Starmer's speech to the virtual LP conference

I have to say that if I lived in a marginal tory constituency I would vote for whichever of Labour or LibDem had the best chance of winning the seat from the tories.

But I've never been in a constituency where my vote seemed to count that much..

Starmer is a huge improvement on Corbyn, but no matter how much he impressed me, I would be mad to vote for him in this constituency.

I live in a Tory/LibDem marginal. Currently we have an abominable ERG Tory MP, who is not a patch on our previous LibDem MP, who served us well for eighteen years.

We are still lucky enough to have a LibDem Council with a sizeable majority over the Tory opposition. There are also a small number of Independent Councillors but NO Labout Councillors.

The Labour Party is virtually non-existant here. If, because Keir Starmer came over as a better leader of the Labour Party, some of those who oppose the Tories were tempted to vote Labour, what would be the result?

It would mean taking votes from the LibDems so that a right-wing Tory would be more likely to be re-elected, making it more difficult to achieve a Labour Government.

I thought it was a brilliant speech. I have never thought Starmer would be PM, I thought there was too much ground to make up and that his job was to gain back that lost ground in preparation for whoever took over, but that was the speech of a pm in waiting. The pieces about Britain were particularly inspired, the left can only win if they are seen as the party of hope and ambition for Britain. I thought he tackled the issues of antisemitism well, I thought there was a clear distancing and condemnation.

I agree WWMk2 - he really hasn’t had a hard act to follow in the Labour Party.

Boris is getting so many things wrong (at the moment) Sir Keir only needs to keep getting the message out to the floating voters over the next few years and he’ll win.

MaizieD

I wasn't intending to damn with faint praise, Pantglas. I thought it was a good speech.

Ilovecheese expresses very much how I felt about LP policies at the last GE. (And about being labelled a 'Corbynista; that was just silly) I thought they were about making our society fairer and more equal. I don't think that the party has ever aspired to anything less.

I've been very vexed by the anti-semitism question because it doesn't fit with what I've seen of the LP over the course of many years. I'm still not sure. I hope that when the EHRC finally reports it brings some clarity to the issue.

I like Starmer. I think he's decent, he believes in what he is saying and he is competent. I hope he manages to sort out the party.

That’s how I feel.

I have been impressed with Starmer, in all sorts of ways.

He is solid and inspires confidence that he will do his best.

I like the way he never gets flustered or put off his point when being questioned or at PMQs and the nonsense Johnson tries to throw at him.

I like his honesty and trustworthiness.

I think his qualities will gradually win people over.

I wasn't intending to damn with faint praise, Pantglas. I thought it was a good speech.

Ilovecheese expresses very much how I felt about LP policies at the last GE. (And about being labelled a 'Corbynista; that was just silly) I thought they were about making our society fairer and more equal. I don't think that the party has ever aspired to anything less.

I've been very vexed by the anti-semitism question because it doesn't fit with what I've seen of the LP over the course of many years. I'm still not sure. I hope that when the EHRC finally reports it brings some clarity to the issue.

I like Starmer. I think he's decent, he believes in what he is saying and he is competent. I hope he manages to sort out the party.

He does speak well, inspires confidence and can reassure us that he is a “safe pair of hands”
He would have wiped the floor with Johnson if the Labour Party had got their act together before the GE.

I supported many of the official policies of the LP at the last election. It was what was going on in the underbelly that I couldn't countenance. I

Like now I thought Jeremy Corbyn wouldn't last if Labour won. He would have been ousted almost immediately by the far left of the party.

I could be wrong. But that was how I saw it. And many others apparently.

Trust us very hard to regain, once lost.

If I take on board that his thread is not the place to air any criticism of the current Conservative Government, can I perhaps make a plea on behalf of myself and perhaps others who supported the policies of Jeremy Corbyn and his front bench. I truly wanted fairer society and did not think that made me "hard left".

I am not anti semitic and if I gave my real name you might understand how I am able to state this with confidence.

I was not what has been called "a Corbynista" I just thought the policies would help our society more equal, which would be a good thing for us all.

I have not quite made my mind up about Keir Starmer although I did vote for him in the leadership election. i am about to listen to his speech now on Utube, which I hope will help me make up my mind.

I suppose anything would be better than what we have at present. How on we carry on making such a mess of everything ie Covidwise when other European countries seem to do things a lot better. Germany, Sweden?

Illte

It is a good speech. I don't doubt he means it. He comes over well.

But it hasn't won me back yet.

I'm not convinced he's got control of the Labour Party. The antisemitism was a major issue for me.

I still think if the LP won an election he'd be put on his ear and the antisemitic group back in control.

I wish your post had focused on the positive things he wanted WWM2. The endless government bashing has just become tedious and puts me off rather than bringing me back. I can see what's going wrong for myself. I want to know how it can be put right.

I didn't - have never- voted Tory. But the last election left me and my family with nobody to vote for.

We're the ones you've got to convince.

Yes I take your point. It was crass.

Agree with Illte why on this thread about the Labour Leader’s speech do we need to read the faults of this government, we know.

I don’t think the hard left are going to slip away, they have controlled the party for ten years, and the last 5 years !

I'm very hopeful. I always liked him. Fingers crossed he can take the party with him.

You’re damning him with faint praise MaizieD!

I thought it was a brilliant speech setting out his stall whilst acknowledging what was wrong at the Election. I’m another floater ? and welcome this.

It is a good speech. I don't doubt he means it. He comes over well.

But it hasn't won me back yet.

I'm not convinced he's got control of the Labour Party. The antisemitism was a major issue for me.

I still think if the LP won an election he'd be put on his ear and the antisemitic group back in control.

I wish your post had focused on the positive things he wanted WWM2. The endless government bashing has just become tedious and puts me off rather than bringing me back. I can see what's going wrong for myself. I want to know how it can be put right.

I didn't - have never- voted Tory. But the last election left me and my family with nobody to vote for.

We're the ones you've got to convince.

Just read it

“This government’s incompetence is holding Britain back. They couldn’t get kids back into school in June. They couldn’t work out a fair system to get exams marked. They couldn’t get protective equipment to care workers and they wasted millions of your money in the process.

Their failure to protect care homes is a national scandal. They still can’t organise a testing regime that’s even serviceable, let alone world-beating.

The reason this incompetence angers me is that I think of the sacrifices people have made.

I think of the dedication of all those who have worked so hard to keep us safe. The families that had to stay apart. The grandparents unable to hold grandchildren for the first time. Partners denied the chance to be present at scans and births”