I’ll go further, Starmer (or rather Labour, he didn’t decide for himself did he) shouldn’t have resigned and should have stood against Burham.
He didnt since he had sod all support. If he had then he would have contested it as would Streeting.
I have no doubt Starmer meant what he said last week about fighting the contest anymore than I doubt Streeting, was it the week before?, on the newsagents and various other places saying he would enter the contest.
They have both tried to get support and got voicemails.
This isnt a coronation but instead me walking up to the boxing ring and spotting Mike Tyson in his prime and going "ahhh, ermmm, ahhh, did I leave the oven on? Better go and check!"
continuing with tory austerity.
They're not though. Jeremy Hunt's plans, had the Tories won in '24 would have gone a lot further - £12Bill 'Get back to work' plans. Labour cocked up with Winter Fuel and haven't been generous, but there's far less in the coffers, so less to distribute. They've increased Living Wage over 10%, improved workers rights, reduced child poverty, cut fuel poverty and plenty more
Continuing with hard brexit.
You can't see moves back towards Europe and more cooperation? Do you think the EU would just let the UK back in, or that announcing that's being attempted wouldn't blow the 'system' up for another few years?
outrageous hardline immigration policies
Some of that stuff is very un Labour, but they had to be seen to reduce illegal immigration and the costs associated with dealing with it, and they have.
Look, I'm not saying I'm not disappointed by a lot of what's happened, or hasn't, and that much more needs to be done, making out everything is a disaster and that every politician is useless just plays into 'their' hands.
They've increased Living Wage over 10%
Now have a look at inflation over the last 5 years. And the EU would welcome the UK back. As much has been said and over 60% of the EU population is favourable.
It hasn't been a disaster but with a little more courage and conviction Starmer could have been a very popular PM with the people who voted for him. Instead of which he has alienated them with right wing policies/Zionist apology/authoritarianism/back tracking on left wing policies/largely ignoring green issues/nepotism.
I don't think you mean nepotism, this isn't Trump. "Jobs for the boys", cronyism perhaps.
And the EU would welcome the UK back. As much has been said and over 60% of the EU population is favourable.
rejoining enjoys about 55% support, but that falls off a cliff (35%) if we're rejoining without previous cut-outs and being asked to take the Euro. Plus, after seeing one the largest contributors leave because it's public don't like supra-national bodies making it's decisions, the EU making that process easier - majority voting rather than unanimity, doesn't sound like they're massively bothered either way.
And depending on what sort of re-engagement is floated has an impact on what the economic and tax raising revenue it generates looks like that politicians may just take the view that a 'slightly' more productive UK makes for a better proposal.
continuing with tory austerity: labour kept the same spending limits
Hard brexit. 100% so. Starmers red lines are 100% hard brexit. No customs union. No freedom of movement . Yes he made a few pro EU noises but based on a lie. Cherrypicking or cakism.
66% - not a source I'd recommend but it's not behind a pay wall.
Nepotism was the word I chose which you might not find accurate but conveys the way the Labour party works better than cronyism which I'd use for the Tories.
but conveys the way the Labour party works
Yeah, It's front benches flooded with the sons and daughters of previous leaders and MPs- You're so far off the mark with this one it's laughable.
Hard brexit. 100% so.
It's the political and public settlement for the foreseeable future. We are not going back in. I could see the UK joining some sort of federated membership for trade in a few years time, but given the direction the EU is headed, I can't see the UK rejoining in my lifetime.
I can only think of Benn... and he isn't really where he is because of Starmer, he's been a front bench type going way back.
So I'm wrong to see the Labour party as an patriarcal extended family with its (dirty) secrets, unmentionables on this forum, infighting, covering for each other, employing family members in roles they are unsuitable for. Well even if you lot think it's wrong to do so I'l continue to view it that way.
And the other points ?:
right wing policies/Zionist apology/authoritarianism/back tracking on left wing policies/largely ignoring green issues/nepotism (dirty) secrets, unmentionables on this forum, infighting, covering for each other, employing family party members in roles they are unsuitable for
Hard brexit. 100% so.
It's the political and public settlement for the foreseeable future. We are not going back in. I could see the UK joining some sort of federated membership for trade in a few years time, but given the direction the EU is headed, I can't see the UK rejoining in my lifetime.
significant majority in favour. Businesses in favour. Compounding economic damage staying out.
This is an exampme of why this labour government has been a failure. Their following a hard brexit is a disaster for the uk
Which direction is the EU headed that means you can't see the UK rejoining in your lifetime, nickc? I'm happy with trends in the EU. More cooperation on Ukraine with even Hungary now onboard. More cooperation on defence in general. Nice fat fines for US companies breaking EU laws. Targetted tarifs on imports. A democratic process that's working with proportional representation. Promotion of sectors important to the future economy such as leccy transport. The Euro giving stability. A whole host of personal freedoms. Cooperation on refugees with immigration left to individual countries. Erasmus. There's a lot to like already and scope for more Europe - more efforts to avoid states abusing the fiscal freedoms they have so there's a more level playing fields, more harmonisation on banned pesticides/herbicides... .
Hard brexit. 100% so.
It's the political and public settlement for the foreseeable future. We are not going back in. I could see the UK joining some sort of federated membership for trade in a few years time, but given the direction the EU is headed, I can't see the UK rejoining in my lifetime.
significant majority in favour. Businesses in favour. Compounding economic damage staying out.
This is an exampme of why this labour government has been a failure. Their following a hard brexit is a disaster for the uk
I keep being told by experts on FB that we haven't had a proper Brexit.
That all sounds good Ed. Starting with Erasmus and food standards and moving outwards... the UK needs to cooperate with the EU on everything it can before any politician looking for a majority for the party they lead talks about the big (and to my mind obvious) step of joining in as a member in some way. This is what Starmer was putting in place. Ruling out the bigger steps now doesn't prevent closer cooperation that could lead to a future leader proposing the big steps. Burnham was talking as if he might be that leader that proposes "taking us back in"... but he's coming to the top spot too soon, and will have to change his message and approach to the same one Starmer had... closer cooperation.
significant majority in favour. Businesses in favour. Compounding economic damage staying out.
There is no political consensus, and without that, everything else doesn't matter. Bloomberg recently revised their assessment of the economic impact to something between 2-4%. I think the political consensus right now is make the UK more productive to make up the gap.
Which direction is the EU headed that means you can't see the UK rejoining in your lifetime, nickc?
One of the major points that we left because of was that people were unhappy with the idea of "un-elected foreigners making major decisions in remote locations that we had no control over".
How have the EU reacted to that?
For the most significant decisions - like foreign policy, taxation and social security ,enlargement, succession, treaty changes, - Von Der Leyen and most noticably Germany are pushing quite hard to get qualified majority voting to replace unanimity, they could only have done this now that the UK, who never would've agreed to it, is out. What does that say to you about what the EU thinks is the chances of the UK coming back in, anytime soon?
EURONEWS.COM Nice fat fines for US companies breaking EU laws.
If only there was a highly educated workforce with good strong laws, English speaking and outside of the EU who would welcome US high tech investment...
Better still one that's in the EU and has low tax - Ireland !
