Keir Starmer's definition of working class

Curtaintwitcher

In Starmer's view, working class people don't wear ties, have their sleeves rolled up, and drink tea out of big white mugs! Haven't you noticed that this is how he behaves when he brings himself down to their level?

That hadn’t struck me, but you’re right!

I did read the thread GSM but I think getting hung up on definitions - working class or working people - is a real diversion from the failings of the Tory government.

In Starmer's view, working class people don't wear ties, have their sleeves rolled up, and drink tea out of big white mugs! Haven't you noticed that this is how he behaves when he brings himself down to their level?

V3ra

^I can remember feeling down the side of the sofa hoping to find some money that had got lost there.^

I once went upstairs to borrow some money from my son's piggy bank to pay the milkman, who was at the door.
All I found was the IOU I'd put in there the previous week! 😕

Crikey, yes, me too! I’d forgotten that. Except it was my son that found it, not me!

I can remember feeling down the side of the sofa hoping to find some money that had got lost there.

I once went upstairs to borrow some money from my son's piggy bank to pay the milkman, who was at the door.
All I found was the IOU I'd put in there the previous week! 😕

Dinahmo

I can remember when it was recommended that one had an amount in savings - just in case. I forget the amount - whether it was a month's salary in hand, or 6 months.

I managed to pay the necessary bills on time but never had any surplus money for that rainy day. This was back in the 60s early 70s. Once we bought our house, late 70's, all our money went on paying the mortgage and renovation costs - so again no surplus.

It was only once we "retired" to France (and I continued to work) with no mortgage that I started to save, and still do, for that "rainy day" which will probably be when I finally stop work.

I can remember feeling down the side of the sofa hoping to find some money that had got lost there. My husband was a graduate engineer but we still struggled financially when the children were born ( this was on top of never knowing each month if he would be out of work; this was during the Tebbit on your bike period…)

Well said Chardy.

Allsorts

What’s the matter with working class?. Isn’t it those that keep this country and economy going. The shop workers, the bus drivers, the van drivers who delivered shopping all through Covid when teachers wouldn't work, the doctors surgeries were closed. Are working class to menial to bother about?

Apologies if I'm diverting the thread but I cannot let 'when teachers wouldn't work' pass uncorrected.

Teachers were given notice on the Friday that they would be working through Zoom on the Monday. They not only had to modify resources and teaching styles accordingly, but had to plan extra lessons for when they were teaching pupils in their classroom, sons & daughters of key workers, and planning lessons for those pupils who were unable to access lessons through Zoom. My final point is that many were teaching/supervising key workers' children through the 3 holidays until schools were open to all again.

That doesn't sound like 'wouldn't work' to me. I was retired by then, so I have no personal axe to grind, but sometimes I find that when it comes to school, some on social media (and I don't just mean here) and in the media, haven't got a clue about teaching.

I can remember when it was recommended that one had an amount in savings - just in case. I forget the amount - whether it was a month's salary in hand, or 6 months.

I managed to pay the necessary bills on time but never had any surplus money for that rainy day. This was back in the 60s early 70s. Once we bought our house, late 70's, all our money went on paying the mortgage and renovation costs - so again no surplus.

It was only once we "retired" to France (and I continued to work) with no mortgage that I started to save, and still do, for that "rainy day" which will probably be when I finally stop work.

Pippa000

Kier Starmers father owned the tool making factory.

He rented a workshop on an industrial estate and was a self-employed tradesman.

Not quite the same as owning a factory.

Germanshepherdsmum

I think we hear less of that - albeit that it is relevant to his understanding the NHS - than Lizzie. Starmer talks about his father being a toolmaker, his mother, sister and wife working for the NHS, his mother being ill, etc ad nauseam -he is trying to pretend that he is an ordinary person. He isn’t. He attended a school which became a public school and he took two degrees - the second at Oxford. He became a barrister - a profession available only to the privileged. He pretends to be a person of the people but is anything but.

Noticeably, on all the leaflets that have arrived through our door about this election, every single candidate Green, Labour, Conservative and LibDem claims to be a child from a less well off family. I’ve never seen so many details about a candidate’s childhood on election leaflets.
That’s evidently the in thing this time round.

Yes, we he worked for himself, and had his son work with him.

Thats pretty normal.

Pippa000

Kier Starmers father owned the tool making factory.

And was, I believe, the only employee.

LizzieDrip

Yes DiamondLily I’m sick of all the point scoring too. It’s pathetic!

I wouldn’t worry, no points are actually being scored here. It’s the same old, same old.

Kier Starmers father owned the tool making factory.

Of course you are.

Yes DiamondLily I’m sick of all the point scoring too. It’s pathetic!

I think we hear less of that - albeit that it is relevant to his understanding the NHS - than Lizzie. Starmer talks about his father being a toolmaker, his mother, sister and wife working for the NHS, his mother being ill, etc ad nauseam -he is trying to pretend that he is an ordinary person. He isn’t. He attended a school which became a public school and he took two degrees - the second at Oxford. He became a barrister - a profession available only to the privileged. He pretends to be a person of the people but is anything but.

I just wish this election was tomorrow. I’m bored with the constant point scoring and false promises coming from all of the parties.🙄

Quite, MayBee70. I might start a thread called ‘Keir Starmer is wonderful ner ner ner ner ner to you’ to redress the balance. Seriously, it’s like being in the playground

Agreed Casdon.

I’m sick to death of hearing that Sunak’s father was a GP and his mother was a pharmacist and they worked very hard to send him to private school - but I don’t feel a childish need to ridicule it at every opportunity.

I would also give a reference if I could recall where I read it.

Maybee70 quite frankly I do not want any of them - except possibly Binman, but I am in the wrong constituency. The depth of my cynical disgust for all of our current generation of politicians of all parties is bottomless.

Working class, working people, in the context in which it was used they were more or less synonyms.

Germanshepherdsmum

If I hadn’t read it I wouldn’t repeat it.

If I’d read an article which I thought had something important to say, I’d reference it so other people could read it too and make their own minds up. I know I’m a pain in that respect, but I like fact rather than second hand information. Please reference it, so we can all read it.

If I hadn’t read it I wouldn’t repeat it.

Germanshepherdsmum

I can only tell you what I have read here and elsewhere about the NHS’s view of a Labour government. I haven’t researched it and don’t intend to.

Oh so it’s wishful thinking then😄😄.

That’s fine. I indulge in it a lot myself!