Starmer is better at this than he's usually given credit for

He has form for coming in to something on a wave of promises, delivering something quite different, being deeply unpopular for a few years but then coming through when it matters.

I understand why he did it but I think the mistake, so far, has been to straitjacket which taxes he can raise. Reversing Hunt's NI cuts would have been an obvious choice; any number of other things but he's ruled the main tax levers out. This makes things harder than they need to be. We all knew whoever won the election that taxes would have to go up (and polling supports the idea that the electorate believed neither main party on promises not to raise tax).

Rayner is unquestionably a more likeable person and I'd like to think a Labour party led by her would be capable of winning in 2028/2029. We may yet find out: but my money would be on Starmer staying the course.

He doesn't need to get everything right. The NHS has to look substantially better and things need generally to feel a little less s**t - yes even potholes factor into that - but that's probably enough given that the Tories are probably ending up with Jenrick (one of Tugendhat or Cleverly will carry the votes of the other to make the top two; Badenoch's goose is cooked this time round, barring miracles at the Tory Conference, but she will be back when Jenrick crashes and burns as I think he inevitably will.)

What I think is really interesting is the fragmentation of the tory-labour dynamic in so very many constituencies. A lot - the majority? I don't know but many many more than before - of constituencies now are tory vs reform, labour vs green, tory vs lib dem, a few labour vs lib dem etc. In my oh so humble this can only be a good thing, the two-party system has not served us well for too long and a bit of a shake up is no bad idea.

Sorry, I seem to have gone into ramble mode. Ramble mode now deactivated. I wouldn't bother reading all that but I've written it now so *shrug*

Posted By: Old Man on September 20th 2024 at 10:15:01

Message Thread

Rayner to elbow starmer out within 18 months. dbmtp (Coronavirus) - Chris Peacock, Sep 20, 08:45:29
- Starmer is better at this than he's usually given credit for (Coronavirus) - Old Man, Sep 20, 10:15:01
  - As matters stand (Coronavirus) - paulg, Sep 20, 11:46:22
  - Rayner being more likeable is an interesting take. I much prefer Starmer. (Coronavirus) - Tony Martin, Sep 20, 10:28:50
    - Let’s hope labour do not get in again. (n/m) (Coronavirus) - Biggles, Sep 20, 22:14:33
    - he just means he wants to shag her (Coronavirus) - Real Man, Sep 20, 12:43:25
- I said similar the day they got in. The 1% right will spin it back for another (Coronavirus) - Lentil Weaver, Sep 20, 09:56:59
  - Amazing isn't it (Coronavirus) - CWC, Sep 20, 10:09:18
    - What about the few of us who said not much would change? (Coronavirus) - usacanary, Sep 20, 13:36:35
      - Enough has changed already (Coronavirus) - SCC 28, Sep 20, 13:39:03
        
        Rail strike misery finally over (Coronavirus) - SCC 28, Sep 20, 13:39:43
        
        I didn't follow the details, were they ended by caving in to demands? (n/m) (Coronavirus) - SimonOTBC, Sep 20, 13:46:06
        
        Quite possibly (Coronavirus) - SCC 28, Sep 20, 14:02:23
- at the present rate of progress, there will have been an election before then! (n/m) (Coronavirus) - paulg, Sep 20, 09:14:25
  - Keep taking the copium. (Coronavirus) - Snakepit Divorcee, Sep 20, 13:31:32
    - even the graun gets it (Coronavirus) - paulg, Sep 20, 16:16:37
      - Far left don’t like Starmer shocker (n/m) (Coronavirus) - SCC 28, Sep 20, 18:14:41
        
        Yep, Guardian are utter cunts tbf (n/m) (Coronavirus) - jamesward, Sep 20, 19:31:13
- thats been on the cards for a long time (Coronavirus) - ghostof barry butler, Sep 20, 08:51:31
- That should give him enough time (Coronavirus) - SCC 28, Sep 20, 08:49:29
  - then one day they came for you (Coronavirus) - ghostof barry butler, Sep 20, 08:52:50
    - No idea what the VAR bit is about (Coronavirus) - SCC 28, Sep 20, 08:56:22
      - I'm saying the views you express regarding VAR ..... (Coronavirus) - ghostof barry butler, Sep 20, 09:05:48
        
        Haha yeah (Coronavirus) - SCC 28, Sep 20, 09:12:03
        
        The inability of people to understand the role of VAR is mind boggling (n/m) (Coronavirus) - SimonOTBC, Sep 20, 10:05:01
        
        It's not really var that's the problem it's how it's tole is defined (Coronavirus) - protheroe fitzgibbon, Sep 20, 10:40:13
        
        The problem is how most fans see it (Coronavirus) - SCC 28, Sep 20, 10:58:12
        
        Managers are always looking for scapegoats for defeats. (n/m) (Coronavirus) - protheroe fitzgibbon, Sep 20, 12:47:41
        
        Sure but that was ridiculous (Coronavirus) - SCC 28, Sep 20, 13:09:36

Reply to Message

In order to add a post to the WotB Message Board you must be a registered WotB user.

If you are not yet registered then please visit the registration page. You should ensure that their browser is setup to accept cookies.