Starmer's stubbornness

‘I first meet Keir Starmer in March, on the platform of Harlow station in Essex. We’re heading to Purford Green Primary School, where the Labour leader will emphasise his desire to unleash a “generation of creativity” in schools. Team Starmer shuttle off the train. They all carry themselves in public a bit like the boss: cordial but tightly wound, powered by a kind of in-it-to-win-it intensity.
Starmer stops to say hello. “We’re going to see some eight and nine-year-olds,” he tells me before being bundled into a waiting Range Rover. “Then after that we’re going to Westminster, where the average age will drop considerably.”
A joke! And quite a funny one at that. This is the first surprising thing you should know about Keir Starmer: he has a good sense of humour. He’s not Ricky Gervais funny, but he leavens his intensity with quick, witty asides as he moves through the world. Another thing you should know about Starmer is that he’s genial, relaxed company. He likes a pint or two. He enjoys arguing about footie. He doesn’t like having his doors opened or bags carried. He is, in many ways, a pretty normal bloke.
But try as he might, much of the public still doesn’t perceive him as such. And he really has tried. He has welled up about his childhood on national television. He’s co-operated with a revealing biography. He’s done Desert Island Discs. He’s been a public figure for the best part of two decades, from top human rights barrister to director of public prosecutions to Labour’s shadow Brexit minister and now leader of the opposition. And yet still there’s this sense of unknowability about Starmer, a cautious opacity that leaves many people cold or vaguely suspicious.
Who is he really? To find out, I’ve followed him around the country for three months, riding pillion on his seemingly inexorable quest to become the most powerful man in Britain. I’ve been to hospitals in Mansfield and nurseries in Nuneaton. I’ve been to his local, the Pineapple in Kentish Town. I’ve watched him pat babies and embrace veterans and endure the hellish cacophony of a primary school music class.
What I’ve found is someone as kind as he is ruthless, densely resilient yet also thin-skinned, coursing with emotion but deeply repressed. Starmer seems a man unwilling, or unable (or possibly both), to perform the public role that many people expect him to: the charismatic leader, the nimble debater, the warm, jocular father of the nation. But barring a miraculous Tory resurrection he will soon be prime minister anyway.’
From todays Times

dalrymple23

What about the children of members of the armed forces? They get posted every 18 to 24 months. Despite a national misconception, they only have a small percentage of school fees paid by MoD. Parents have to make up the rest, which is a huge chunk out of a lower rank salary. These people are prepared to put their lives on the line for all of us. It is a national disgrace that Starmer wants to penalise them.

Before various statistics are bandied around the place and used as ammo, I should like to see what the proportion is of non UK nationals in the great scheme of the education census! Me sceptical? Good lord no!!

Don't forget that one of the greatest educational levellers was the grammar school. If you were bright enough, you could climb the heights. If you did not quite make it at 11, you went to secondary modern (you could re-take 11+ after a year) but meanwhile received a good grounding AND went on to learn a trade. What is wrong with that? We all need plumbers, carpenters and electricians and why do those trades need Latin?

But, of course, this sound idea was smashed by the Labour Party. Do not forget this on 4 July.

I've checked out armed forces education. In the UK they can attend State Schools and if they are abroad they get free education.

It's the ones where parents want their children to go to boarding school that fit your description

for whom as you describe MoD gives a grant towards boarding schools.

From Gov.Uk website

The MOD provides schools and early years settings in key locations overseas and these are run by Defence Children Services ( DCS )
DCS schools and settings provide education to the dependent children of service personnel and MOD entitled civilians, entitled contractors and fee payers

And Maybee70 he went to the Taylor Swift gig at Wembley!

I wouldn't accept the opinion of someone who thought Ricky Getvais was funny. Really???

Joseann

And Maybee70 he went to the Taylor Swift gig at Wembley!

He’s got a 13 year old daughter, bet she had a great time! I would have gone myself given the chance, I’ve heard Taylor is great live.

MayBee70

‘I first meet Keir Starmer in March, on the platform of Harlow station in Essex. We’re heading to Purford Green Primary School, where the Labour leader will emphasise his desire to unleash a “generation of creativity” in schools. Team Starmer shuttle off the train. They all carry themselves in public a bit like the boss: cordial but tightly wound, powered by a kind of in-it-to-win-it intensity.
Starmer stops to say hello. “We’re going to see some eight and nine-year-olds,” he tells me before being bundled into a waiting Range Rover. “Then after that we’re going to Westminster, where the average age will drop considerably.”
A joke! And quite a funny one at that. This is the first surprising thing you should know about Keir Starmer: he has a good sense of humour. He’s not Ricky Gervais funny, but he leavens his intensity with quick, witty asides as he moves through the world. Another thing you should know about Starmer is that he’s genial, relaxed company. He likes a pint or two. He enjoys arguing about footie. He doesn’t like having his doors opened or bags carried. He is, in many ways, a pretty normal bloke.
But try as he might, much of the public still doesn’t perceive him as such. And he really has tried. He has welled up about his childhood on national television. He’s co-operated with a revealing biography. He’s done Desert Island Discs. He’s been a public figure for the best part of two decades, from top human rights barrister to director of public prosecutions to Labour’s shadow Brexit minister and now leader of the opposition. And yet still there’s this sense of unknowability about Starmer, a cautious opacity that leaves many people cold or vaguely suspicious.
Who is he really? To find out, I’ve followed him around the country for three months, riding pillion on his seemingly inexorable quest to become the most powerful man in Britain. I’ve been to hospitals in Mansfield and nurseries in Nuneaton. I’ve been to his local, the Pineapple in Kentish Town. I’ve watched him pat babies and embrace veterans and endure the hellish cacophony of a primary school music class.
What I’ve found is someone as kind as he is ruthless, densely resilient yet also thin-skinned, coursing with emotion but deeply repressed. Starmer seems a man unwilling, or unable (or possibly both), to perform the public role that many people expect him to: the charismatic leader, the nimble debater, the warm, jocular father of the nation. But barring a miraculous Tory resurrection he will soon be prime minister anyway.’
From todays Times

I was interested to read in today’s ST that his A level results were BBC. Interesting after attending what was by then an elite public school. Dear God, I did better than that and so did my son in state schools. AAA. Just how clever is he?

I believe he got a first class honours degree, and then did a masters the following year.

He got a First Class degree, GSM, if you feel it's essential to go down that route. 💁

Germanshepherdsmum

MayBee70

‘I first meet Keir Starmer in March, on the platform of Harlow station in Essex. We’re heading to Purford Green Primary School, where the Labour leader will emphasise his desire to unleash a “generation of creativity” in schools. Team Starmer shuttle off the train. They all carry themselves in public a bit like the boss: cordial but tightly wound, powered by a kind of in-it-to-win-it intensity.
Starmer stops to say hello. “We’re going to see some eight and nine-year-olds,” he tells me before being bundled into a waiting Range Rover. “Then after that we’re going to Westminster, where the average age will drop considerably.”
A joke! And quite a funny one at that. This is the first surprising thing you should know about Keir Starmer: he has a good sense of humour. He’s not Ricky Gervais funny, but he leavens his intensity with quick, witty asides as he moves through the world. Another thing you should know about Starmer is that he’s genial, relaxed company. He likes a pint or two. He enjoys arguing about footie. He doesn’t like having his doors opened or bags carried. He is, in many ways, a pretty normal bloke.
But try as he might, much of the public still doesn’t perceive him as such. And he really has tried. He has welled up about his childhood on national television. He’s co-operated with a revealing biography. He’s done Desert Island Discs. He’s been a public figure for the best part of two decades, from top human rights barrister to director of public prosecutions to Labour’s shadow Brexit minister and now leader of the opposition. And yet still there’s this sense of unknowability about Starmer, a cautious opacity that leaves many people cold or vaguely suspicious.
Who is he really? To find out, I’ve followed him around the country for three months, riding pillion on his seemingly inexorable quest to become the most powerful man in Britain. I’ve been to hospitals in Mansfield and nurseries in Nuneaton. I’ve been to his local, the Pineapple in Kentish Town. I’ve watched him pat babies and embrace veterans and endure the hellish cacophony of a primary school music class.
What I’ve found is someone as kind as he is ruthless, densely resilient yet also thin-skinned, coursing with emotion but deeply repressed. Starmer seems a man unwilling, or unable (or possibly both), to perform the public role that many people expect him to: the charismatic leader, the nimble debater, the warm, jocular father of the nation. But barring a miraculous Tory resurrection he will soon be prime minister anyway.’
From todays Times

I was interested to read in today’s ST that his A level results were BBC. Interesting after attending what was by then an elite public school. Dear God, I did better than that and so did my son in state schools. AAA. Just how clever is he?

Do you actually think A level results matter at 60? Particularly when you’ve got a masters from Oxford and rose to the very top of your profession before reaching the leadership role in politics he has? If it gives you comfort to gloat that your A level results were better than his, you carry on. 😓 (PS so were mine, but neither of has us achieved the heights of career success he has, have we?)

Casdon

Joseann

And Maybee70 he went to the Taylor Swift gig at Wembley!

He’s got a 13 year old daughter, bet she had a great time! I would have gone myself given the chance, I’ve heard Taylor is great live.

Here you are. No picture of daughter as he keeps them as private as possible

He achieved his A levels whilst being chief carer of his mum.

What an unpleasant and frankly childish remark.

Yes, they do matter. My career success was limited initially, by choice , by motherhood but you probably know how I progressed and I am not seeking to score points against you. I remain unconvinced about Starmer’s intellectual ability.

A level results really don’t matter at all if your later academic successes overshadow them Germanshepherdsmum. There is no way Oxford would have accepted him for a Masters if his initial degree results hadn’t been outstanding.

I agree with the Labour Party on this. I am of course assuming he is talking about schools such as Eton and Harrow. DH's boss once complained to him that Harrow's fees were now over a £1m a year per child, and how was he supposed to pay for this.

My real experience of private schooling is this. We lived in Germany and the 2 eldest went to the International School ; paid for by the company, and youngest a German state school. All was well until the fall of the Berlin wall and the deutschmark.

My eldest children then went to a private school in UK, nothing fancy, it was previously known as an forces school for officers and was supported by the local council until they went private. When my youngest was eligible to join his siblings he was refused. Reason, he had an education statement and needed extra educational support due to being Dyslexic. The council was willing to provide extra teaching help. The reaction from the school's headteacher was ' we can of 10 of these kids every week, not good for the school's image'.

As a result we took our 2 children out of this school and placed them in a state school, because we treated all our children the same. As a consequence, they all got their degrees and are doing very well as adults including out dyslexic child.

My point is this, it's about being fair to all children, If you can afford private school fine but not at the expense of everyone else. My children only went to a private school because we lived in Germany. It nearly bankrupted us and that was before our youngest was refused. In fact their snobbery did us a favour.
Our schools are crumbling and the teachers are on their knees, at the expense of the privileged rich and favoured few, our universities are going the same way. If we need an example of the over previledged who can cheat the system because they got private education just look at Boris Johnson, David Cameron and many MPs.

Let's work together and support this idea. Ask yourselves Why do private schools have charity status, Answer, because they don't pay have to pay tax, is that fair? We complain about big companies not paying taxes, well private schools are a means of tax avoidance for the very rich.

By working together we can give all the next generation a good education no matter what their background, after all we live in the same country rich or poor and we need each other to survive, to do this every child needs a good education.

We need all our children, not the selected few, to have a good education which will lead to jobs, careers and the future prosperity of this country

Oh dear - keep digging because you are simply making your remarks look sillier by the minute.

And frankly my dear i doubt that many of labours supporters can give a damn.

Honestly continually talking about one’s achievements is not a good look, and I notice that no one else feels the need to do so.

But now to begin to compare oneself with who is potentially the next prime minister is boarding on the bizarre.

Germanshepherdsmum

Yes, they do matter. My career success was limited initially, by choice , by motherhood but you probably know how I progressed and I am not seeking to score points against you. I remain unconvinced about Starmer’s intellectual ability.

Yes, you have told us often. Your comment about A level results is beneath you.

There is apparently a shortage of teachers especially in maths. When tge private schools start cutting back on the numbers of pupils they take, the numbers of teachers too will be reduced but I doubt it will be those in short supply in state schools. The state schools will need to accept additional pupils but there is no guarantee the "spare" teachers will follow. Many will have already experienced the conditions in state schools and not wish to return. It takes a minimum of 9 months for a graduate to qualify for teaching, An awful lot of Starmer's plan is based on people wanting to teach in overcrowded,underfunded, undermanaged environments.

Private schools do pay tax freja. They are presently unable to reclaim the vat they pay but they will be able to do so if they can charge vat on fees.

Nice of you wwm. That heartfelt private apology for insulting me the other day - you might as well not have bothered because you have reverted to form. And how readily I forgave you. How stupid I am.

Starmer does not realise that many parents scrimp and go without to pay school fees and 20% on top will mean some children will have to be found a place in the state system.
I was one of those parents, back in the day it was £18,000, per year, now about £46,000. People choose between holidays abroad, new cars etc. and those children are taking the pressure off state schools. I have no time for Rishi and even less for Starmer, what a choice.

Starmer doesn’t give a damn. He just wants to punish people like you.

93% - 7% Enough said!

^DH's boss once complained to him that Harrow's fees were now over a £1m a year per child, and how was he supposed to pay for
I think the boss might have been having a laugh. £1m!! Unless he had 20 children!

Sorry
DH's boss once complained to him that Harrow's fees were now over a £1m a year per child, and how was he supposed to pay for this?
I think the boss might have been having a laugh. £1m!! Unless he had 20 children!

I was interested to read in today’s ST that his A level results were BBC. Interesting after attending what was by then an elite public school. Dear God, I did better than that and so did my son in state schools. AAA. Just how clever is he?
Possibly his results were affected by his mother's ill health. He has said he spent a lot of time in high dependency units. His University acceptance probably recognised his difficulties and his subsequent degrees show his ability, his A level results may not
I'm no Starmer fan but there is no need to question his abilities.