Starmer abandons plans to cancel local elections

YES

Spinnaker

Good. I really hope Labour get a bloody nose and it makes them sit up and listen/take notice of how the country's feeling. I know that local elections and general elections cannot be compared but it will still send a message out 🤞🤞

👏 👏 👏
Bravo!!!
Well saidm

No, I was in the NHS. Every change of government meant structural change and new, additional targets which increased the bureaucracy.
My dad used to work for a multi national engineering company, and I can remember when he retired he told me that when you see the structure reverting back to the one that was there when you first started was the time to leave. I now know he was right.

ronib

I didn’t think that the Civil Service was under direct political control? I thought it was designed to be separate from politics? Yes please leave well alone Casdon
As for the NHS - who knows?

The civil service is meant to be apolitical. They can advise on implementation of policy, they can even advise on its practicality or its drawbacks but ultimately they have to implement the policies of the government. They are under direct political control.

You should know this if you worked for the civil Service.

Casdon

As an ex public service employee who went through numerous changes in structure due to governments wanting something different, I’m not convinced that it is structural change that makes a difference to the user experience. I do believe in local accountability though, so I’m not opposed to changes which bring that about.

Have you been through one reorganisation and still there for the next reorganisation when everything goes back to where it was originally? So two county councils merge, then they go back to two again. Mind blowing what it all costs, even just redoing all the stationery costs a small fortune.

ronib

I didn’t think that the Civil Service was under direct political control? I thought it was designed to be separate from politics? Yes please leave well alone Casdon
As for the NHS - who knows?

Well it is in terms of its structure - there have been numerous changes decided by the politicians as to how different government functions are grouped together in different departments.

I thought you said you’d worked for the Civil Service ronib, so you must know that major structural change to the organisation is determined by government? This government is proposing:
‘Regional Relocation and Hubs: 11 central London offices will close, with 12,000 roles moving to 13 towns and cities across the UK to reduce London headcount from 95,000 to 83,000. ‘

Casdon

As an ex public service employee who went through numerous changes in structure due to governments wanting something different, I’m not convinced that it is structural change that makes a difference to the user experience. I do believe in local accountability though, so I’m not opposed to changes which bring that about.

I’ve lived here for 43 years and it’s the first structural change that’s happened. But there have been many other changes that have impacted the role of the las - such as with education, social care, increased out sourcing. One of the problems with two levels of La is actually accountability as many users really don’t know whether a service is ptovuddd by the district or the county. I also think it might make the councillors more accountable because the unitary council will be responsible for all council services. It might also make for more joined up policy and provision. Well - we’ll see

I didn’t think that the Civil Service was under direct political control? I thought it was designed to be separate from politics? Yes please leave well alone Casdon
As for the NHS - who knows?

As an ex public service employee who went through numerous changes in structure due to governments wanting something different, I’m not convinced that it is structural change that makes a difference to the user experience. I do believe in local accountability though, so I’m not opposed to changes which bring that about.

Casdon

What is the answer though i anhandthemback, every government makes structural changes to public bodies. Are you saying that it should stop altogether?

Or make less changes to structural bodies. Look at what works and build on that. From my experience with Management Consultants, they tend to have formula that they put into place whether it has been shown to work or not. They don't seem to look at what works and build on that. Things always seem worse but have cost a fortune. As for client satisfaction (I mean the users by that) they have no time for that so the users end up discontent too.
Of course, if I knew the answer, I'd put myself up for election or start a new Management Company but I can see what isn't working. Also, Democracy is a great thing but that means that we never seem to get a period of stability with the constant changing of Governments and, even worse, the amount of time they spend falling out within their own parties so even less gets done.

ronib

Yes best solution Casdon government should stop…. Are we in reality governed beyond necessity?

Okay ronib, we’ll leave the NHS and Civil Service structures alone if you think that’s for the best.

I’m very much in favour of the move to a unitary authority. In my area 11 district councils and one county council will be replaced by two unitary authorities. The current division of responsibilities is not particularly rational and having all council run services under one authority sounds eminently sensible .

Yes best solution Casdon government should stop…. Are we in reality governed beyond necessity?

What is the answer though i anhandthemback, every government makes structural changes to public bodies. Are you saying that it should stop altogether?

He’s been working against the right wing press from day 1 and isn’t a great commentator or orator. I support him but would be happy with Andy Burnham. He’s a sincere person. I don’t mind Green getting in so like as the racists/fascists don’t. Couldn’t cope with the UK turning into the States.

Casdon

How strange to blame this government for a process which has been going on for over fifty years, including a number of changes under the last government. It’s the nature of the beast of government to rearrange the ducks.

I am not blaming this Government for the last 50 years; I am blaming them for this particular restructure. Just because they've been doing this for so many years doesn't make it right.

How strange to blame this government for a process which has been going on for over fifty years, including a number of changes under the last government. It’s the nature of the beast of government to rearrange the ducks.

It does seem odd that a labour Prime Minister who has made much of having a career in Law should have been forced to make a U-turn on this matter. The reason it will cost so much money is that this Government have chosen to merge local authorities which will no doubt be another fiasco.
In our area, 2 local authorities worked together for a number of years having paid out huge costs for management consultants, rebranding, redundancy payments etc to complete the merge. Then they decided to part ways. More Management Consultant costs, rebranding costs, recruitment, etc. Now they are to be merged again with new partners, no doubt with all the associated costs. I don't think the electorate wanting their democratic rights can be criticised on the grounds of money wasting when there is such a lot of money being wasted on these hare-brained schemes. They never end up saving money.
All the money that the Fire Authority spent merging with the County Council has pretty much been taken back in house too. Honestly, we might as well all take our money and throw it to the wind; it is what public bodies seem to do.

Casdon

fancythat

I cant say I want anyone that has a track record.
That's my point.

Time to try some new people.

Who would you choose from the current cohort of Labour MPs? That is the choice for anybody who has an opinion on this.

I genuinely don’t understand where you’re coming from. It seems unlikely to me that there is a mystery knight on a white charger, who nobody has already mentioned, who is going to ride in from the obscurity of the back benches to victory.

Oreo

Starmer is afraid of losing Labour seats to Reform, which may or may not come to pass.Elections should still take place regardless, and now they will, which is the correct democratic outcome.

Spot on Oreo

libra10

My council was one which wasn't going to be allowed to have an election this year. I think our current Conservative councillor is excellent, and always responds to anyone who has a query.
He's very well liked, and I will vote for him again, but consider it undemocratic to ban councils having a vote as is their right.

To be clear, the Govt gave councils the choice whether to have the elections. The councillors chose - they weren’t banned or not allowed.

My council was one which wasn't going to be allowed to have an election this year. I think our current Conservative councillor is excellent, and always responds to anyone who has a query.
He's very well liked, and I will vote for him again, but consider it undemocratic to ban councils having a vote as is their right.

AI Overview
Several UK political party leaders have emerged from the margins, ideological fringes, or unconventional backgrounds to take charge of major parties.
Here are some notable examples of "outlier" candidates who became leaders:
Jeremy Corbyn (Labour Party, 2015–2020): Widely considered the ultimate outsider to reach a major party leadership, Corbyn was a backbench MP for decades, often voting against his own party. He was not expected to win the 2015 leadership contest, but was propelled to a landslide victory by a surge in party membership. His leadership marked a significant shift from the previous centre-left trajectory of the party.
Margaret Thatcher (Conservative Party, 1975–1990): Though she became a dominant leader, Thatcher was an outsider in the 1970s Tory party. As a woman, a chemistry graduate, and the daughter of a grocer, she did not come from the traditional, aristocratic Conservative establishment, which was then dominated by upper-class men.
Ramsay MacDonald (Labour Party, 1911–1914, 1922–1931): As a key figure in the early Labour movement, he was considered an outsider to the traditional political establishment, particularly when he stood against the First World War, an act that made him a political pariah before he later became Prime Minister.
Nigel Farage (UKIP/Reform UK, various): While leading smaller parties, Farage operated as a long-term outsider to the Westminster establishment, successfully challenging the two-party system from the right before becoming a significant, and eventually, a parliamentary force.
Keir Starmer (Labour Party, 2020–present): While now leading, Starmer was considered a "rank outsider" in terms of his lack of previous political experience in traditional party roles prior to becoming an MP, having come from a career as a lawyer and Director of Public Prosecutions.
These leaders often gained traction by appealing directly to the membership or public, bypassing the traditional parliamentary "insider" route.

How would I know?

And that is the point.

No ones very much at all about 350 people.
Well, at least the latest intake.

Why because 3 names "are in the running", no one thinks anyone else would take part, is, well, baffling.
There often is at least another 2 or 3 people who put their hat in the ring.
Good for them.