What I’ve come to realise about Keir Starmer….

Joseann

Curtaintwitcher

I still don't understand how he was chosen as leader of the party. I can only suppose he was meant to keep the seat warm until someone more suitable came along.

Ouff! You might be right there!! I read a rather menacing quote from Angela Rayner at the end of The Times article, I try to help him steer away from some of the political pitfalls that come and bite you. What? I don't dislike her as a person, but she is really up herself if she thinks she is more suitable than Starmer as a potential PM.

😂😂😂

BlueBelle

No I don’t think that at all Mamie but I hear all the time from local Labour supporters ‘hes too posh’ ‘he s not working class’ (and yes I know his background) ‘he s got money’ ‘he’s boring’ ‘he doesn’t understand us’ ‘hes not got any charisma’ ‘he’s not one of us’ ‘he’s too much a righty’
I think he’s a measured man, who is much more of a thinker but people especially the young voters often want fire that’s why Jeremy Coban appealed to the young folk so much they admire a revolutionary spirit, think Les Mis

I never thought of Corbyn as being fiery!
His views may have been radical but he had no spark at all. Dull as ditch water.

There aren’t that many on the left of the Labour Party though, it’s like the right of the Tory party. They make lots of noise, but ultimately they are impotent because they have insufficient support.

‘The left’ in the LP seem to have accepted KS will win the election, despite its efforts to undermine him. Their current cunning plot is to replace him after the election.
Their arrogance knows no limits. If the LP wins, many voters will have voted with the knowledge KS becomes PM. It’s the same distorted reality that still says Labour voters were brainwashed against corbyn

Whitewavemark2

I am holding any real judgement for when/if he gets into power, and the decisions he makes will have a significant impact on the U.K.

I know what I am expecting - I’m waiting to see how he measures up.

I am a left wing supporter, but I am intending not to blindly follow like I see so many on the right do. I want to be a critical supporter.

As do many on the left.

The far left are gearing up, Owen Jones enjoying himself yesterday and Momentum emails to brighten the day

I'm hardly likely to meet the man, so his lack of charisma wouldn't worry me one bit. I'm more concerned with the grinning multi millionaire, married to a billionaire, leader we have now, who purports to understand how the ordinary person lived. It's going to take years to sort out the mess the next leader will have to sort out and it's getting worse daily. No wonder Starmer has to change his mind. you have to act on what's happening in the moment, not according to what happened 5/10 years ago.

A friend, who was a senior legal beagle, who is a near neighbour of Starmer, thinks very highly of him.

However, should we judge someone on their looks alone? He was a highly successful lawyer and retired having become Director of Public Prosecutions, not an easy job and one where he has had to make many difficult decisions on whether to prosecute certain crimes or not, based on whether there was enough evidence.

He has has shown by this work that he is a very competent man and i would have every confidence in his decision making and nerve when dealing with big international crises.

But he is in the position that Neil Kinnock was in when he took leadership of the Labour party after the resignation of Michael Foot, his main job is to drag the party out of the extrem left wing morass that Corbyn left the party in and get it back into the main stream.

Remember governments get elected not by their success in getting party members to vote for them but their success in getting people who are not party members to vote for them.

What I sometimes wonder whether he will be a Neil Kinnock for the 21st century. Successful in rescuing the Labour Party from itself and making it possible for the next Labour Party leader to become Prime Minister.

It’s a poisoned chalice really. After 14 years of incompetence it’s going to take more than a few years to get on the right track, and kier starmer has every reason to look serious.

I agree with grantonow. I'm looking for competence and integrity in my PM. Charisma and charming smiles I expect from members of the performing arts. I don't see them as a necessary requirement in a leader of a country.

Starmer is facing the prospect of actually getting the most difficult job in the country, heading a disillusioned HoC at a time when the UK is more divided than it has been for a long time, and faces problems in the economy, national institutions like the NHS, and social cohesion, plus globally worsening international relations, unrest and war, and the possibility of longterm climate upheaval.

The turnover in Prime Ministers is very high too - the chance of achieving anything permanent before your colleagues (or the electorate) turn on you and rip you to shreds is minimal.

I wouldn't trust anyone who was headed for that unenviable position and DIDN'T look worried.

I am holding any real judgement for when/if he gets into power, and the decisions he makes will have a significant impact on the U.K.

I know what I am expecting - I’m waiting to see how he measures up.

I am a left wing supporter, but I am intending not to blindly follow like I see so many on the right do. I want to be a critical supporter.

Bit random gossamer

No I don’t think that at all Mamie but I hear all the time from local Labour supporters ‘hes too posh’ ‘he s not working class’ (and yes I know his background) ‘he s got money’ ‘he’s boring’ ‘he doesn’t understand us’ ‘hes not got any charisma’ ‘he’s not one of us’ ‘he’s too much a righty’
I think he’s a measured man, who is much more of a thinker but people especially the young voters often want fire that’s why Jeremy Coban appealed to the young folk so much they admire a revolutionary spirit, think Les Mis

I don't trust him.

ronib have you looked on the Labour Party website? Plenty of plans set out there.
I am surprised BlueBelle that you think "Labour voters" would object to Keir Starmer because he comes from a modest background and had a very good career as a barrister and Director of Public Prosecutions. That is surely one of the major aims of the Labour movement?

Curtaintwitcher

I still don't understand how he was chosen as leader of the party. I can only suppose he was meant to keep the seat warm until someone more suitable came along.

Ouff! You might be right there!! I read a rather menacing quote from Angela Rayner at the end of The Times article, I try to help him steer away from some of the political pitfalls that come and bite you. What? I don't dislike her as a person, but she is really up herself if she thinks she is more suitable than Starmer as a potential PM.

I still don't understand how he was chosen as leader of the party. I can only suppose he was meant to keep the seat warm until someone more suitable came along.

Starmer could make his life easier by concentrating on the issues facing the UK ? I can’t wait to read up on Labour’s plans for the economy.

Well he is a measured man, probably seems dull to many, but what do you people want. a lying showman, a person who puts their own personality and fame above the dull boring repairing work needed he will have (if he becomes a leader) to not only try to heal a million and one cracks but try and make sure every word he speaks isn’t taken in the wrong way and I don’t believe he is a man who is wanting to just be famous and popular he’s certainly not particular popular with his Labour supporters because he speaks well and has a strong upper class type career, he’s not the rebel rouser that Labour voters would like, he s considered too moneyed, too quiet, too dull, too boring
He will if he becomes pm have an almost impossible job as he will have to try and mend so many things that have been broken in the last 14 years, unfortunately I believe it’s an almost impossible task and the poor bloke will then get the blame for everything and the blond ‘showman’ will be sought out as the wonder one

He’s damned if he does and dammed if he doesn’t I don’t envy him his job at all

I don’t particularly like him but he has to be better than the current mob. It is heartening to hear he was highly regarded as a lawyer and that he treated his staff well. Sometimes people like him are better than show ponies like Boris.

I certainly can. Johnson and Truss were appalling. Starmer may not be perfect but I don't think he is morally bankrupt or economically incompetent.

Sorry to hear of your troubles Iam64, I hope your shoulder mends well and that you and your enthusiastic lab are soon reunited.

As things stand, the two main party leaders at the next General Election will be Sunak and Starmer. Compared with last time - Corbyn and Johnson - shouldn't we just be grateful?

But you can't vote for somebody just because they are NOT Boris or Liz Truss.

Keir doesn't fill me with confidence. He changes his mind far too often. He hasn't been strong in opposition. How strong would he be in government?