New Labour LEADER

Hm. His wife is Jewish and he didn’t do much about anti semitism. He was shadow Brexit Secretary and couldn’t stop Labour’s Brexit Policy from being a disaster. Angela Rayner has no experience of anything. To me, Andy Burnham should be Labour leader, the sooner he better. Don’t think Kier has enough bottle.

I think some of the criticisms about Starmer are a bit rich when you consider BJ’s history. Any democracy needs a functioning opposition and there is a chance now we’ll get one. The real problem is that many right of centre people don’t want any credible left of centre opposition at all.

Whitewavemark2 Sun 05-Apr-20 09:37:43

'In this new found spirit of neutrality pogs I fully expect you to turn your big guns now on the islamophobia and anti- semitism in the Tory party.'
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Oh dear we have been here before. This is is a tired old format you regurgitate toward me Whitewave so I will answer as I always do.

If you have read my posts over the years and were honest you would know that I have stated at every turn Islamophobia /Antisemitism is NOT acceptable in ANY party.

Stop your ' whataboutery' and ' deflection'.

Good Lord. The right is really worried, aren't they? All the same old, same old though.

It will be nice to turn off GN for a while if this continues. It's not a political discussion really, is it? It's all derogatory personal remarks. All that is left I presume.

I think he will be PM one day.

Stop your ' whataboutery' and ' deflection'.

A bit tautological POGS. What whataboutery are you accusing Whitewave of this time? Just checking.

So pleased that Keir won. He is sensible and will get the Labour party respected once again.

GracesGranMK3 Sun 05-Apr-20 09:37:57

'POGS, obviously you don't have to answer but I wonder if you are a Labour member or voter?'
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I have no problem in answering this question, of which I have been asked many times over the years, no doubt by yourself if I looked hard enough.

I am not a member of any Political Party.

I was raised by a staunch Labour/Union father and voted Labour for years. Things changed at the time of Militent Tendency and I saw something nasty happening within Labour.

I have voted for both Labour and Conservative parties, returning to Labour under Blair.

I think you know that to be my history as I have been challenged enough times.
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" If not, I wonder what value your opinions are to those members and voters who are, at the moment."

My opinions are mine to give as and where I choose to be honest. I think you reserve that right too.

As to the ' value' of my opinions to those who are members or voted for Labour I am sure they are inconsequential but does that not equally apply to ALL posters who post on threads discussing political parties they do not belong too?

If it were the case we should only post/comment on politics /threads if we are members of the party in question or vote for that party then I would say some posters need to seriously ask themselves am I proposing ' Do as I say, not do as I do'.
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"Now is the time, for those who would like to see successful social democracy in this country, to simply ignore the nay-sayers and destroyers and give this team a chance to build a government in waiting."

I agree, the same as I would hope that sensible statement would apply to both a government in waiting and the newly formed government.

GracesGran

" It will be nice to turn off GN for a while if this continues. It's not a political discussion really, is it? It's all derogatory personal remarks. All that is left I presume.
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If you follow the time line of this thread you will note that you and Whitewave ' turned ' this thread into one of a personal nature by repeatedly asking me for a response. Had I not responded you would no doubt be challenging the fact I was ignoring you!

Believe me I am happy not to respond to your questions but I have never backed away from answering. I suggest you stop asking for answers.

Hmmm suppose he is ok apart from being an ardent remainer, time will tell whether I'm prepared to vote for him, not a car in hells chance was I going to vote for Corbyn but I'm prepared to give Kier a chance though I can't stand Angela Rayner

"Cat in hell" not car - stupid predictive text

I am hoping that fresh and intelligent input from Starmer will help solve the war between government ministers like Sunak and Hancock.

The last thing we need is disagreement in the government.

I think you know that to be my history as I have been challenged enough times.

It's surprisingly easy to forget who thinks what I'm afraid. Sorry if you thought I should remember - I just don't, other than a certain person is a bit obsessively anti-Corbyn that is but I don't think you have explained that many times

... the same as I would hope that sensible statement would apply to both a government in waiting and the newly formed government.

When did we last have one of those? It seems to have been continuity Conservative for such a long time.

Angela Rayner in an interview this morning, said more of
Corbyn than Stammer , Corbyn is still leader for her.

not too sure about either of them. been reading up about the deputy head and i have my doubts

Had I not responded you would no doubt be challenging the fact I was ignoring you!

Do you know, I don't think I have ever done that. I do hope I haven't. We all have every right not to answer the questions we don't want to.

^Angela Rayner in an interview this morning, said more of
Corbyn than Stammer , Corbyn is still leader for her.^

You do realise that's an opinion, not a truth, don't you Annie.

I saw the interview. She has obviously been very ill and questioned whether the PM or ministers should go out after 7 days rather than 14. I thought that was extremely important especially as round about the 10th day seems to be the decider for the person who has it. Not too sure what is either Corbyn or Starmer about that view.

I always hoped that KS would talk sense about the coronavirus emergency and BJ would announce the same thing in his own words a few days later. Doesn't matter. So any betting that we hear the words 'reveal exit strategy from lockdown' from the prime minister some day soon.

If he had been leader at the last election Boris could well have lost.

Many are saying that Hancock having failed on tests, ventilators and PPE, and so is trying to deflect by starting a war of words with Sunak.

To be fair I suspect that the whole government will be found complicit in the failure, but NOW is not the time to start arguing.

We need a united government.

The Tories will be pleased.
If Lisa Nanny had become leader- an intelligent northern woman - many of the northern voters who voted Tory in the last election would have reverted to voting Labour..
I would suggest that however good Keir Starmer may be ,many northern Labour voters are tired of having yet another London based leader.

The first crisis that Kier Starmer could face may well be in finances of the Labour Party. A large section of the Parties income is derived from trade union members being willing to pay the political levy over and above their normal trade union subscription.

Under legislation brought in by this government, trade union members have to sign a fresh document every four years agreeing to pay that political levy.

In 2016 the unions through their lay activists made a huge effort among the members to secure that funding for the Labour party with the Unite Union obtaining agreement from eighty five percent of its membership to continue the payment. The GMB secured more than fifty percent with other unions obtaining similar.

I believe that the process has to be carried out once again this year and while Corbyn was a leader of the Labour Party those trade unions and their activists were sure that at the top of the Labour Party there was a person who was "on their side".

However, with many believing within those trade union ranks that Corbyn was completely undermined by many on the right of the Parliamentary Party, it may well be that such an effort to secure the political levy once again will not be forthcoming from the trade unions and their activists.

Starmer I feel has to "bring back on board" those trade unions and especially the activists within them very quickly as a first task.

Please, please don't use these threads to be nasty to each other - especially just now! We should be grateful that we live in a democracy ( more or less) and all have the right to vote. The majority of people ( sadly there are exceptions), want a safe, prosperous, healthy, fair society and think that the party/individuals they vote for in local or national elections have the best chance of achieving that.
Over the years, I have voted for at least three different parties, never being sure which was best until about 12 years ago I came to the firm conclusion that, for Scotland, independence was the way forward and hence joined the SNP.
I have realised I am definitely fairly far to the left but hope I would listen with respect to other views from any friends, family members or acquaintances. I certainly don't feel that labour have been effective in opposition in recent times and hope that KS may change that ( along with SNP who have tried to be an effective opposition but without sufficient numbers in Westminster to do this alone). Even if I voted Tory, I would welcome an effective opposition as that is democracy in action. I've just seen that there are posts on FB calling into question KS's role in the lack of investigation into early complaints against Saville, but I doubt KS was actively involved in any cover-up.

elaine Starmer was the DPP and as the head of the organisation, apologised as he should have done for the CPS “s failings.
It was not a cover up, more a cock up.

He was of course not personally responsible