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The next general election is going to be all about tactical voting. Britons are very good at tactical voting and centre-left Britons are especially good at it. One thing that I am a little more sure about today is that there is a majority of us who really hate Reform and its dishonest and divisive approach to politics, and I think that this majority may be more effective than people expect at locking Reform out of power.

Rather a shame, though, that there's unlikely to be any interest from that present majority to address the issues that motivate others to become Reform voters.

I don't think that is right at all. Labour is absolutely focused on fixing the asylum system so that those without a valid claim can be deported quickly, it is focused on cutting the huge backlog it inherited in the NHS, it is focused on housebuilding to deal with the massive housing shortage it inherited... but all of these things take time and so we will only see the results in coming years. To deal with the country's problems we need competence and steady progress, not populist slogans, scaremongering and scapegoating.

We do, but sadly competence isn't something I've associated with this government so far in its short service.

They have already started to reduce the NHS waiting list (slowly) after it rose from 2mn to 8mn under the Tories. Money is tight and the machinery of government has atrophied in recent decades so I don't expect spectacular improvements, but behind the scenes this government has started the slow process of turning things around, IMHO.

They have and it is an improvement on Sunak, Truss and Johnson sure. But they are way too timid, unambitious and lacking in ideas on delivery.

And just as bad as Sunak and Truss, and far worse than Johnson in selling what they are doing to the voting public.

Well done to Plaid.

But 0% to 36% in one election cycle is pretty impressive too. Or should that be pretty worrying?

Good morning, everybody.

Adonis has told Guardian he thinks it shows how a group of voters will get behind whoever seems strongest/likeliest at the time to block Reform.

Seems to me there's a strong echo here of the exercise we went through which ultimately led to Brexit. No worries, chaps, we can block out all the concerns that these stupid people are expressing.

Until it was too late.

Brexit is the perfect example, of course, of why it is essential not to let right wing populists win.

I'd rephrase that somewhat. Brexit is the perfect example of why it is essential to deal properly with the concerns that drive people into the right wing populist camp before those people get there.

I don't disagree with that at all.

The next general election is going to be all about tactical voting. Britons are very good at tactical voting and centre-left Britons are especially good at it. One thing that I am a little more sure about today is that there is a majority of us who really hate Reform and its dishonest and divisive approach to politics, and I think that this majority may be more effective than people expect at locking Reform out of power.

Rather a shame, though, that there's unlikely to be any interest from that present majority to address the issues that motivate others to become Reform voters.

I don't think that is right at all. Labour is absolutely focused on fixing the asylum system so that those without a valid claim can be deported quickly, it is focused on cutting the huge backlog it inherited in the NHS, it is focused on housebuilding to deal with the massive housing shortage it inherited... but all of these things take time and so we will only see the results in coming years. To deal with the country's problems we need competence and steady progress, not populist slogans, scaremongering and scapegoating.

We do, but sadly competence isn't something I've associated with this government so far in its short service.

They have already started to reduce the NHS waiting list (slowly) after it rose from 2mn to 8mn under the Tories. Money is tight and the machinery of government has atrophied in recent decades so I don't expect spectacular improvements, but behind the scenes this government has started the slow process of turning things around, IMHO.

More StaLLMer.. I can't wait to get the POWER he's so generously granting us

Keir Starmer
@Keir_Starmer
·
21m
I recently spoke with someone buying a house with her partner.

She told me that she had to pay just to verify who she was.

With digital ID that could be done in seconds and wipe out the costs.

Digital ID will save you time and money.

https://x.com/Keir_Starmer/status/1981618379850228183

Thing is, Boring Old Starmer is right, but he's not really talking to you this time.

When you are starting out in life, with new jobs/houses/financial arrangements, you have to prove your identity a lot. And at the moment, doing so involves various somewhat leaky ways that are a PITA.

If you are established, those issues largely melt away; we saw that with voter ID. And someone here (eek?) who points out that it's easier for companies to take on foreigners than young locals, because they have ID papers in place.