Keir Starmer's definition of working class

It’s sad, they think they are amusing

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.

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.

Mt61

Sago

His father was a toolmaker.

Yes he produced a right tool🤣

I really am sick of the juvenile tee hee sniggers about Keirs father being a toolmaker. Not funny. Just pathetic

Germanshepherdsmum

Chocolatelovinggran

Do we have data to support this, GSM?

I don’t know. If you’re interested you are as capable as I am of using Google.

NHS Confederation welcomes a Labour Government.

The Health Foundation welcomes a Labour Government.

The Kings Fund welcomes Labours Plans and hopes it will eventually go further.

The BMA stated that the Labour plans are very promising.

The Nursing times agree with the BMA.

So that is what I can find with google.

gsm give me a clue please🙂

Sago

His father was a toolmaker.

Yes he produced a right tool🤣

Grantanow

I think all this about defining 'working class' is a diversion away from the poor performance of the Tories and the mountain facing a new Labour government.

Wealth creation is a key factor if we want more tax income to pay for the NHS and public services. After Brexit foreign investment into the UK became volatile and fell year on year and it's investment that underpins productivity. Uncertainty for investors was created by the Brexit vote (thank you Farage, Johnson and the loony Right), unfunded tax cuts in 2022 (thank you Truss), SIX different Chancellors of the Exchequer in only 8 years (thank you Tories), raising corporation tax to 25% in 2023 (thank you Tories) and general Tory fighting amongst themselves.

I don't care how Starmer defines 'working class'. I want to see a government with more ability than we have endured for the past 14 years.

If you read the thread you will see that he was defining ‘working people’, not ‘working class’. And his definition is worrying for anyone who can ‘write a cheque if they get into trouble’.

Chocolatelovinggran

Do we have data to support this, GSM?

I don’t know. If you’re interested you are as capable as I am of using Google.

Wyllow3 I think you will find that Victoria Starmer works in Occupational Health not Occupational Therapy as you stated. As such I doubt she has much day to day, week by week contact with patients as I did in my 22 years as an OT in the NHS.

I think all this about defining 'working class' is a diversion away from the poor performance of the Tories and the mountain facing a new Labour government.

Wealth creation is a key factor if we want more tax income to pay for the NHS and public services. After Brexit foreign investment into the UK became volatile and fell year on year and it's investment that underpins productivity. Uncertainty for investors was created by the Brexit vote (thank you Farage, Johnson and the loony Right), unfunded tax cuts in 2022 (thank you Truss), SIX different Chancellors of the Exchequer in only 8 years (thank you Tories), raising corporation tax to 25% in 2023 (thank you Tories) and general Tory fighting amongst themselves.

I don't care how Starmer defines 'working class'. I want to see a government with more ability than we have endured for the past 14 years.

Germanshepherdsmum

He was a barrister, used to thinking on his feet. There is no excuse for him to trot out a definition of ‘working people’ which is not the definition anyone else - even his shadow chancellor - would use. So what is he really intending to do?

But it was not a definition!

It is only the media making it so.

Because they are desperate to pin something- anything on Starmer.

It simply won’t wash I am afraid.

Anniebach

I have read on GN what a wonderful PM Liz Truss will be

😄😄

I have read on GN what a wonderful PM Liz Truss will be

Do we have data to support this, GSM?

I have read that that is so, even on GN.

GSM - what makes you say (13.05) that the NHS doesn't want a Labour government?

He was a barrister, used to thinking on his feet. There is no excuse for him to trot out a definition of ‘working people’ which is not the definition anyone else - even his shadow chancellor - would use. So what is he really intending to do?

MOnica

Which is why - working class or working people - this exampe of muddled aand not properly thought through comments by the man who could be Prime Minister this time next month is so dispiriting.

It was a direct question in an interview, no time to consider replies . You still keep speaking of working class , not spoken of
in the interview

Who cares what any of their father's did. Their father's are not running for the election.

All I am interested in is what the politicians who want to govern our country now are

In the early 1960s I went to a university stuffed to the gunnels with boys who had fathers who worked in factories, on the railways and other skilled and manual jobs. Most of them studying engineering and science. I dated several and married one of them.

There is nothing unusual about children of manual and skilled workers going to university

Allsorts

Easybee, my recollections are correct, as it is about the Universities. Hospitals working flat out, but no surgeries at doctors, still not easy.
I know C wont get in as people want change, theres been so many mistakes, however I do not trust the man who has done a complete circle from a Corbyn champion, yes I know he said he only did it as he thought Corbyn wouldn't get in,,well you couldn't make it up, Raynor the same, she hasn’t changed. Starmer was a drip all the way through Covid, he’s ok now as it’s almost a one horse race. Got to look at his smug face for the foreseeable, never mind I will take some holidays to make up for those I missed,
I have never not wanted to vote, Sunak did it for Johnson, now it’s his turn, what a shower they all are,

Lots of people criticise Raynor for being a “turncoat” her answer “I’m doing what I do for the country and the party, not any one individual” Corbyn had his chance, how many elections did he lose? I like Corbyn, but many clearly didn’t.

Sago

His father was a toolmaker.

Just like Sadiq khan “my father was a bus driver.”😝

Easybee, my recollections are correct, as it is about the Universities. Hospitals working flat out, but no surgeries at doctors, still not easy.
I know C wont get in as people want change, theres been so many mistakes, however I do not trust the man who has done a complete circle from a Corbyn champion, yes I know he said he only did it as he thought Corbyn wouldn't get in,,well you couldn't make it up, Raynor the same, she hasn’t changed. Starmer was a drip all the way through Covid, he’s ok now as it’s almost a one horse race. Got to look at his smug face for the foreseeable, never mind I will take some holidays to make up for those I missed,
I have never not wanted to vote, Sunak did it for Johnson, now it’s his turn, what a shower they all are,

Freya5 The main reason Starmer continues to talk about his background is twofold. 1) if you read other interviews he’s extremely proud of his upbringing and parents, 2) his detractors constantly infer he is out of touch, is “posh”, “wealthy” and a “Sir”. He’s also had a huge amount of “bashing” and awful smears about his time as a lawyer and when DPP. Let’s give him a chance, he’s clearly a centralists and progressive and has no problem with people doing well, so long as it’s not at the expense of those who are vulnerable.

IMO, and many others, he cannot be worse than the current bunch!

MayBee70

Mamie

Just checked the Tom Baldwin biography, Chapter 2 and it describes Rodney Starmer working alone in his factory, based in an old canteen. Before that he worked in other people's factories in South London and Caterham, but wanted to work nearer to home to care for his wife. Keir's mother was not able to work for much of his childhood, she had Still's Disease and became increasingly disabled. The impact on his childhood is very clear in this and other sources.
I realise people may not find this very interesting or relevant, but I do think facts matter.

I think Keir finds it difficult talking about his family, and has found it hard having to talk about them publicly, but realised he had to do it so it really annoys me when people mock him for it. The first time I heard his back story was when he was on Desert Island Discs and I was moved to tears listening to it. I hope when he ( hopefully) becomes PM he can protect his family in the way that I’m sure he wants to do and that his wife can continue working.

I don't think they're mocking him or his father. Just that he keeps repeating the fact of his fathers trade over and over, it's "oh crikey hear we go again.". People do not need reminding , even myself, a non Labour voter, know what his parents did for a living.

There have been a great many Conservative bashing threads. Starmer is not immune, especially when he comes out with something silly like this.