A year of Starmer What do you think?

Haven't noticed

He can be as useless as he likes for another couple of year but will have to pull out all the stops nearer the election - people have short memories.

I think it's not worth commenting on this potential slagfest.

Agreed MaizieD

Yes fair point Maizie.

Jonathan Cook lives in Nazareth and writes some interesting stories on the Israeli Palestine conflict. I’m not sure what his grasp of current UK politics is, so I’ll give it a miss, thanks.

Gosh you’ve gone all shy ladies...?

It may not be a slagfest some people may have something good to say about him, maybe

Blossoming

Jonathan Cook lives in Nazareth and writes some interesting stories on the Israeli Palestine conflict. I’m not sure what his grasp of current UK politics is, so I’ll give it a miss, thanks.

I’m not sure that’s quite fair - not living here can give a better perspective sometimes. But re OP, I always remember the ‘a week is a long time in politics’. Given the year we’ve had, we all need a bit of distance before we can make a meaningful judgement imo.

I want him to run as far away from identity politics as he possibly can. I think he has so much ground to claw back that its beyond description. I dont think he will be PM but I think there is a chance that he will make labour electable. It terrifies me that the voice of the labour party that many people see, on Twitter, as the go to pundit on Jeremy Vine etc is Owen bloody Jones.

I wonder if comments would have been so restrained if the OP had asked "Boris Johnson Premiership - what do you think"

Be interesting to discuss the difficulties facing Starmer as new Leader in this pandemic. But this isn’t the thread for that.

Beckett

I wonder if comments would have been so restrained if the OP had asked "Boris Johnson Premiership - what do you think"

I'd have joined in with gusto. But then, Johnson is a thoroughly corrupt, mendacious and self seeking individual. Starmer isn't.

Keir who? Can’t say I’ve noticed.
Lisa Nandy has made more of an impression and she’s no great shakes.

Yes, we could do a lot with "Boris Johnson Premiership - what do you think" He is the gift that keeps on giving and not in a good way. Perhaps we should get it in now before even more of our democracy disappears and we are all on someone's "little list".

Polly Toynbee has written a piece in support of Keir Starmer in today's Guardian. I am sorry I don't know how to do a link.

Having read the article given in the OP, I do agree with this part

"Starmer is recrafting Labour not as a real opposition to the Conservative party’s increasingly extreme, crony capitalism, but as a responsible, more moderate alternative to it. He is offering voters a Labour party that feels more like the Tory party of old, which prioritised tradition, patriotism and family values. "

I think he sees this as a winning strategy, and he may well be right in thinking that. but what he wants to do if he does win, I am not sure.

I think he is an honourable man, and that is not meant to be ironic.

WHO ?.

www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2021/apr/06/sleeze-tory-governments-gift-keir-starmer-labour

Is this it Ilovecheese?

It’s not easy to be the opposition in the current situation. Starmer said at the start that he would try to cooperate for the good of the country, but this may be to the detriment of how he is seen as a potential PM.

silverlining48

It’s not easy to be the opposition in the current situation. Starmer said at the start that he would try to cooperate for the good of the country, but this may be to the detriment of how he is seen as a potential PM.

I think this is a very fair comment and really expresses better than I did why I feel I can’t really contribute a definitive view on him. It is also early days as well. I remember a quote from ages ago ( no idea who) that oppositions don’t win elections, governments lose them. I think there’s some truth in that.

Yes possibly suzie. But if you look at America, and I know we are very different, Biden won the last election, I think another type of Democrat would have lost it.

PippaZ yes, that's the one, thanks.