Best Of

This header sums up Starmer's hypocrisy rather well.

Similar tweets and statements from Starmer can be identified on the Winter Fuel Allowance, Foreign Aid cuts, WASPI women, the PM (Sunak at the time) taking what SKS perceived to be unnecessary flights, failing to declare donations, and so on.

I don't actually dramatically disagree with Starmer's actions when he reduces WFA and Foreign Aid, refuses to compensate the WASPI women and goes on lots of foreign trips - all necessary measures. But did he have to be so achingly sanctimonious when he thought others were doing it?

Likewise, I didn't see what the big deal was about the Lord Alli donations - mainly I was very glad that someone else's money had been wasted on needlessly expensive clothes and accessories, rather than my own - but we can be sure that if a PM of a different party had done it that Starmer would have been among the first to pass judgement on such moral failings.

Boris Johnson's arrogance was that knew he was a scoundrel, but wrongly assumed that he could always get away with it.

Starmer's arrogance is of a different sort; he seems to think that anything he does is virtuous because he is the one doing it, but is excessively sanctimonious when his opponents to do exactly the same thing. Most politicians are like this to an extent, but I am not sure I have ever seen it done with such an air of assumed moral superiority before.

This all drives me a little bonkers, but in truth it has very little consequence regarding the running of the government and will not be a defining issue in the next general election, even for me.

On-topic, I agree with the overall consensus that Starmer is thankfully getting on well with Trump, with similar scenes to that of Trump's first visit from Theresa May.

I'm broadly right of centre but mainly centrist in outlook. What used to annoy me about the left was the idea that only left wing politics was virtuous. That anything the left did was for the morally correct reasons. And the idea that the Tories were scum, uncaring, only in it for themselves etc.

The same applies the other way - self-righteous right wingers insistent that Labour are this that and the other.

My politics have become more radical in recent years, but the radical centre. I don't care if the solution that works is left or right. Political ideology is generally a Bad Thing. Used to wind me up good and proper in the Labour Party. Now as a LibDem I get to speak to people who are classic Liberals, old school social democrats, ex Labour, ex Tory and even the occasional ex Nat. Much better.

FPT:

It's a good job Starmer wasn't a barrister.

Oh...

I do think [failure to back Canada] was a mis-step - it made Starmer look unneccessarly craven. There was also a better answer available to the question of whether we could beat Russia. BUT... that said, dealing with Trump at such a finely balanced time was a hospital pass.

It will be fascinaring to read the accounts of what was going on in the background. It seems that Trump had not as good a hand as he thought. Probably was told by Macron that the Europeans would undercut any Ukraine deal if Trump didn't treat Ukraine/Zelenskyy with more respect. Trump's position has undergone quite the volte face. Denying he would have ever have dissed Zelenskyy, renewing the sanctions against Russia for another year...it does seem that the grown-ups have been busy in the background. We'll see how today's signing goes.

But I suspect Russia is spitting teeth. Their entire strategy in Ukraine has been about survivng to the point where Trump freezes the conflict. Yesterday was terrible for Putin - 2,710 casualties, 13 tanks lost, 38 armoured personnel carriers, 92 artillery systems. Russian and North Korean troops under siege within Kursk - Russia proper - with those trying to relieve them being destroyed. Ammunition not getting to the front.

It's a shit show for Putin.

This header sums up Starmer's hypocrisy rather well.

Similar tweets and statements from Starmer can be identified on the Winter Fuel Allowance, Foreign Aid cuts, WASPI women, the PM (Sunak at the time) taking what SKS perceived to be unnecessary flights, failing to declare donations, and so on.

I don't actually dramatically disagree with Starmer's actions when he reduces WFA and Foreign Aid, refuses to compensate the WASPI women and goes on lots of foreign trips - all necessary measures. But did he have to be so achingly sanctimonious when he thought others were doing it?

Likewise, I didn't see what the big deal was about the Lord Alli donations - mainly I was very glad that someone else's money had been wasted on needlessly expensive clothes and accessories, rather than my own - but we can be sure that if a PM of a different party had done it that Starmer would have been among the first to pass judgement on such moral failings.

Boris Johnson's arrogance was that knew he was a scoundrel, but wrongly assumed that he could always get away with it.

Starmer's arrogance is of a different sort; he seems to think that anything he does is virtuous because he is the one doing it, but is excessively sanctimonious when his opponents to do exactly the same thing. Most politicians are like this to an extent, but I am not sure I have ever seen it done with such an air of assumed moral superiority before.

This all drives me a little bonkers, but in truth it has very little consequence regarding the running of the government and will not be a defining issue in the next general election, even for me.

On-topic, I agree with the overall consensus that Starmer is thankfully getting on well with Trump, with similar scenes to that of Trump's first visit from Theresa May.

A selection of views from Canada about Starmer:

https://x.com/susandelacourt/status/1895222310791192656

Ahem, Prime Minister @Keir_Starmer. That was a very good question on Canada and Trump's threats to this country, and with all respect, you blew the answer and threw us under the bus. Not feeling all that Commonwealthy right now.

https://x.com/levittmichael/status/1895286961600110970

Watching Keir Starmer’s groveling performance at the White House today was infuriating. At a time when Canada needed real support, he threw us under the bus without hesitation. An absolute disgrace!!

https://x.com/stphnmaher/status/1895286326246940890

I had kind of liked him. Now I suddenly despise him.

I did watch the press conference and thought that was the most shameful answer.

He could have just not answered the question and said 'We have a very strong relationship with Canada and continue to work closely with both them and our European friends" or something and not thrown them under the bus.

I am in agreement with you, @Casino_Royale and @williamglenn.

Your answer is the correct one.

A selection of views from Canada about Starmer:

https://x.com/susandelacourt/status/1895222310791192656

Ahem, Prime Minister @Keir_Starmer. That was a very good question on Canada and Trump's threats to this country, and with all respect, you blew the answer and threw us under the bus. Not feeling all that Commonwealthy right now.

https://x.com/levittmichael/status/1895286961600110970

Watching Keir Starmer’s groveling performance at the White House today was infuriating. At a time when Canada needed real support, he threw us under the bus without hesitation. An absolute disgrace!!

https://x.com/stphnmaher/status/1895286326246940890

I had kind of liked him. Now I suddenly despise him.

We should be backing Canada. 100%.

There was silence on here when Trump was attacking Canada previously. It's only when Starmer fails to defend them that it's suddenly an issue.

That's simply not true.