Not betting on it though.

[Desert Region]

Still on the fence, myself.

Don't get me wrong, I voted for him in the leadership contest, thinking the electorate needed a change. And I do think he'd be a highly competent PM. But if he did some 'opposing' it might convince me.

Not opposition for the sake of it, we need a house united for the most part. But I've been disappointed with a few votes. I've not written him off yet, as an awful lot of the Labour membership has. I guess if we ever get back to some kind of normality we may see a return to politics over circuses.

Not betting on it though.

Watching Keir at PMQs appears to have turned into a regular spectacle of a cross, public school headmaster ticking off an inveterately naughty schoolboy for his high jinks.

I think Keir will be allowed his shot at leading Labour through the next GE. It's the centre-left's turn: and the scale of Labour's defeat at the last GE shouldn't brook any real argument on that.

As you say, much of the Labour membership has given up on him, and I doubt he will get a second chance if it doesn't work out at the next GE. He certainly doesn't electrify the base!

I wish him well and I would prefer it if Labour wins the next GE. Whether that's PM Keir Starmer or perhaps PM Angela Rayner isn't the important thing.

[Toodles McGinty]

Watching Keir at PMQs appears to have turned into a regular spectacle of a cross, public school headmaster ticking off an inveterately naughty schoolboy for his high jinks.

I think Keir will be allowed his shot at leading Labour through the next GE. It's the centre-left's turn: and the scale of Labour's defeat at the last GE shouldn't brook any real argument on that.

As you say, much of the Labour membership has given up on him, and I doubt he will get a second chance if it doesn't work out at the next GE. He certainly doesn't electrify the base!

I wish him well and I would prefer it if Labour wins the next GE. Whether that's PM Keir Starmer or perhaps PM Angela Rayner isn't the important thing.

PMQs is just part of the circus now. Complete waste of time when Parliamentary rules are broken with alacrity and go unpunished. I don't think it lands with the electorate, either.

I agree that the centre-left has a greater possibility of success with voters. I think Brexit stymied any chance of the hard-left getting into power, though the votes individually may tell a different story. Although until there's either a seismic reckoning, or Murdoch shuffles off his mortal coil and a new broom comes in, I can't see the leadership of the Labour party making much difference. But a centrist does have a better chance.

[Desert Region]

I see what you did.

You have been told it is not anti-Semitic to criticise the Israeli Government?

That is true.
Does not mean you can be racist to a Government or its religions make up.

Repeating 'Blood libel' and anti Semitic tropes are racism.

I looked up 'Blood libel' to see what it was about.

What an outrageous piece of anti-Semitism it is! How twisted with racism does someone have to be to give any credence to it? Vile.

[sandGroundZero]

"Don't get me wrong, I voted for him in the leadership contest, thinking the electorate needed a change. And I do think he'd be a highly competent PM. But if he did some 'opposing' it might convince me. "Not opposition for the sake of it, we need a house united for the most part. But I've been disappointed with a few votes. I've not written him off yet, as an awful lot of the Labour membership has. I guess if we ever get back to some kind of normality we may see a return to politics over circuses. "Not betting on it though". — Toodles McGinty

It's worth noting how media savvy and 'televisual presentability ' trump 'competence '; or for that matter (with a qualified exception being Labour's 2019 'too many chefs') manifesto pledges.
Jeremy Corbyn's long backbench career was notable for plain speaking his political convictions. He was unelectable. New Labour's executive team in contrast triangulated and focus-grouped every detail until Tony Blair had won-over many Conservatives and alienated much of (old) Labour. Blair's convictions were barely perceptible through the smoke and mirrors (à la David Copperfield).

I think "a return to politics over circuses" ignores the reality of UK politics inasmuch as parliamentary politics IS CIRCUS! Parliament is show business. The real business of governing happens elsewhere, out of sight.

[Hamble]

I looked up 'Blood libel' to see what it was about.

What an outrageous piece of anti-Semitism it is! How twisted with racism does someone have to be to give any credence to it? Vile.

It is unbelievable.
One would think it was an historical lie being repeated though you only have to Google it to see people are still coming out with blood libel quotes to date.

[Desert Region]

It is unbelievable.
One would think it was an historical lie being repeated though you only have to Google it to see people are still coming out with blood libel quotes to date.

You do exercise remarkable patience, H, when dealing with the Forum's resident anti-Semites.

[Hamble]

You do exercise remarkable patience, H, when dealing with the Forum's resident anti-Semites.

Thank you that is nice of you to say.

[sandGroundZero]

It will take a Labour crisis for Keir Starmer to learn to speak his mind

"…
The leader’s allies caution against extrapolating any national lessons from Batley and Spen, which is an unusually fractious contest. The normal electoral calculus has been thrown off by George Galloway, a practised electoral carpetbagger, who arrived with the explicit purpose of undermining Starmer’s authority. But vulnerability to sabotage is not much of a defence. If Labour looked like a party on the up-and-up, an opportunist such as Galloway would not have fancied his chances. Vultures are drawn to carrion. …"

With Labour party officials preparing the ground for yet another defeat under Sir Keir Starmer, how bad can it get?

[sandGroundZero]

[Hamble]

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer plans to start his summer tour of Britain in Blackpool in a bid to entice voters back to the party.


https://www.theargus.co.uk/news/nati...our-blackpool/

Ahh shucks we missed him.
I would have waved.

Cycled from Fleetwood to Blackpool and back along the coast.

[Hamble]

This is a good strategy for the Labour Party rather than supporting the opposite of Tory political decisions.

Finding a political road Labour intends to go will do more for voter confidence.

Keir Starmer's role as Labour Leader can be defined as a success.



https://www.theguardian.com/politics...abour-factions

[sandGroundZero]

This is a good strategy for the Labour Party rather than supporting the opposite of Tory political decisions. | Finding a political road Labour intends to go will do more for voter confidence. | Keir Starmer's role as Labour Leader can be defined as a success.

________________________________________________________________________________

Labour needs to rethink its Middle East ideas "The past decade has seen a series of momentous events sweep the Middle East: the Arab Spring, the Syrian civil war and the rise of IS, Iranian expansionism and the Abraham Accords. "Throughout all of this, however, the focus of a large and influential section of the left has remained obsessively and exclusively focused on the conflict between Israel and the Palestinians. But seeing the Middle East solely through the prism of this conflict distorts and narrows our perspective; crucially, it prevents us from engaging with current realities in the region. "Labour Friends of Israel’s new pamphlet, The New Middle East: A Progressive Approach, is designed to help redress this imbalance." — Labour needs to rethink its Middle East ideas

Labour set to expel hundreds … "The Jewish Labour Movement has welcomed news that Labour is ready to expel hundreds of members who denied claims of antisemitism in the party as part of a new purge of the far left. "The party will ask its ruling body, the National Executive Committee, to vote to proscribe four Jeremy Corbyn-supporting groups which have denied the extent of Labour’s antisemitism problem and promote communism. "The groups – Labour Against the Witch Hunt, Socialist Appeal, Labour in Exile and Resist – also welcome members who have been expelled or suspended from the party over antisemitism allegations, including former Momentum vice-chair Jackie Walker." — The party will ask its ruling body to vote to proscribe four Jeremy Corbyn-supporting groups

________________________________________________________________________________

The Jewish Labour Movement, Labour Friends of Israel and others appear determined to exclude pro-Palestinian activitists prominent during the Corbyn interlude. The Labour party will be further diminished, if purges proceed.

[Hamble]

________________________________________________________________________________

Labour needs to rethink its Middle East ideas "The past decade has seen a series of momentous events sweep the Middle East: the Arab Spring, the Syrian civil war and the rise of IS, Iranian expansionism and the Abraham Accords. "Throughout all of this, however, the focus of a large and influential section of the left has remained obsessively and exclusively focused on the conflict between Israel and the Palestinians. But seeing the Middle East solely through the prism of this conflict distorts and narrows our perspective; crucially, it prevents us from engaging with current realities in the region. "Labour Friends of Israel’s new pamphlet, The New Middle East: A Progressive Approach, is designed to help redress this imbalance." — Labour needs to rethink its Middle East ideas

Labour set to expel hundreds … "The Jewish Labour Movement has welcomed news that Labour is ready to expel hundreds of members who denied claims of antisemitism in the party as part of a new purge of the far left. "The party will ask its ruling body, the National Executive Committee, to vote to proscribe four Jeremy Corbyn-supporting groups which have denied the extent of Labour’s antisemitism problem and promote communism. "The groups – Labour Against the Witch Hunt, Socialist Appeal, Labour in Exile and Resist – also welcome members who have been expelled or suspended from the party over antisemitism allegations, including former Momentum vice-chair Jackie Walker." — The party will ask its ruling body to vote to proscribe four Jeremy Corbyn-supporting groups

________________________________________________________________________________

The Labour's Friends of Israel in their pamphlet, The New Middle East: A Progressive Approach apparently regard any pro-Palestinian campaigning within the Labour party as at best, a distraction; at worst, anti-Semitic.

The LFI and others are campaigning to exclude remnants of pro-Palestinian activity after the Corbyn interlude. The Labour party, always an uncomfortable assortment of contradictory tribes will be further diminished, if purges proceed.

Not the news Labour Friends of Palestine were hoping for I agree.

Unfortunately Palestinian politics is going through another difficult period.

Old news you may have missed.


https://www.i24news.tv/en/news/inter...-human-shields

https://honestreporting.com/why-didn...-inoculations/

https://honestreporting.com/media-mu...mid-crackdown/

[local]

Like all Parties, Labour should encourage open debate.

Israel has done a lot of wrong with Palestine.

The Palestinians have turned to a bunch of murdering dumb Bas&&&ds in desperation whilst the legitimate routes have been squashed primarily by America.

That doesn't make me anti-semitic.

There are many many Jewish people who think the same way.