The Starmer Years - Can The New Broom Sweep Clean?

[Gloucester Saint]

1 hour ago, Holmes_and_Watson said:

I do get the point on the tone whelk. For me it's a combination of the activity. their reaction to the push back and the other things they do combining to really annoy me.

Just put on the radio. Someone from labour annoyed about the press talking about clothes.

 Last week it was "why, the taxpayer should be funding it all" slippery slope into giving away even more perks. This morning they are saying "well, they want to look smart." Both utterly missing the point. While also happily keeping it focused on clothes, rather than another look at all the other funding and gifts they get.

A historically appalling bunch for lining their own (now paid for by someone else) pockets, on all sides.

Rayner was talking about her working class credentials over the Ibiza trip. I did read one MSM source at the time saying that some of that trip had been paid for. While trying to find that. there's now a New York trip paid for. The push back over Ibiza is that " hard working MPs need to relax too"

So relax, and get yourself clothes you like. But do it on your own money. Live to the values to talk about. Don't be just like all the grifters before you.

I think this is a fair post. If they can get over the giddiness of being back in the big time, and all of the attention that brings, then this won’t be remembered in 4 or 5 years time. And certainly if they’re facing Jenryck. But a sniff test for me would be ‘if I was working at a senior level in the public sector, I accepted these items and had a role in commissioning, would I have issues with legislation such as the Bribery Act?’.

I suspect that I would. Yes, yes, politicians have operated in a different sphere with different rules for a long time. The sport I don’t think is too bad, May and Major went to the Test Match, Sunak to loads of sport, but goodness sakes, buy your own clothes like the rest of us.

Edited September 21 by Gloucester Saint
Full stop

[egg]

1 hour ago, whelk said:

What is amusing is the desperation of the press and the Tory run BBC and their delight. Don’t agree with Labour being so defensive but I couldn’t give flying fuck if Starmer goes on a freebie to Arsenal. Like the bs about 6pm on Friday he stops working, Still, it is clear why they do it as so many are keen lap it up. All feels so petty and fear we are going the way of US politics in partisan accusations and defences as it suits.

Johnson went to Russian oligarch’s parties when Foreign Minister and did in unofficial capacity ie all off record and no FO staff and not a peep from the press. Little pricks like Chris Mason should be all over that sort of thing but no, his big stories are fucking chief of staff’s salary. Tedious tabloid stuff.

Yep. People are finding equivalence that just ain't there. World of difference between outings with oligarchs, the covid corruption, the Truss budget tip offs and subsequent enrichment, etc, and taking football tickets and some shit clothes. Sure, it was unwise from labour and is very disappointing imo, but the reaction is desperate stuff from Tory fan boys and their media. 

[hypochondriac]

10 minutes ago, Gloucester Saint said:

I think this is a fair post. If they can get over the giddiness of being back in the big time, and all of the attention that brings, then this won’t be remembered in 4 or 5 years time. And certainly if they’re facing Jenryck. But a sniff test for me would be ‘if I was working at a senior level in the public sector, I accepted these items and had a role in commissioning, would I have issues with legislation such as the Bribery Act?’.

I suspect that I would. Yes, yes, politicians have operated in a different sphere with different rules for a long time. The sport I don’t think is too bad, May and Major went to the Test Match, Sunak to loads of sport, but goodness sakes, buy your own clothes like the rest of us.

I agree with that. In a few years this won't be remembered unless the abd news keeps on coming and then it could be one of many things piled on top of each other. I expect Starmer believes that if he can improve the economy that most other things will be forgiven which is probably true. 

[hypochondriac]

8 minutes ago, egg said:

Yep. People are finding equivalence that just ain't there. World of difference between outings with oligarchs, the covid corruption, the Truss budget tip offs and subsequent enrichment, etc, and taking football tickets and some shit clothes. Sure, it was unwise from labour and is very disappointing imo, but the reaction is desperate stuff from Tory fan boys and their media. 

Why are you drawing an equivalence? The people on here constantly bringing up the Tories since the moment Labour got elected are the big Labour supporters. Surely the aim should be for them not to have even a  whiff of corruption in their own right? 

[egg]

4 minutes ago, hypochondriac said:

Why are you drawing an equivalence? The people on here constantly bringing up the Tories since the moment Labour got elected are the big Labour supporters. Surely the aim should be for them not to have even a  whiff of corruption in their own right? 

I'm not drawing an equivalence. I'm saying there is none. 

[sadoldgit]

51 minutes ago, Gloucester Saint said:

I think this is a fair post. If they can get over the giddiness of being back in the big time, and all of the attention that brings, then this won’t be remembered in 4 or 5 years time. And certainly if they’re facing Jenryck. But a sniff test for me would be ‘if I was working at a senior level in the public sector, I accepted these items and had a role in commissioning, would I have issues with legislation such as the Bribery Act?’.

I suspect that I would. Yes, yes, politicians have operated in a different sphere with different rules for a long time. The sport I don’t think is too bad, May and Major went to the Test Match, Sunak to loads of sport, but goodness sakes, buy your own clothes like the rest of us.

And your own wallpaper (even if it is gold).

As for this “whiff of corruption,” have I missed something or have the people who have made these donations received peerages or multi million pound government contracts?? Can we expect to see Arsenal FC given byes to the semi finals of the FA Cup whilst Labour are in power?

 

[Weston Super Saint]

Apparently SKS has dropped 20 odd points in the opinion polls.

Who the fuck is he losing out to? 

[Holmes_and_Watson]

1 hour ago, Gloucester Saint said:

I think this is a fair post. If they can get over the giddiness of being back in the big time, and all of the attention that brings, then this won’t be remembered in 4 or 5 years time. And certainly if they’re facing Jenryck. But a sniff test for me would be ‘if I was working at a senior level in the public sector, I accepted these items and had a role in commissioning, would I have issues with legislation such as the Bribery Act?’.

I suspect that I would. Yes, yes, politicians have operated in a different sphere with different rules for a long time. The sport I don’t think is too bad, May and Major went to the Test Match, Sunak to loads of sport, but goodness sakes, buy your own clothes like the rest of us.

Thanks.

Labour worked well in advance of the election to give themselves the best possible start. And there's been a lot of activity.

And each part, or all of that, is up for discussion.

Political history is tainted with bribery and corruption. Any random copy of Private Eye has examples of revolving doors between political and industry appointments, cronyism, cover ups and generally wasting taxpayers money to chums.

I agree that in other industries you'd be bounced for any number of things politicians across the board have a sense of entitlement towards. Over and above what's in their Rulebook of dodginess.

From other posts, it shouldn't be some comparison with other wretched people or parties. Any of that is up for discussion too. Personally, I doubt my opinion changes regardless of who it is. Just the level of disappointment, when they turn out to be no better.

The football one seems like a good plan. Long supporting PM still gets to watch his team, is safer doing so, disrupts crowds less and it's cheaper for us apparently too.

Except that it's being used as a distraction from all the other things, and importantly the PL are front and centre in opposing the powers of a football regulator.

Of course, the PM couldn't possibly be involved, and I'm sure everyone who is works in an integrity proof silo.

Elsewhere donors got positions or access to no 10.

Since none of them are passing the sniff test on cronies, access and donations, it becomes hard to trust them on anything. Preventable and setting up needless barriers, with all the work ahead.

To have looked to start so strongly, only to be tripped up by this level of avoidable integrity issues is disheartening. Like early season hopes going wrong, it gats more of a reaction from me.

Perhaps, in parallel with the Lord's reforms, they could have a close look at their own structures and finances. Instead of being dragged into reluctantly making concessions to integrity.

[Holmes_and_Watson]

24 minutes ago, Weston Super Saint said:

Apparently SKS has dropped 20 odd points in the opinion polls.

Who the fuck is he losing out to? 

I'd not underestimate the surge in Gloucester Saint's popularity. 🙂

 

Is this an approval one, where all of them can get negative ratings, rather than having to pick one over the other?

Because, unless the Lettuce is making a political comeback, I've no idea either. 🙂

[hypochondriac]

1 hour ago, egg said:

I'm not drawing an equivalence. I'm saying there is none. 

Good. Let's hope others on here can similarly judge labour on their own terms without referring to a different political party. 

[hypochondriac]

28 minutes ago, Holmes_and_Watson said:

I'd not underestimate the surge in Gloucester Saint's popularity. 🙂

 

Is this an approval one, where all of them can get negative ratings, rather than having to pick one over the other?

Because, unless the Lettuce is making a political comeback, I've no idea either. 🙂

Gloucester saint is just trying to be all things to all people. He's the centrist candidate of saintsweb. 

[whelk]

3 minutes ago, hypochondriac said:

Gloucester saint is just trying to be all things to all people. He's the centrist candidate of saintsweb. 

I will only respect him if he fills in GM at some point

[AlexLaw76]

Hardly the crime of the century, but neither was being gifted very expensive wallpaper. Trouble is, Starmer and co demanded resignations for that, despite being the biggest recipient of freebees going. 

Also, was reported this morning that good old David Lammy was 'gifted' in the region of about £10k from the Saudi's....just weeks before he became the Foreign Secretary.....I wonder if he will resign?

 

Our new government, same as the old lot but with better PR. 

Edited September 21 by AlexLaw76

[sadoldgit]

1 hour ago, AlexLaw76 said:

Hardly the crime of the century, but neither was being gifted very expensive wallpaper. Trouble is, Starmer and co demanded resignations for that, despite being the biggest recipient of freebees going. 

Also, was reported this morning that good old David Lammy was 'gifted' in the region of about £10k from the Saudi's....just weeks before he became the Foreign Secretary.....I wonder if he will resign?

 

Our new government, same as the old lot but with better PR. 

No one has suggested that it was the crime of the century buy perhaps you have forgotten what actually happened?

A reminder for you.

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/boris-johnson-wallpaper-gold-flat-carrie-invoice-b2118185.html

Were there any demands for resignations where people had followed the rules and there were no whiffs of corruption or malpractice?

Edited September 21 by sadoldgit

[Lord Duckhunter]

11 hours ago, sadoldgit said:

Can we expect to see Arsenal FC given byes to the semi finals of the FA Cup whilst Labour are in power?

Had Sunak been gifted a hospitality box at St Mary’s you’d have been the first one pontificating about it. 
 

The great thing about this Government’s appalling start to their time in office, is it’s shown the complete and utter hypocrisy of many posters on here. 
 

 

[The Kraken]

5 minutes ago, Lord Duckhunter said:

The great thing about this Government’s appalling start to their time in office, is it’s shown the complete and utter hypocrisy of many posters on here. 

The really clever part is that you’re one of them 🤣

[Mixedkebab]

Funny to see how many people are still supporting pathetic cunt politicians just because they feel they have to dislike the pathetic cunt’s opposition party due to a now antiquated historical bias.

UK Party politics is a fetid, fly blown, glistening turd floating across the surface of ordinary people’s lives. The simpering cuntbubbles from the 2 main parties say whatever shit they think will get them a bit of power and wealth. 
Gimpy plums who hold contemporary Labour or Tory politicians in high regard are off their fucking barnets, living well and truly in the past.

Edited September 22 by Mixedkebab

[StDunko]

7 hours ago, Mixedkebab said:

Funny to see how many people are still supporting pathetic cunt politicians just because they feel they have to dislike the pathetic cunt’s opposition party due to a now antiquated historical bias.

UK Party politics is a fetid, fly blown, glistening turd floating across the surface of ordinary people’s lives. The simpering cuntbubbles from the 2 main parties say whatever shit they think will get them a bit of power and wealth. 
Gimpy plums who hold contemporary Labour or Tory politicians in high regard are off their fucking barnets, living well and truly in the past.

So you're saying you're a massive Ed Davey fanboy?

[Lord Duckhunter]

Can I suggest a new emoji on here. 
 

 

 

Edited September 22 by Lord Duckhunter

[Gloucester Saint]

45 minutes ago, StDunko said:

So you're saying you're a massive Ed Davey fanboy?

Wouldn’t say I was a Davey fanboy but does partly explain why I vote Lib Dem.

[whelk]

8 hours ago, Mixedkebab said:

Funny to see how many people are still supporting pathetic cunt politicians just because they feel they have to dislike the pathetic cunt’s opposition party due to a now antiquated historical bias.

UK Party politics is a fetid, fly blown, glistening turd floating across the surface of ordinary people’s lives. The simpering cuntbubbles from the 2 main parties say whatever shit they think will get them a bit of power and wealth. 
Gimpy plums who hold contemporary Labour or Tory politicians in high regard are off their fucking barnets, living well and truly in the past.

Planning permission turned down?

[rallyboy]

52 minutes ago, Lord Duckhunter said:

Can I suggest a new emoji on here. 
 

 

Yeah, as soon as you apologise.

 

[AlexLaw76]

They were all at it.... 🤣

https://x.com/AaronBastani/status/1837775602905997453

[Weston Super Saint]

2 minutes ago, AlexLaw76 said:

They were all at it.... 🤣

https://x.com/AaronBastani/status/1837775602905997453

It's fine though as they didn't give out any favours.  People just give them money because they can.

[Holmes_and_Watson]

15 minutes ago, Weston Super Saint said:

It's fine though as they didn't give out any favours.  People just give them money because they can.

That's a relief to hear.

For a minute I was thinking it was an event held by a party, desperate to placate vested interest groups that the gravy train would be just fine once they got into power, actually paying for lobbyists to attend so they could build relationships for further scams.

Also relieved to hear it being deflected with a reference to going out for a pizza. A successful tactic with royal endorsement.

Any other concerns behind removed by it all being within the rules, never mind how utterly crooked those rules were set up to be.

Good to hear we've now got a government not beholden to the old sleazy ways. One that makes the calls normal, decent folk would make. Perhaps they could throw an event to celebrate? Actually, that would be a flimsy, wasteful pretext. Like hosting it around a birthday.

[whelk]

BBC lead story about Rayner. Look at Sky News for other news stories Fucking Tory mouthpiece these days. Have really  come round to supporting scrapping the licence fee the content is so poor and nothing unique to them anymore. 

[Weston Super Saint]

35 minutes ago, whelk said:

BBC lead story about Rayner. Look at Sky News for other news stories Fucking Tory mouthpiece these days. Have really  come round to supporting scrapping the licence fee the content is so poor and nothing unique to them anymore. 

In other news, man complains because news channel reports news.

[Holmes_and_Watson]

Rayner falling in with the "I followed the rules."

Despite the justifiable criticism of previous governments and saying they are for real change, it's the same old excuse and obliviousness to the rules not being fit to run a transparent government. Something anyone not having their face in a trough would be able to see.

Now looking to more on the Conservative leadership candidates to balance my weekend moans with their wretched picks.

[hypochondriac]

45 minutes ago, whelk said:

BBC lead story about Rayner. Look at Sky News for other news stories Fucking Tory mouthpiece these days. Have really  come round to supporting scrapping the licence fee the content is so poor and nothing unique to them anymore. 

I'm not sure your continued attempts to suggest this isn't newsworthy is working particularly well. 

[Mixedkebab]

1 hour ago, whelk said:

BBC lead story about Rayner. Look at Sky News for other news stories Fucking Tory mouthpiece these days. Have really  come round to supporting scrapping the licence fee the content is so poor and nothing unique to them anymore. 

Write her a poem mate. Will help you deal with this unrequited love and she might get one of her servants to cast their eyes over it.

[Weston Super Saint]

8 hours ago, Mixedkebab said:

Write her a poem mate. Will help you deal with this unrequited love and she might get one of her servants to cast their eyes over it.

Maybe she'll get her phtographer to send him a picture?

[whelk]

9 hours ago, hypochondriac said:

I'm not sure your continued attempts to suggest this isn't newsworthy is working particularly well. 

Fodder for all you Tories who loathe Labour but pretend you are ‘no fan of the Tories’. Quite transparent who is getting a hard on for such exciting news

[Gloucester Saint]

9 hours ago, Holmes_and_Watson said:

Rayner falling in with the "I followed the rules."

Despite the justifiable criticism of previous governments and saying they are for real change, it's the same old excuse and obliviousness to the rules not being fit to run a transparent government. Something anyone not having their face in a trough would be able to see.

Now looking to more on the Conservative leadership candidates to balance my weekend moans with their wretched picks.

Only really the Lib Dem’s are relatively clean at the moment - Labour not helping their cause with the freebies, Tory candidates saying weird things about working in McDs equating to being working class and English identity whilst the lead runner is mired in huge corruption, and Farage doesn’t turn up to half of the Parliamentary votes and incredibly still doesn’t have a constituency office set up. I’m sure the Lib Dem’s are capable of self-destructing too. And people wonder why there’s apathy. 

Starmer needs the sack the staff whining and leaking about the Sue Graham salary. The country had years of that with what came before them, so far they’ve not been too bad with getting on with governing but critical early tests coming up now.

[whelk]

8 hours ago, Mixedkebab said:

Write her a poem mate. Will help you deal with this unrequited love and she might get one of her servants to cast their eyes over it.

All the same eh? Who do you want in charge? An emperor or are you an anarchist? Bet you know fuck all about Rayner and just a thick fucker who likes to get angry but no solutions

[Gloucester Saint]

Just now, whelk said:

All the same eh? Who do you want in charge? An emperor or are you an anarchist? Bet you know fuck all about Rayner and just a thick fucker who likes to get angry but no solutions

If they get the NHS waiting lists down, GP access better, trains running consistently, and economy visibly stable/debt under control then this is chicken feed. I think Starmer has to get rid of the leakers and whiners on Gray though, they’re running straight to Chris Mason et al and the public don’t reward parties who are constantly fighting having had a decade of it.

[badgerx16]

35 minutes ago, Gloucester Saint said:

........ Farage doesn’t turn up to half of the Parliamentary votes........

But claims on LBC that he was there and voted, despite being recorded as "no vote cast".

[Holmes_and_Watson]

1 hour ago, Gloucester Saint said:

Only really the Lib Dem’s are relatively clean at the moment - Labour not helping their cause with the freebies, Tory candidates saying weird things about working in McDs equating to being working class and English identity whilst the lead runner is mired in huge corruption, and Farage doesn’t turn up to half of the Parliamentary votes and incredibly still doesn’t have a constituency office set up. I’m sure the Lib Dem’s are capable of self-destructing too. And people wonder why there’s apathy. 

Starmer needs the sack the staff whining and leaking about the Sue Graham salary. The country had years of that with what came before them, so far they’ve not been too bad with getting on with governing but critical early tests coming up now.

Ed Davey and the post office springs to mind.

[Mixedkebab]

1 hour ago, whelk said:

All the same eh? Who do you want in charge? An emperor or are you an anarchist? Bet you know fuck all about Rayner and just a thick fucker who likes to get angry but no solutions

Ange, Ange, Whelk longs to see your flange

He gets all puffed up on forums protecting your honour

If you invited him to New York he’d crack a boner 

[Gloucester Saint]

58 minutes ago, Holmes_and_Watson said:

Ed Davey and the post office springs to mind.

He could have been empathetic on Bates’s correspondence, will say that, and challenged Vennells more, but Swinson and Paul Scully should have done more as there was more evidence coming to light from PO and Fujitsu failings by the mid-10s. At lot of the reveals were also down to good determined journalism by the likes of Nick Wallis.

Edited September 23 by Gloucester Saint

[whelk]

1 hour ago, Mixedkebab said:

Ange, Ange, Whelk longs to see your flange

He gets all puffed up on forums protecting your honour

If you invited him to New York he’d crack a boner 

Dreadful slant rhyme but good effort 

[Holmes_and_Watson]

1 hour ago, Gloucester Saint said:

He could have been empathetic on Bates’s correspondence, will say that, and challenged Vennells more, but Swinson and Paul Scully should have done more as there was more evidence coming to light from PO and Fujitsu failings by the mid-10s. At lot of the reveals were also down to good determined journalism by the likes of Nick Wallis.

His role, under his watch (and others) was essentially pointless. He offered no challenge, no curiosity and happily went down the path of zero resistance. That was when it was clear something was very wrong, just from the press.

Never mind his contacts with Bates. I think Davey said that the PO lied to him in their response. I'd have thought further correspondence, or asking a question or two, might have taken that further. Patel also tried to set up a meeting with him, that never went anywhere.

I get that he has a reliance on others. But it's his responsibility to not take everything he's told as fact. It's not good enough to take the role, the perks and the salary and then say that none of the rest of the people in his role put their hands up.

I can't say I'm likely to vote for a party where that's what they consider good governance. I'm disappointed they didn't punt him from leadership when it came out.

That started out in my head as a chatty reply. I'm clearly still annoyed by him.

[badgerx16]

Given the announcement by the Defence Secretary that people suffering from bad acne will now be accepted into the armed forces, training sergeants are going to have to find an alternative insult to use, as "You spotty oik" is now simply descriptive.

Edited September 23 by badgerx16

[hypochondriac]

5 hours ago, whelk said:

Fodder for all you Tories who loathe Labour but pretend you are ‘no fan of the Tories’. Quite transparent who is getting a hard on for such exciting news

I'm not a tory. Not sure how many times I have to criticise them. Boris did nothing whilst in chance and utterly wasted the chance he had to achieve something. They were nothing but a total disappointment in power. 

[hypochondriac]

5 hours ago, Gloucester Saint said:

If they get the NHS waiting lists down, GP access better, trains running consistently, and economy visibly stable/debt under control then this is chicken feed. I think Starmer has to get rid of the leakers and whiners on Gray though, they’re running straight to Chris Mason et al and the public don’t reward parties who are constantly fighting having had a decade of it.

Hard to disagree with that. They also need to look to deal with immigration too if they want to be successful. Remains to be seen if they will manage that. 

[Holmes_and_Watson]

8 hours ago, Gloucester Saint said:

If they get the NHS waiting lists down, GP access better, trains running consistently, and economy visibly stable/debt under control then this is chicken feed. I think Starmer has to get rid of the leakers and whiners on Gray though, they’re running straight to Chris Mason et al and the public don’t reward parties who are constantly fighting having had a decade of it.

I started typing that yes, considering the impact, what's been reported (and keeping to that is indeed small stuff.)

Then I thought that I don't see why we can't have all of that, and for a bit of internal reform to be going on as well.

Then I thought of the people delighted to fast track their friends into ripping off the tax payer during a global emergency. Maybe having more trustworthy people in there does help.

So, all of that to be cut and pasted into something concise. 🙂

Not so much the Gray thing, but I quite like seeing different views in a party. They are broad places, so getting some hint at the back stabbing is more honest than a single voice towing the party line. That never ends well.

With Labour, the unions and those to the left are never far away. And I don't mean that in a terrible way. There are strong voices supporting different factions. I don't mind getting to hear some differing views on how a common goal can be achieved.

Of course, you're right about how opponents jump on it, how divisions and power grabs arise and how it all ends in unlectable tears.

[The Left Back]

I'd like to see Starmer this week painting a picture of the country that we can all get behind. But I have a feeling he and his Government are not ready for that.

All the time they are spending currently fixing the basics while defending various accusations (that are frankly conference standard scandals compared to the Champions league efforts of the previous lot) probably won't do them any harm in the long term.  In fact it might help them get through this 'get shit done while being very unpopular' phase without having to nail their long term colours to the mast.

By the time we next get to vote I'm hoping we can see a real difference in both how the country is run and also the society and economy we are aspiring to be.  In the meantime it's all a bit of a pantomime for the masses while the real policy work goes on relatively unscrutinised.

[Gloucester Saint]

3 hours ago, Holmes_and_Watson said:

I started typing that yes, considering the impact, what's been reported (and keeping to that is indeed small stuff.)

Then I thought that I don't see why we can't have all of that, and for a bit of internal reform to be going on as well.

Then I thought of the people delighted to fast track their friends into ripping off the tax payer during a global emergency. Maybe having more trustworthy people in there does help.

So, all of that to be cut and pasted into something concise. 🙂

Not so much the Gray thing, but I quite like seeing different views in a party. They are broad places, so getting some hint at the back stabbing is more honest than a single voice towing the party line. That never ends well.

With Labour, the unions and those to the left are never far away. And I don't mean that in a terrible way. There are strong voices supporting different factions. I don't mind getting to hear some differing views on how a common goal can be achieved.

Of course, you're right about how opponents jump on it, how divisions and power grabs arise and how it all ends in unlectable tears.

The mood music 🎵 seems to be that Simon Case is the aggrieved party re Sue Gray salary and leaking - put up or shut up I suspect. Boris appointment so could be the most politically expedient to depart if it comes to it.

[Holmes_and_Watson]

5 minutes ago, Gloucester Saint said:

The mood music 🎵 seems to be that Simon Case is the aggrieved party re Sue Gray salary and leaking - put up or shut up I suspect. Boris appointment so could be the most politically expedient to depart if it comes to it.

They have some history don't they. Case having been around a number of Conservative PMs.

I thought they'd asked Case to investigate the leaks. So, that's a bit awkward.

[whelk]

1 hour ago, The Left Back said:

I'd like to see Starmer this week painting a picture of the country that we can all get behind. But I have a feeling he and his Government are not ready for that.

All the time they are spending currently fixing the basics while defending various accusations (that are frankly conference standard scandals compared to the Champions league efforts of the previous lot) probably won't do them any harm in the long term.  In fact it might help them get through this 'get shit done while being very unpopular' phase without having to nail their long term colours to the mast.

By the time we next get to vote I'm hoping we can see a real difference in both how the country is run and also the society and economy we are aspiring to be.  In the meantime it's all a bit of a pantomime for the masses while the real policy work goes on relatively unscrutinised.

Wish they’d listen Mariana Mazzucato, an economics professor who was on CH4 news explaining why they need to invest

[hypochondriac]

On 22/09/2024 at 21:42, whelk said:

BBC lead story about Rayner. Look at Sky News for other news stories Fucking Tory mouthpiece these days. Have really  come round to supporting scrapping the licence fee the content is so poor and nothing unique to them anymore. 

All a confected story with none of these freebies influencing government policy?