Are you two the best we can do?

I think Sunak and family were seen briefly on the news celebrating Diwali.They were putting candles on the steps of number ten.

I never understood why Tony Blair felt he couldn’t convert to Catholicism whilst he was PM. He attended mass every Sunday with his family and converted to Catholicism as soon as left post.

I believe Margaret Thatcher and Theresa May both attended CofE church services every Sunday.

People, including PMs are allowed their religion as long as it is celebrated peacefully.

Personally I have absolutely no problem with Keir Starmer being at home on Friday nights (where it is possible, there maybe times when he absolutely cannot) because I believe his wife, children, and father in law (who apparently attends their Friday dinners) are all Jewish. I believe he also attends synagogue with them on Saturdays. There is absolutely no reason why this cannot happen. If there is an emergency which requires Starmer to be in meetings on Fridays or Saturdays I’m sure he will be available. None of this is what worries me about Starmer.

I think it was just a mistake to try and call Starmer out on Friday nights, most people would understand one evening family time, it's a plus.

Todays conservative tactic would seem to be "they are going to win massively no need to turn up"

I player feed:

Work and Pensions Secretary Mel Stride tells the BBC he accepts that polls are pointing to a massive Labour majority - "the largest this country has ever seen"
He says what matters now is the opposition and its ability to scrutinise the government

Keir Starmer says those comments amount to "voter suppression", saying the minister is "trying to get people to stay at home rather than go out and vote"

The Labour leader is sticking to his message that if you want change "you have to vote for it

Not that it matters all that much what he says about Fridays.
Things tend to get blown up out of all proportion around election times.

Yeah but no but 😆
He didn’t even need to mention Friday nights at any time.
Sunak and family are Hindu but I don’t think he mentions any rituals.
I think both Labour and the Conservatives are very much hoping for the Jewish vote, particularly after all the pro Palestinian marches and hooha.

Oreo- he simply said he’ll try to keep Friday evening as family time. He said the same thing at the hustings during the leadership campaign.
I believe he does try to protect his family from publicity and to spend Shabbat with them. I do not believe he’s looking for the Jewish vote. His wife being Jewish has caused much abuse being directed to him. He’s more at risk of losing some Muslim voters as a result.

Iam64

My experience of working with Jewish lawyers/psychologis/doctors/social workers and more was that Shabbat was always important, if more so to orthodox people. As with other faiths and cultures we did our best to accommodate.
This isn’t 1950’s England. We are a more diverse culture with greater respect for people of non white British heritage

Starmer is setting a good standard of trying to keep one evening for his family, it won’t and hasn’t always been possible but good on him (and Mrs S)

As PM life will be very different for them as a family, sometimes he will be there for dinner and prayers and sometimes not.Tbh I assumed he was saying this to attract the Jewish vote.He’s a politician after all with an election coming up.

Whitewavemark2

MayBee70

Of course no one believes everything is going to be perfect instantly. We’re in too much of a mess for that. But at least I’ll feel that the government will be there working for me and won’t be blaming immigrants for everything.

Yes and the rhetoric of division, hate, cultural wars and lies will be gone.

Inclusivity will be the watchword.

The sheer and unprecedented mess will take years to build from, but Labour is the only party capable of doing so.

Well, we have to hope so.
I will say tho that ‘the mess’ isn’t all Tory fault as we all know what’s been happening over the last few years and any government would have struggled.
The incoming Labour government will struggle too and there can’t be any major changes for quite a long time.Anyone who expects more will be disappointed.The economy isn’t in a great state and we don’t know what’s round the corner with Putin flexing his muscles.

Joseann

Nevermind a 6pm Friday parent, I'd just like to put in a word for David Cameron, Gordon Brown and now Ed Davey, leaders of different parties who were/are amazing examples of fathers in a top job, but devoting time to their young disabled children. (Without hardly ever mentioning it).

👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

Agreed Spore, which is a sad state of affairs.

Inclusivity will be the watchword.
What’s that supposed to mean? Whatever, it’s very idealistic.

Tomorrow, there will be so many people voting Labour not because they believe in Labour manifesto or have great faith in Keir Starmer, they do so because they are so disappointed with Conservatives, had enough of Tories and just want them out.

I will not be surprised if Conservatives face 'extinction' at the election, with Liberal Democrats becoming the Opposition party.

I hope you are right WWM

MayBee70

Of course no one believes everything is going to be perfect instantly. We’re in too much of a mess for that. But at least I’ll feel that the government will be there working for me and won’t be blaming immigrants for everything.

Yes and the rhetoric of division, hate, cultural wars and lies will be gone.

Inclusivity will be the watchword.

The sheer and unprecedented mess will take years to build from, but Labour is the only party capable of doing so.

Of course no one believes everything is going to be perfect instantly. We’re in too much of a mess for that. But at least I’ll feel that the government will be there working for me and won’t be blaming immigrants for everything.

Whitewavemark2

We will be voting tomorrow.

Time to put all the hurt and harm behind us.

It has been a long time coming.

Do you honestly believe that life will be all roses under Starmer?

He certainly doesn't.

We're in for a lot more hurt and harm!

I'll be voting for Starmer but I'm not anticipating anything remotely good to happen.

The western world is in a mess and it's going to be a long time before anything good happens

Nevermind a 6pm Friday parent, I'd just like to put in a word for David Cameron, Gordon Brown and now Ed Davey, leaders of different parties who were/are amazing examples of fathers in a top job, but devoting time to their young disabled children. (Without hardly ever mentioning it).

MayBee70

They were laughing about Johnson on Sky News. I think it’s an insult to the electorate wheeling out a disgraced PM and finding it funny. Oh look at the hair. Tee hee. His suit doesn’t fit…he’s put weight on; so Boris, it’s what the electorate love. Hand me the sick bag somebody.

“So the man they forced out in disgrace - who broke the law and protected a sex offender and lied to his party, the country and Parliament, and who was then kicked out of Parliament for trying to intimidate an independent inquiry into his lies - he’s the one to save them, is he”?

We will be voting tomorrow.

Time to put all the hurt and harm behind us.

It has been a long time coming.

Johnson married a Roman Catholic, as did Tony Blair who later became one.

I don't recall this was much of an issue in the media then.

We should leave religion out of this.

I saw Gove trying to spin it. If I hear the word supermajority one more time I shall scream. There is no such thing. Anyone interested in understanding why could watch this from the Institute for Government

www.youtube.com/watch?v=jq7wNiIZDFI

Or read this:

www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/comment/conservatives-supermajority-warnings

In reality, apart from the HR problems created for the opposition leader, in parliamentary terms the difference between an 80-seat and 200-seat majority is not material – the most significant factor for democracy is the attitude a government takes to the role of parliament and the value of scrutiny.

Boris Johnson secured a much larger majority and immediately adopted the attitude that nobody should be able to oppose his parliamentary plans. His ministers refused to entertain even the smallest amendments to bills and some were extremely reluctant to appear before select committees. He was free with the creation of new ministerial powers and their exercise – using secondary legislation to pass numerous measures without the possibility of parliamentary opposition. In practice his opposition came more from within his own party than other parties.

In other words, the Tories have a damn cheek playing this fallacious card when they so blatantly took advantage of their own majority to avoid scrutiny in 2019.

If Labour do secure the large majority being predicted, I'm sure Starmer will act with integrity in the Parliamentary process.

They were laughing about Johnson on Sky News. I think it’s an insult to the electorate wheeling out a disgraced PM and finding it funny. Oh look at the hair. Tee hee. His suit doesn’t fit…he’s put weight on; so Boris, it’s what the electorate love. Hand me the sick bag somebody.

Did you see Boris on the BBC 10pm news. Same old same old, thank goodness he's gone.

The other point raised was Bravermans statement - she said basically they were going to lose, don't vote Reform, and the news commentator remarked it sounded like a first go at a leadership bid. (😳)

Crikey. The Conservatives have dug Johnson up now in an attempt to claw back a few votes. My own Conservative MP dug up Edwina Curry

Joseann but what about the other 5…6…7…

My experience of working with Jewish lawyers/psychologis/doctors/social workers and more was that Shabbat was always important, if more so to orthodox people. As with other faiths and cultures we did our best to accommodate.
This isn’t 1950’s England. We are a more diverse culture with greater respect for people of non white British heritage

Starmer is setting a good standard of trying to keep one evening for his family, it won’t and hasn’t always been possible but good on him (and Mrs S)