At last a fully functioning opposition

I love the way at the press thingy they have spent half an hour explaining why we should take any notice of the figures they have been using for the past 6 weeks.

Starmer really hit home didn't he?!

A brilliant new Labour leader and makes Johnson look like the bumbler that’s he Starmer is articulate, calm, and asks the right questions

Whitewavemark2, in regard to your above post, I have nothing against Kier Starmer, but I speak as I find and from what the evidence gives credence to in my view. ?

You don’t like Starmer do you grandad????

I see that as Iam64 or no other forum member has replied to my question in regard to being able to suggest a credible reason why those accused of misdeeds in the leaked antisemitism report have not been suspended from their employment.

Therfore perhaps it can be taken that Starmer needs those employees to run the Central Office shredders ten hours a day to destroy documents and wipe the IT system of all corroborating evidence that the inquiry may require.

The above question I posed in my post @21:30 yesterday as should anyone refer to various trade union and other political websites they will witness the growing condemnation of Starmer in regard to allowing those cited for misdeeds to remain working in their posts.

So while the Labour Party heads towards even more controversy and bankruptcy Starmer waffles away in PMQs again covering too many issues which today allowed the Prime Minister to escape untouched on the most serious issue of Covid-19 within care homes.

To repeat what one Unite Union member was asking on a branch WhatsApp activist group in the last hour "what has happened to the great orators that once the Labour Party was so famous for".

In the above, Nye Bevan, Ernist Bevin, Jack Jones, Hugh Scallen and even Tony Blair are the great Labour movement orators from the past that spring to my mind, with Jennie Formby being one from the present. However, now in this era, the Parliamentary Labour Party does not seem to possess any MPs that can orate in a way that really pushes a point home.

I am a bit confused about the number of tests we are aiming for now (and failing to achieve). Is it 100000 or 200000 or 250000?

It would be easier to remember 350 million a week. They just as well use that figure as it is seared into everyone’s brain who supports the NHS and we know where we are with that- a lie.

I like Keir Starmer. He’s a bit boring (some call it forensic) but he’s making a good start.

Those inside Labour have been impressed with the speed and ease that he has managed to transform the party since his election on April 4.

One dubbed him “No Drama Starmer” for managing to keep his hands clean during the takeover.

His front bench has certainly brought notable Labour moderates back into the fold!

Out went his predecessor's allies such as Ian Lavery, Richard Burgon, Shami Chakrabarti and Dawn Butler.

His picks appeared to be from the Brownite soft left mould – with Ed Miliband returning to the front line as shadow business secretary, David Lammy replacing Mr Burgon at justice, Anneliese Dodds as the new shadow chancellor, and Nick Thomas Symonds as shadow home secretary.

And it’s fair to say his approach is a significant change in style from Jeremy Corbyn! That can only appeal to the electorate.

Rather than launching a wholesale attack on the Government for its coronavirus response, KS has suggested ways in which its packages and policy could be improved.

Johnson is going to have to considerably up his game at future PMQs. Starmer took him apart today without even raising a sweat!

Iam64 in regard to your post @19:45 today, you seem to disregard those who are stating that Kier Starmer's handling of the leaked antisemitism report crisis that is threatening to overwhelm the Parliamentary Labour Party (PLP) is flawed by way of his refusal to suspend Labour Employees and others cited for misdeeds in that report.

As you appear to feel that Starmer's performance as Party Leader has been excellent up to this point in time, perhaps you can suggest why you think it is acceptable that those named in the report should not be suspended from their employment or other positions they may hold within the PLP.

In the above, the practice of suspension pending investigation is one that is carried out and accepted very widely in British industry and commerce and indeed was introduced into legislation by a Labour government by way of the "Fairness at Work Act 1998.

That Act was further strengthened and then encompassed into the Equality Act 2010. So, Iam64, can you enlighten me as to why a practice so accepted elsewhere and legislated for should not apply to employees and other officials within the Labour Party Central Office?

My own opinion would be that Starmer is already demonstrating his desire to protect the right wing of the PLP despite his assertion that he wishes to see an end to factionalism within the party.

However, I am willing to change my opinion in the above should you Iam64 or any other forum member be able to suggest a credible reason why those accused of misdeeds in the leaked report have not been suspended from their employment or any other activities they pursue within the PLP?

Well, I'm not telling anyone they must get behind Starmer.

I find it quite amusing that those who were so antagonistic towards Corbyn are now telling us that we must get behind Starmer. Really! Must we. Perhaps when he actually gives some indication of what he really stands for I can decide, but his past record doesn't inspire me.

Grandad, not supporting Corbyn as leader does not mean supporting 'whatever occurred in removing him from office, the end justified the means". One doesn't equate to the other. I've seen no one defending the indefensible. There have been comments suggesting we await the outcome of the investigation. Then,there are those who believe any investigation under Starmer's watch is flawed.
Ground HogDay

Whitewavemark2
I will have a go at saying what I would like to see after the investigation.
First of all I would like to be satisfied that the people who worked with the aim of preventing a Labour Govt. have been expelled from the party at the very least.

I would like to know exactly what sort of future policies that Keir Starmer would support, what he would like to keep from the previous manifesto and what he wants to drop. From that I could get an idea of his values and ideals. of which I have no clue at the moment.

If policy is usually discussed at conference I would like to know how this will be resolved as it looks like there will be no possibility of holding a conference for some considerable time.
Will Keir Starmer make every effort possible to include the views of the membership and the unions, or will policy be decided by a small group of M.P.s ?

I am working from home at present and being very busy today I apologize for not being part of this debate especially as it is not part of the never-ending Covid-19 situation which I have found to be a pleasant change.

However, it would seem that being the alleged misdeeds occurred mainly within the Parliamentary Labour Party central office then Kier Starmer as Parliamentary leader does have absolute power in regard to the suspension of employees while the investigation is in progress. However, in not having those cited of misdeeds in the report suspended at this point in time, the credibility of the investigation is now being questioned.

In regard to what action should be forthcoming should the cited misdeeds in the report be upheld by the investigation? Then where legislation is found to have been breached then those files I feel could, and should, be handed over to the police or directly to the crown prosecution service.

Where no breach of legislation has occurred but an infringement of Labour Party rules or contract of employment conditions are proven then that can be dealt with by way of normal disciplinary action being taken against those involved.

To those who state that Corbyn was not popular with the electorate therefore whatever occurred in removing him from office the end justified the means. To that, I will state the same reasoning has been used throughout time by dictators and despots all over the world.

No end can ever be justified by lies, fraud and improper use of power especially in regard to a political party that purports ambition to one day govern Britain.

The above stated, the real test for Starmer will come later this year or more probably next. That will be without doubt I feel the Labour Party at that time will be facing bankruptcy due to all that has taken place in the past five years and now has been brought to light. The parliamentary Labour Party will at that time have to look to it's traditional funding suppliers if it is to survive that situation.

Does anybody genuinely believe that the trade unions will feel they wish to come forward with what may well amount to the millions of pounds required for what appears to be an absolute shambles of an organisation which will still have the same seemingly unsolvable factional divisions within it?

Anyway, coffee break over and back to work. ?

lemongrove he may be the most appealing leader, but this leaked report has cast a cloud over the beginning of his leadership and how he deals with it will define him. As for the future, I agree with Grany, I want to see the socialist policies in Jeremy Corbyn’s manifesto taken forward and built upon. If Keir is as popular as some think, maybe he can sell them to the electorate. Although I suspect that he won’t be allowed to do that even if he wants to; the powers that be, MSM, the establishment, call it what you will I believe will slaughter him just as they slaughtered Jeremy Corbyn.

Perhaps the MSM convinced you then Iam64 HaHa ?

Starmer should have said Labour has done the most to tackle antisemitism now there is hardly any Formby put in stringent measures and had success. Then there is the right in the leaked report

No far from it. Whitewavemark2 This BOD the excecutive don't know her name is targeting Labour doesn't like socialism. They don't target conservatives who have more antisemitism as well as islamaphobia and Boris is racist. We don't want interference in politics polices But once you start doing what they want they won't stop interfering. Starmer should have stood his ground there are more than one faction of Jews in U.K. who do support Labour. I don't think the BOD are a credible organisation that's my opinion.

Whitewave and SirChen - this lock down has me waking every morning remembering that its Ground Hog Day.
Reading this thread reminds me -yes, we're living Ground Hog Day. Nothing anyone can say will convince those who see Corbyn as the best leader the LP ever had, the victim of terrible Right Wingers in his own party and the wicked MSM. Nothing will convince me and a few other contributors to this thread, that Corbyn was anything other than a disaster.

So do you think that Starmer’s 10 pledges are a good start? grany?

I choose socialist policy lemongrove over personality good housing properly funded NHS living wage All good things People can see he is decent honest politician always on the side of the less fortunate

So it's got to be first polices for me.

We want to see decent polices like Corbyn Whitewavemark2 but wether that will happen remains to be seen.

Isn’t there anyone who has anything to say about what they want to see post the investigation?

nightowl......well, yes and no.
There are two things in play here, true, but allow the allegations of fraud etc to be investigated and the results to be known, first of all.Don’t assume ahead of it that Starmer will either do a whitewash or condemn out if hand, he was a lawyer after all, and he will follow legal proceedings to the letter, I would imagine.
The second thing is that he is the most appealing leader, and that could make all the difference to the future voting
public.This fact is of utmost importance.

What I am wondering is this.

Once the investigation is complete and the results known, and anyone found guilty dealt with appropriately.

What then?

And about the new leaders ability, or willingness, to grasp the nettle and deal with the allegations assertively. As grandad says above, I’m afraid he has failed at the first step, by not following standard practice and the law that covers these situations.