UK Election!

It is beginning to feel a lot like the old Starmer thread in here, isn’t it?

Cheers @kormoran

Labour divided over calls to scrap first past the post after landslide win

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/article/2024/jul/17/labour-divided-over-calls-to-scrap-first-past-the-post-after-landslide-win

“It would only take Reform and the Conservatives to unite and they might have a majority on the same scale we had this year,” he said. “But under PR, Labour would most likely be able to form a government quite comfortably with the Liberal Democrats or the Greens, and this would be preferable to a Conservative-Reform government.”

Komoron

Not much to disagree there.  Some tinkering around the edges, a willingness from Starmer and lammy and co to be co operative will go a long way.

However wholeseale renegotiation of the withdrawal agreement ie the new veterinary agreement Starmer say he wants – just not going to happen.  they will probably give him enough he can sell to the UK as a success but as your link says – “not economically significant”.  simply put without the 4 freedoms trade will be o0n a third country basis with all the barriers that brings.  Thats EU law

It is beginning to feel a lot like the old Starmer thread in here, isn’t it

For about 2 weeks now. They’re never going to forgive him for actually winning the election.

That’s not what’s meant to happen in their incarnation of the Labour Party.

Idealogical purity must trump all!

Pointless, impotent placard-waving from the sidelines, online petitions and telling everyone repeatedly that they really, really won the ‘popular vote’ (whatever that is) is how this is meant to play out.

Did Starmer not read the script?

They’ve not been this miserable and upset since Blair in 97! And that bastard only went and did it to them another 2 times, compounding their misery 😉 

I will just point out that I have praised Starmer as well as criticized him on this thread.

Any improvement in relationship between UK and EU will be much welcomed by me.

The bigger and more wide-ranging the improvement, the better it will be.

Any improvement in relationship between UK and EU will be much welcomed by me.

The bigger and more wide-ranging the improvement, the better it will be.

Amen

Agreed.

Bloody hell, 3 agreements in a row.

I will just point out that I have praised Starmer as well as criticized him on this thread.

Do you honestly believe that makes any difference to binners?

You dared to express your disapproval. No one is allowed to even vaguely criticise the faultless Sir Keir Starmer.

Otherwise the usual suspects will be on your case…. expect relentless ridicule and the merciless postings of Wolfie Smith standing outside Tooting Broadway underground station..

And ironically endless references to six formers and grownups

Any improvement in relationship between the STW political thread big-hitters will be much welcomed by every other user of this forum.

FTFY

the EU side have made it 100% clear that there will be no substantive renegotiation. The chapter is closed, they have moved on, they have more important things to deal with.

Just as one example today…

French president Macron said “this is a great opportunity for a reset”

I’m guessing TJ, you are in the camp of…’brexit is done and can never be undone’?

I’m guessing TJ, you are in the camp of…’brexit is done and can never be undone’?

My money (pastry products apparently) is on the opposite of this.

Anyway, never mind this EU nonsense, what’s the latest word from the new MP for either Clacton or Milwaukee. One of the two

Excruciating….

What's the new MP for Clacton doing out here in Milwaukee? ??@maitlis asks @Nigel_Farage… @GlobalPlayer pic.twitter.com/bpcDNwanfo

— The News Agents (@TheNewsAgents) July 18, 2024

No

it can be undone and I really want it to be.   If Starmer said ” I will accept the 4 freedoms” then some deal like Norway or Switzerland could be done over time if not full membership

What i am say is the withdrawal agreement is not going to be renegotiated.  Thats the old cakism!  The EU have made it perfectly clear that this is the case.  ~Starmer saying he is looking for a new veterinary agreement is one example of this – its just never going to happen.  To do so would mean two things – wholesale revision of the withdrawal treaty or a separate side agreement.  Both comprehensively ruled out.

We are not going to get freeedom of movement of goods without the other 3 freedoms.  As a country outside the EU those trade frictions will remain – its a legal necessity for the EU.

French president Macron said “this is a great opportunity for a reset”

Of course it is.  They must be very relieved to have a friendly government this side of the channel.  However that is a reset in diplomatic relations – not a renegotiation of the withdrawal agreement.  NOr does it mean there is any appetite for more rounds of talks – the EU has moved on

There will be some tinkering around the edges and the review meeting will perhaps lead to some minor easings. However the withdrawal agreement will remain as it is. There might even be enough that Starmer can spin it as a huge win however we cannot have frictionless trade unless we accept the 4 freedoms in their entirety

£15 minimum wage is unsustainable for small businesses and will probably lead to quite a few small businesses closing leading to job losses.

My wife employs 4 people in her salon and with the cost of energy doubling and bleach,colours etc going up by 20% there is only so many times you can put your prices up before people go to boots and get a £5 box colour.

Just listening to the New Agents, Farage segment is coming up. We need more of the a press holding this **** feet to the flame.

What’s the new MP for Clacton doing out here in Milwaukee?

Not his job that he gets paid 91k a year for, plus expenses, that’s for sure.

Nailed it, also noting that they continually state how Starmer got less votes than Corbyn

I would never state that.

It’s “fewer votes”.

£15 minimum wage is unsustainable for small businesses and will probably lead to quite a few small businesses closing leading to job losses.

But that’s not because of the minimum wage per se it’s due to a stagnating piss-poor economy.

A wealthy country should be able to afford decent wages or houses are out of synch with wages.

All this happens when there isn’t enough money in the right areas.

That’s where your government should step in.

None of this is complex.

Private sector and lower income ailing – state boosts it.  State sits back when private sector runs.

Of course this sounds like the old Starmer thread because like we’ve been saying we’ve got the most dismal people now in charge.

Although if you want the truly ‘excruciating’ bit of News Agents then listen Maitlis interview Kari Lake ?

To bring it back to UK politics….JSO protesters including Roger Hallam received longest ever sentences for none violent protest today. I’m no real JSO fan, but flipping heck what an utterly shameful moment for our democracy. A Sun reporter infiltrated their Zoom chat, passed the info on to the police, and was then invited along to the arrest. Beware the authoritarian creep.

Ideological purity must trump all!

Yes of course that would be continuation of ruinous Neoliberal policies.

Feeding people, giving people homes and making utilities work are ideological purity? This is ridiculous.

Because pragmatic policies that do things are not on the table.

Staggering lack of political and equitable observation there about the way things are.

Bloody hell, 3 agreements in a row.

Quit while you’re ahead and don’t play Euromillions this week. You have used up your good fortune for the week!

Whatever your politics, surely it’s quite refreshing to see someone from the upper reaches of UK government, at an international level, looking statesmanlike and like they’re actually meant to be there?

It’s a serious upgrade from an escaped lunatic in a mascot outfit, Karen from HR, who’s off her meds again or the inanely grinning work experience lad

The damage they’ve done to this countries international reputation is absolutely huge, but surely the Banana Republic tag can now begin to be shaken off? Though that’s certainly going to be a long road

“In the first instance it is entirely appropriate that a Prime Minister who is only in office 13 days has the opportunity to tease through with his own team what that looks like”.

I’m disgusted that the Taoiseach is parroting this revolting centrist extremist nonsense. Starmer has had loads of time to prepare and he’s been in government for two weeks. The UK should be back in the EU by now, there should have been a final status agreement on Northern Ireland, a tunnel between Dublin and Liverpool should at least have begun construction, and Team GB should be leading the medal table at the Olympics. He’s done none of that and is basically Mussolini. I wish we still had Truss.

@theotherjonv stop speaking in acronyms! You’re not the only one but wtf is this supposed to mean?

It’s a vital piece of (DSIT) work that needs funding. I could argue it’s more important than the 2CBC; if our timing and nav infrastructure fails, the country falls over in no time at all, power grids fail, etc. YMMV. My point is it wasn’t in the KS, so by your benchmark isn’t happening, and that is just not correct.

Not everyone is coming into this at the same time.

Why can’t there be a renegotiation or a reframing or a tinker.

Once you’ve a position only an idiot would say they would never look at it again.

Whatever your politics, surely it’s quite refreshing to see someone from the upper reaches of UK government, at an international level, looking statesmanlike and like they’re actually meant to be there?

It’s a serious upgrade from an escaped lunatic in a mascot outfit, Karen from HR, who’s off her meds again or the inanely grinning work experience lad

The damage they’ve done to this countries international reputation is absolutely huge, but surely the Banana Republic tag can now begin to be shaken off? Though that’s certainly going to be a long road

Can’t really disagree with that  Bastardo!

Must be quite novel for the other leaders as well

In other ‘do you think we look batshit enough?’ news, the Tories are looking to ditch the little fella sooner rather than later.

They’re looking to give the job to some other mug on an interim basis, while they all have a massive fight with each other over which loon gets the poisoned chalice on a permanent basis.

Looks like Rishi could be in California by August after all. First by-election next month?

EXC: A plan to replace Rishi Sunak with an interim Tory leader is increasingly being discussed at senior party levels

If party goes long and decides to pick a permanent leader after Tory conference (so Oct/Nov/Dec) then Sunak could go within weeks. Story:https://t.co/Kjv6LiM2P0

— Ben Riley-Smith (@benrileysmith) July 18, 2024

The notion was that Cameron and Hague had convinced him to see this through to conference season so they Tories could have their unpopularity contest then.

https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/department-for-science-innovation-and-technology

Two child benefit cap

I assume you know YMMV, if not you should as you countered with WTF. You might disagree.

KS = King’s speech. (cf SKS = Sir Kier Starmer)

Others I don’t want to spell out or link because it looks like I’m promoting our own projects, I’m just using them as examples, but thankfully there’s this thing called google.

Yeah I’ve just picked up on that…..now I may be way off the mark here, but hasn’t Sunak come across much better in defeat that at any point during his leadership?! Makes total sense that they aren’t happy with that I suppose ?

Tom – that’s the conclusion I’d reached too. Sunak has looked far too magnanimous and reasonable and not at all peevish, graceless and nasty, probably ion account of that future in the Santa Monica sunshine being within reach.

We can’t be having that. The Tory party has standards to be maintained

Seeing as this is apparently more or less the rolling UK politics thread now, I’m surprised there hasn’t been more discussion of the riots/public disorder in South Belfast and (today) in Harehills Leeds:

https://m.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/northern-ireland/edwin-poots-suggests-removing-pedestrian-access-at-south-belfast-flashpoint-to-quell-rioting/a178877428.html

Riots in Harehills
byu/GottsParkLad inLeeds

The South Belfast disorder is at the “interface” between a Catholic/Irish/Republican neighbourhood and a Protestant/British/Unionists one. The solution according to the DUP is to remove pedestrian access (ie segregate) the two neighbourhoods…

The Harehills troubler was “sparked” by care workers removing a child from a family. I’m not sure that Starmer/Labour have much to do with that.