At last a fully functioning opposition

Some welcome news!

John Grace is very entertaining isn't he.

On this issue though, he doesn't need to be funny, he just tells it like it is.

Thank goodness for Starmer.

Yes, he does seem to have got off to a good start, and this should please all parties - as has been said many times on GN, a good opposition is a necessity.

Even the Telegraph is saying nice things about him - ‘What all these alleged scandals in fact show is that the Left still doesn’t understand the nature or extent of its defeat in December. It keeps on expecting to turn around a veritable oil tanker of public opinion in one go by deploying the political equivalent of the handbrake from an ancient Austin Metro.

Interestingly, though, there is one senior Leftist who does seem to appreciate the basic political facts of life. And that is Sir Keir Starmer, Leader of the Opposition. He hasn’t leapt aboard any “resign” bandwagons. He has contented himself with broad and carefully calibrated observations about the Government being “too slow” to respond at various points in the crisis.’

A bit further on - ‘That’s hardly turning the amp up to eleven, more like about four. It doesn’t even allege bad faith on the part of ministers, let alone demand resignations. What it does show is that Starmer is in it for the long haul and understands the perils of coming across as a shallow opportunist (cynics among you might think that only a very high-level shallow opportunist would appreciate this point). This theme of “constructive opposition” was continued by Sir Keir in his understated but granular questioning of Dominic Raab in PMQs today.

So the Left in general continues to fail, reliably barking very loudly up the wrong tree at every conceivable opportunity. But we should understand that its new “Daddy” - to use the famous terminology of the cult borstal film “Scum” - appears to have a bit about him.’

Surely I can’t be the only one who thinks he bores for England? Once he gets up on his feet there’s no stopping him.

Still, better than Corbyn. Or Rebecca Long-Bailey.

Ug. I don’t think you would have a good word to say about anyone who was leader of the labour party let’s face it. Give the man a chance ! And no I didn’t vote labour in November. I just would like a bit of give and take

A good summing up of the situation Glorybee from that journalist, and having watched PMQ’s yesterday, along the right lines.Starmer now needs to keep up a balanced approach to Opposition and not give in to the far left.Further to that he should do what Kinnock did all those years ago and get rid of them from the party by his words and actions.
The LP may become electable in five years.

Oh you mean he isn’t a showman ug?

No he isn’t.

But that isn’t what he’s there for, he is there to hold the government to account, and he does that with precision and accuracy.

Johnson will look ridiculous in front of this expert, who honed his skill in the highest courts in the land.

Btw the Telegraph is rattled, Starmer is clearly doing his job.

I've read the DM on line this morning (Mae culpa) - they're full of praise for Starmer and clear that Dominic Raab can't manage Starmer's forensic, calm and balanced approach.

I noticed Jeremy Corbyn went to work at the back benches yesterday. This despite being over 70 and not following government and medical advice to work from home.

I'm not a Labour supporter but let's give the man a chance - he has been leader for 5 minutes and just had his first PMQs. I hope he does better than Corbyn (let's face it he couldn't be worse) and leads a competent opposition.

Too early to judge Starmers overall intent in opposition but there is no doubt that he is more than a match for anyone that the Tories can put up and he actually looks like a statesman!.

Oldwoman (I bet you’re not !). Well said.

I agree with Urmstongran he's wooden and has no charisma. I actually preferred Corbyn.

firecracker ?????

Corbyn has charisma !

Corbyn had as much charisma as a dead fish lol, but on the boring scale in my opinion he was slightly less boring than Kier Starmer and not so wooden.

Have to disagree with you there (sadly) Firecracker. Corbyn’s exchanges in the HoC were scripted and he couldn’t think on his feet. He was a testy old bugger too if he felt he’d been bested.

Keir Starmer has a lighter, more nuanced touch. He can think on his feet.

Just that once he gets up on them ....
?

How come I can’t take you seriously * firecracker*

Just watched Starmer and really you can't judge yet. The house is empty, no one there. He could speak at length without fear of interruption or any cat-calling. PMQs is usually a hectic and noisy a time when you have to shout over others and make your points quickly because others want to get their question in. I'll wait until he has the background noise Corbyn had to put up with before I judge him.

They all have background noise to tolerate. trisher but I can remember him in the house as Shadow Brexit and you couldn’t have had much more barracking from the hard right then.

He never got rattled and was never put off his direction of argument.

That was one reason I voted for him.

I don’t think the Telegraph is ‘rattled’, I think they are responding in a measured and honest way to how they find Starmer as he starts this new role. Patrick O’Flynn wrote that particular article under the heading ‘Keir Starmer is showing the hysterical Left how effective opposition is done’. The Telegraph View is also complimentary.

Matt Chorley in The Times says ‘Sir Keir began with the pledge to offer “constructive opposition with the courage to support the government where that’s the right thing to do”. It felt amazingly grown up after the last four years of Labour history. You can’t imagine Corbyn saying that sentence, and if he did it would be stressed IN all of THE wrong PLACES.

“We also need the courage to challenge where we think they are getting it wrong,” Sir Keir said. And so the former barrister came to build his case: supporting the government in its aims, questioning their means, and urging action to put mistakes right.“

I’m not a Labour voter but give credit where it’s due, and as ever, the proof of the pudding etc.

At long last someone to challenge the conservatives.
I heard on Radio 4 this morning an English company who already provides the masks for National Health had offered at end of May to make the masks. They approached the government and several NHS Trusts whom they already provide the equipment to but got no response!.
This is how much the Government cares for the NHS staff.
Wait till the NHS is sold off to the Americans. This will show the true colours of the conservatives.

It certainly looks very possible the Starmer will not have a viable party to lead within a few months. Lawsuits in regard to the leaked anti-semitism reports are already arriving at Labours Central Office, and even the most senior members of the party believe those lawsuits will cost the organization at least eight million pounds, meaning bankruptcy.

Of course, the elected Labour MPs will remain in parliament for the remainder of this electoral period, but they will lose at least their Central office and the parties organisational abilities.

What then comes into being in place of the present Parliamentary Labour Party may well depend on who or what organisation(s) come up with the money and organisational abilities to bring forward a fresh start.

With the left of politics in Britain, there will be a very turbulent coming year or possibly even longer.

I certainly welcome the enquiry and see it as a chance for Keir Starmer to rid the party of the corrosive culture and some of the key staff who have presided over this culture.

Apparently many named in the document have now left the party whilst others are considering suing for breach of confidentially.

An ally of Corbyn Formby has been accused by the GMB of leaking the report.

Starmer has launched an enquiry to establish why the report was commissioned, its content and why/who leaked it.

Starmer requested that everyone refrain from drawing any conclusion until the enquiry has completed its work.

I see that you are quoting the DM’s gleeful chortle that the LP will be bankrupted grandad .

Why not wait and do as Starmer suggests to see the outcome of the enquiry?