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Is Starmer finally getting his team together to fight back?

(196 Posts)
PippaZ Thu 09-Sept-21 11:03:43

Yesterday Keir Starmer was his usual self, knowledgable, patient with childlike behaviour, and cutting to the truth.

But I found Rachel Reeves (Shadow Chancellor), came up with all I could want and I wasn't the only one to notice. Paul Waugh, in his Huffpost email, was full of praise for the double act.

Starmer made all the right points. He cannily picked up on the fact that Johnson’s new plan would not only breach his manifesto pledges on tax, but it would also even breach his manifesto pledge on social care.

He did comment that it lacked drama. Something I think many of us have been hoping for and not seen. But then came Rachel Reeves. After a lack-lustre performance from Jesse Norman who tried to convince the Tory MPs that black is white and that this was very much a Tory policy in she stepped.

She used the soundbites Johnson et all are so well known for. When talking about the NHS and care workers she shouted over the Tories “last year the public clapped them, this year the Tories taxed them”. My heart began to lift a little.

Shouting successfully over the Tory pantomime she called out “this unfair, job taxing, manifesto-shredding, tax bombshell”. This sounded like politics, sometimes condemned, but in this instance getting over what many have seen to be the case.

She even did a "Johnson" and had the Labour MPs yelling ‘No!’ after a string of questions on the government's plan’s flaws, one of which had been handed to her by Sajid Javid’s blustering meets with the media: “Will it clear the NHS backlog this parliament? No! called back the opposition "And the health secretary says no.” she carefully added.

Great though it was to see the heart back in the LP she also filled out a little of what Starmer had hinted at re the Labour Party Plans. Starmer's agreement with ex-Chancellor Osbourne's "those with the broadest shoulders" widened out to "those who get their income from financial assets, stocks and shares, sales of property, pension income, annuity income, interest income, property rental income, inheritance income". As Paul Waugh noted, this list may be long enough to raise the money needed and do away with this iniquitous levy.

Those who are left or left-leaning please watch this speech. It may be a landmark; at the very least it will raise your spirits I think.

www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m000zkst/house-of-commons-08092021 - 08/09/2021 at about 1:15:10 in.

GrannyGravy13 Sun 26-Sept-21 10:57:20

Riverwalk

I didn't watch Andrew Marr - was Starmer asked about Rosie Duffield who had to stay away from the conference for her own safety?

Yes he was, not very forthcoming.

Anniebach Sun 26-Sept-21 10:50:14

The Labour Party. Born 1900 , died 2015.

Riverwalk Sun 26-Sept-21 10:38:21

I didn't watch Andrew Marr - was Starmer asked about Rosie Duffield who had to stay away from the conference for her own safety?

Galaxy Sun 26-Sept-21 10:29:48

And what good does that do Grany. Does it help the most vulnerable in our society. Or does it give you a little thrill and a chance to use some emojis. As long as it boost your sense of being righteous that's what is important.

Grany Sun 26-Sept-21 10:23:16

David Evans (acting General Secretary): " Everybody remembers why they joined Labour. What was it for you?". People in the conference shout JEREMY CORBYN. #Lab21 grin grin

Grany Fri 24-Sept-21 16:58:16

If you’re like most people in this country, you believe in public services for people not profit - from water to the railway, from council services to our NHS.

But yesterday, ahead of Labour Party conference, Keir Starmer released an essay with his vision for the country – which didn’t include any mention of public ownership.

So Cat, our director, has written to him to ask why not, and to offer five reasons why Labour must keep supporting public services for people not profit.

Please share this letter to show Keir Starmer that public ownership is supported by millions of people like you.

After 40 years of the failures of privatisation, people are sick of it. That’s why Boris Johnson has been talking about ‘Great British Railways’ and ‘taking back control of the NHS’ (even while he continues with privatisation of our railway and NHS).

Right now, Labour still has good public ownership policies, and Ed Miliband recently confirmed these on Newsnight. But Starmer staying quiet about them is a bad sign.

This moment presents a real opportunity for the Labour party to put forward an alternative vision for our country, where everyone has access to high quality public services run for communities, not shareholders. Public ownership is popular, and Keir Starmer has the platform to make it front and centre of the national conversation, challenging the government on the failures of privatisation at every turn.

If you and everyone else on this list shares Cat’s letter, Keir Starmer won’t be able to ignore it.

We Own It is independent of any political party and we encourage all politicians to understand the benefits of public ownership.

Public ownership is popular, can help tackle key challenges, it saves money, can give people more control and it’s a common sense policy.

Public ownership isn’t just about some ideological battle. It’s about whether all of us can have access to a strong NHS, a decent public transport system, clean rivers and affordable energy.

There’s a lot to lose – and a lot we could gain if we all demand that public services work for people not profit.

Please share the letter to show YOUR support.

Thank you so much, and have a lovely weekend!

Cat, Alice, Johnbosco, Matthew, Zana and Anna - the We Own It team

Grany Thu 23-Sept-21 21:30:14

Thank you for the link trisher well said Ken Loach.

MayBee70 Thu 23-Sept-21 17:49:40

Why would anyone want a PM like Keir Starmer. Let’s just continue to slag him off so we can carry on having leaders like Johnson who, when speaking on the world stage, makes references to Kermit the frog and tells people to ‘grow up’.

trisher Thu 23-Sept-21 12:01:15

Here's Ken Loach talking about Starmer and the Labour Party
www.doubledown.news/watch/2021/september/22/ken-loach-absolutely-destroys-keir-starmer-labour-conference?fbclid=IwAR0qgCAb9GGRPSXIhJnym1BDfSlpTWPuCcHA48eHOxfP-eAYmW1n9HclXXM

trisher Wed 22-Sept-21 19:30:29

I was wondering where Starmer was and why he hadn't commented about the fuel crisis. Well now I know he was busy killing the Labour Party and democracy.

Grany Wed 22-Sept-21 19:11:11

Chair of young Labour Jess Bernard received email at 1am in the morning from labour to say she was being investigated causing mental stress, after explaining setting the record straight in tweets Jess was told sorry this email was sent in error

Another member was threatened with suspension and told you can contact Samaritans She contacted her lawyer and then received another email which said sorry first email was sent in error.

How many more party members being threatened with suspensions and don't have the means to get lawyers to help them?

Labour conference: as party leaders fight to destroy democracy, isn’t it time for a ‘no confidence’ vote?
The Labour leader – who got himself elected under false pretences and ditched all his election pledges after his win – is working hard to undermine democracy in his own party: he’s having delegates to the conference suspended en masse to prevent them voting to remove his unelected right-wing general secretary, David Evans.

Left-wing NEC member Mish Rahman has raised the issue on Twitter:
I have recieved a number of emails from CLP delegates to conference who have recieved suspension of membership notices today.

Reasons for suspension will follow a week later – prob after conference.
They have incurred travel costs and accommodation to add to poor mental state

— Mish Rahman (@mish_rahman) September 21, 2021

This is transparent, surely? Starmer is having delegates suspended purely so they won’t be able to vote to have Evans removed. They aren’t being given reasons for the suspension – and isn’t that itself a breach of party rules? – because there are no reasons.

That is not the act of the leader of a democratic socialist party. It is the blind savagery of a dictator.

The revelation follows the announcement that Starmer wants to roll back democracy in party leadership elections in order to save his own neck from legitimate challenges.

Should be a vote of no confidence.

The conference won't be about policy vision it will be about internal bureaucracy.

MaizieD Fri 17-Sept-21 13:45:47

Casdon

I understood the motion was only supported by 11 constituency parties?

Labour List says 21.

We don't know if any other CLPs have put forward a similar motion but without the additions, do we?

Casdon Fri 17-Sept-21 12:52:09

I understood the motion was only supported by 11 constituency parties?

PippaZ Fri 17-Sept-21 12:41:41

trisher

In August Keir Starmer urged the government to support a Green New Deal www.bigissue.com/news/environment/starmer-calls-for-green-new-deal-as-green-jobs-plummet-by-75000/
News is just emerging that he doesn't want this discussed at conference www.independent.co.uk/climate-change/labour-conference-green-climate-change-b1921617.html

If you can change your mind in a month, renege on promises you made when elected leader are you really fit to lead anything? What does Starmer stand for???

The Conferenc is a political moment when all and sundry will be out to denegrate what is said. Just as Johnson does he may have decided to keep his powder dry for the moment. That doesn't mean he isn't behind it. I hope he is.

However, he really doesn't seem inclined to say one thing and then do the complete opposite. He seems to tend to say nothing if necessary. This has to be better than the examples we have of the politicians currently in power.

trisher Fri 17-Sept-21 12:27:02

But does that mean that you shouldn't debate it MaizieD? -particularly when one of the pledges you made when you were elected leader was to support the New Green Deal? Surely if you feel there are issues that you want dropped but you support the basic premise of the motion you allow the motion to be debated but present your own amendments. Denying it debate time indicates that you don't regard it as important.

MaizieD Fri 17-Sept-21 12:19:40

trisher

In August Keir Starmer urged the government to support a Green New Deal www.bigissue.com/news/environment/starmer-calls-for-green-new-deal-as-green-jobs-plummet-by-75000/
News is just emerging that he doesn't want this discussed at conference www.independent.co.uk/climate-change/labour-conference-green-climate-change-b1921617.html

If you can change your mind in a month, renege on promises you made when elected leader are you really fit to lead anything? What does Starmer stand for???

The way I've seen it reported, trisher is that the rejected motion called for free social care and free broadband as well. Too any issues in one motion. Critics say they tried to stuff the 2019 manifesto into a single motion. (from the Labour List daily email.) And that the decision is being appealed.

trisher Fri 17-Sept-21 11:46:21

In August Keir Starmer urged the government to support a Green New Deal www.bigissue.com/news/environment/starmer-calls-for-green-new-deal-as-green-jobs-plummet-by-75000/
News is just emerging that he doesn't want this discussed at conference www.independent.co.uk/climate-change/labour-conference-green-climate-change-b1921617.html

If you can change your mind in a month, renege on promises you made when elected leader are you really fit to lead anything? What does Starmer stand for???

Ilovecheese Thu 16-Sept-21 15:16:17

*MayBee70" yes, unbelievable that our "health secretary" said something so ridiculous and unscientific.

Ilovecheese Thu 16-Sept-21 15:14:59

I have just read that Ed Milliband said on Newsnight that the Labour party is still committed to common ownership of energy, water and transport. He also said that Keir Starmer was also in favour.
I do hope that this is true.

He said "“Because in particular, in relation to natural monopolies, if we’re going to make this green transition, then public ownership is the right way to go." which I think was a very sensible point.

MayBee70 Wed 15-Sept-21 14:23:22

I think Starmer was brilliant at PMQT today. Yet again Labour wore masks and most Conservatives didn’t. Then again the health minister said on tv today that it was ok to not wear masks in crowded indoor places if you were with people you knew; you only had to be careful in a room full of strangers! I actually felt myself wishing we still had Hancock. Which follows on from the ongoing retrospective view I have of the government which has me looking back longingly to a time when Theresa May was PM. It happens a lot these days. Heaven forbid that, in a year or so’s time I might be wishing Gavin Williamson was still education Secretary. If that happens then we are well and truly doomed….shock

MaizieD Tue 14-Sept-21 22:15:30

growstuff

PS. I've never been called an upper class twit before! grin

Some brain wobbling is in order.

Have you only just seen that, growstuff? hmm

G56 has never been back to justify it...

growstuff Tue 14-Sept-21 21:04:39

PS. I've never been called an upper class twit before! grin

Some brain wobbling is in order.

growstuff Tue 14-Sept-21 21:03:05

Gabrielle56

growstuff

By the way, what objection do you have to any politician saying that his/her government won't let people linger on benefits? I don't think many people believe that people should be able to opt out of work and receive state funding for doing nothing.

Do you really cling to that old load of junk?! The teeniest of percentage of folks on benefits actually "choose'" to live in abject poverty , don't be so naive, you sound like some upperclass twit jealous that you have to get up every day when someone else actually gets help to survive when they CANNOT get a decent job that pays enough to actually live on! You can tell you've never had to fight for anything, really fight?! Being on benefits is a soul destroying misery, existence not life, no present,no future, no hope. Im suprised more don't contemplate suicide. I suppose youreoneof those who think that only earners in excess of £40k/annum should be allowed to breed too? Get with the program

What on earth are you on about?

You really don't have a clue about me and my circumstances. hmm

If you really knew much about the genuinely poor, you'd know that they despise shirkers and cheats as much as anybody else and want a government to be tough on them.

growstuff Tue 14-Sept-21 20:55:36

Dinahmo

Ilovecheese

I think it is rather sad that Boris Johnson has lost approval ratings because he is giving money to the NHS, not because of his lies or his incompetence.

It's not that he's giving money to the NHS it's the people that it's being taken from.

He's not giving money to the NHS anyway. The frontline NHS has been starved of funding for years. Too much money has been siphoned off for reorganisations, which have benefited private providers, who have made a profit.

Grany Tue 14-Sept-21 20:49:25

Starmer Spotting. ? Video
m.facebook.com/hashtag/justsaying