Newsnight have Poppy whatnot on from the Telegraph. She's just said "They are saying this is worse than the Profumo Affair". The only person who has said that is Nigel Farage. I really can't believe that they keep puuting her on. She hates Starmer. and is totally hopeless.
I really don't think she's the only person in the country who hates Starmer...
Not even the only one on PB
The Only SKS Fan In The Village?
Do we have a single Starmer supporter other than the pet troll?
I am a Tory but would rather have Starmer than Rayner or Ed Miliband
Starmer has been very ineffective. The continuity Sunak policies were not what people voted for.
Starmer has to go. Milliband would be a disaster of Johnsonian proportions.
I don't like Rayner but she has more about her than Starmer, Milliband or Streeting.
Maybe Elon Musk has done something most PBers would approve of.
"Starlink shutdown sends Russian soldiers back to Dark Ages Almost 90 per cent of Russian units have lost connections after Elon Musk ordered the switch-off" (£)
Maybe Elon Musk has done something most PBers would approve of.
"Starlink shutdown sends Russian soldiers back to Dark Ages Almost 90 per cent of Russian units have lost connections after Elon Musk ordered the switch-off" (£)
Oh don't get me wrong, I approve of that. And it's not the first time he's done it. But it's the Superman problem: he is an individual who can save or damn states through his great wealth. No one man should have all that power, but in the 2020s we are breeding individuals - Musk, Thiel, Zuck, Bezos, etc - that do.
It doesn't matter whether they are supervillains or superheroes, it's the "super" that's the problem.
Maybe Elon Musk has done something most PBers would approve of.
"Starlink shutdown sends Russian soldiers back to Dark Ages Almost 90 per cent of Russian units have lost connections after Elon Musk ordered the switch-off" (£)
Oh don't get me wrong, I approve of that. And it's not the first time he's done it. But it's the Superman problem: he is an individual who can save or damn states through his great wealth. No one man should have all that power, but in the 2020s we are breeding individuals - Musk, Thiel, Zuck, Bezos, etc - that do.
It doesn't matter whether they are supervillains or superheroes, it's the "super" that's the problem.
Not just individuals but nation states as well. It is the same fear that China can disable London buses.
Maybe Elon Musk has done something most PBers would approve of.
"Starlink shutdown sends Russian soldiers back to Dark Ages Almost 90 per cent of Russian units have lost connections after Elon Musk ordered the switch-off" (£)
Oh don't get me wrong, I approve of that. And it's not the first time he's done it. But it's the Superman problem: he is an individual who can save or damn states through his great wealth. No one man should have all that power, but in the 2020s we are breeding individuals - Musk, Thiel, Zuck, Bezos, etc - that do.
It doesn't matter whether they are supervillains or superheroes, it's the "super" that's the problem.
We can legitimately ask "what took him four years to do it?" too.
Maybe Elon Musk has done something most PBers would approve of.
"Starlink shutdown sends Russian soldiers back to Dark Ages Almost 90 per cent of Russian units have lost connections after Elon Musk ordered the switch-off" (£)
I can't get my head around the wheels within wheels on that one yet. Is he perhaps in some aspect survival mode?
Musky baby is an unapologetic neo (or actual) fascist, trying to drive such politics. If I have to reach for a political analog, it would be around apartheid supporting tycoons in South Africa, or the true-believer industrialists who funded the Third Reich.
I think - subject to European democracies successfully facing down the extremist right and maintaining a democratic polity (which it is touch and go whether the USA will lose) - it will be Europe & other politicians in 1st world that put him in his place as the Trump / America First / MAGA initiated spiral of decline takes hold in the USA and makes it America Alone.
Newsnight have Poppy whatnot on from the Telegraph. She's just said "They are saying this is worse than the Profumo Affair". The only person who has said that is Nigel Farage. I really can't believe that they keep puuting her on. She hates Starmer. and is totally hopeless.
I really don't think she's the only person in the country who hates Starmer...
Not even the only one on PB
The Only SKS Fan In The Village?
Do we have a single Starmer supporter other than the pet troll?
I am a Tory but would rather have Starmer than Rayner or Ed Miliband
Starmer has been very ineffective. The continuity Sunak policies were not what people voted for.
Starmer has to go. Milliband would be a disaster of Johnsonian proportions.
I don't like Rayner but she has more about her than Starmer, Milliband or Streeting.
I think that Starmer will turn out to have been effective on a lot of small but strategic areas, but those are things that do not animate the electorate.
But he wants to be a Civil Servant not a political PM, and this is a time that requires a political PM. Farage is there to be disembowelled politically in a hundred ways, and the Tories gutted the party but are left with the stinking entrails which could be exposed.
But Starmer to me has neither the cunning nor the application to put 100 stakes through the vampire's chest, and at once to do solid political reforms in a limited number of areas.
So he's playing with pieces of jigsaw over a cup of tea.
Newsnight have Poppy whatnot on from the Telegraph. She's just said "They are saying this is worse than the Profumo Affair". The only person who has said that is Nigel Farage. I really can't believe that they keep puuting her on. She hates Starmer. and is totally hopeless.
I really don't think she's the only person in the country who hates Starmer...
Not even the only one on PB
The Only SKS Fan In The Village?
Do we have a single Starmer supporter other than the pet troll?
I don't hate Starmer. There isn't enough there to hate. He is a middle manager of the middling sort.
He is Gordon Brittas!
Gordon Brittas: It is seven years to the day since the first member of the public walked through those doors.
Gavin Featherly: And you threw him out, Mr. Brittas!
Gordon Brittas: He was wearing unauthorised water wings, Gavin.
Newsnight have Poppy whatnot on from the Telegraph. She's just said "They are saying this is worse than the Profumo Affair". The only person who has said that is Nigel Farage. I really can't believe that they keep puuting her on. She hates Starmer. and is totally hopeless.
I really don't think she's the only person in the country who hates Starmer...
Not even the only one on PB
The Only SKS Fan In The Village?
Do we have a single Starmer supporter other than the pet troll?
I'm Spartacus!
I've been frustrated with Starmer, but I broadly think he's been doing a good job without getting any credit for it.
I think if he does stand down before the next election, he'll be remembered a bit like John Major. Not an exceptional PM, but better with the benefit of perspective.
Newsnight have Poppy whatnot on from the Telegraph. She's just said "They are saying this is worse than the Profumo Affair". The only person who has said that is Nigel Farage. I really can't believe that they keep puuting her on. She hates Starmer. and is totally hopeless.
I really don't think she's the only person in the country who hates Starmer...
Not even the only one on PB
The Only SKS Fan In The Village?
Do we have a single Starmer supporter other than the pet troll?
I'm Spartacus!
I've been frustrated with Starmer, but I broadly think he's been doing a good job without getting any credit for it.
I think if he does stand down before the next election, he'll be remembered a bit like John Major. Not an exceptional PM, but better with the benefit of perspective.
The bar was set very low with Johnson and Truss but like his immediate predecessor, Sunak, he cleared it comfortably by simply being honest and industrious. That's all I asked for. You could say that's all I got, but I'll settle for that.
Newsnight have Poppy whatnot on from the Telegraph. She's just said "They are saying this is worse than the Profumo Affair". The only person who has said that is Nigel Farage. I really can't believe that they keep puuting her on. She hates Starmer. and is totally hopeless.
I really don't think she's the only person in the country who hates Starmer...
Not even the only one on PB
The Only SKS Fan In The Village?
Do we have a single Starmer supporter other than the pet troll?
I'm Spartacus!
I've been frustrated with Starmer, but I broadly think he's been doing a good job without getting any credit for it.
I think if he does stand down before the next election, he'll be remembered a bit like John Major. Not an exceptional PM, but better with the benefit of perspective.
The bar was set very low with Johnson and Truss but like his immediate predecessor, Sunak, he cleared it comfortably by simply being honest and industrious. That's all I asked for. You could say that's all I got, but I'll settle for that.
I’d like some degree of competence too. He’s just not very good or effective. Labour talk a good fight but just fail to deliver in many key areas and he simply blames the civil servants. Even Streeting called that out.. He was fatally wounded when he couldn’t get some modest changes to the benefits bill through, not cuts but simply slowing the rate of growth.
We need to turn our attention to who comes next and will they be any better ?
Labour are addicted to tax and spend and welfarism. This won’t end well.
Newsnight have Poppy whatnot on from the Telegraph. She's just said "They are saying this is worse than the Profumo Affair". The only person who has said that is Nigel Farage. I really can't believe that they keep puuting her on. She hates Starmer. and is totally hopeless.
I really don't think she's the only person in the country who hates Starmer...
Not even the only one on PB
The Only SKS Fan In The Village?
Do we have a single Starmer supporter other than the pet troll?
I'm Spartacus!
I've been frustrated with Starmer, but I broadly think he's been doing a good job without getting any credit for it.
I think if he does stand down before the next election, he'll be remembered a bit like John Major. Not an exceptional PM, but better with the benefit of perspective.
The bar was set very low with Johnson and Truss but like his immediate predecessor, Sunak, he cleared it comfortably by simply being honest and industrious. That's all I asked for. You could say that's all I got, but I'll settle for that.
I also wanted honest and industrious. I don't believe we got either.
Newsnight have Poppy whatnot on from the Telegraph. She's just said "They are saying this is worse than the Profumo Affair". The only person who has said that is Nigel Farage. I really can't believe that they keep puuting her on. She hates Starmer. and is totally hopeless.
I really don't think she's the only person in the country who hates Starmer...
Not even the only one on PB
The Only SKS Fan In The Village?
Do we have a single Starmer supporter other than the pet troll?
I'm Spartacus!
I've been frustrated with Starmer, but I broadly think he's been doing a good job without getting any credit for it.
I think if he does stand down before the next election, he'll be remembered a bit like John Major. Not an exceptional PM, but better with the benefit of perspective.
The bar was set very low with Johnson and Truss but like his immediate predecessor, Sunak, he cleared it comfortably by simply being honest and industrious. That's all I asked for. You could say that's all I got, but I'll settle for that.
I’d like some degree of competence too. He’s just not very good or effective. Labour talk a good fight but just fail to deliver in many key areas and he simply blames the civil servants. Even Streeting called that out.. He was fatally wounded when he couldn’t get some modest changes to the benefits bill through, not cuts but simply slowing the rate of growth.
We need to turn our attention to who comes next and will they be any better ?
Labour are addicted to tax and spend and welfarism. This won’t end well.
He certainly hasn't scored well on the basic competence issue, although I think his greater shortcoming is on the political front. He simply lacks the nous you need in a PM.
On tax spend and welfarism I don't see any Party offering credible policies. Sooner or later somebody is going to have to face up to the economic realities the country faces. At the moment, no Party is being honest about this.
Maybe the problem is that the politicians know there is little mileage in telling the voters the truth.
Newsnight have Poppy whatnot on from the Telegraph. She's just said "They are saying this is worse than the Profumo Affair". The only person who has said that is Nigel Farage. I really can't believe that they keep puuting her on. She hates Starmer. and is totally hopeless.
I really don't think she's the only person in the country who hates Starmer...
Not even the only one on PB
The Only SKS Fan In The Village?
Do we have a single Starmer supporter other than the pet troll?
I'm Spartacus!
I've been frustrated with Starmer, but I broadly think he's been doing a good job without getting any credit for it.
I think if he does stand down before the next election, he'll be remembered a bit like John Major. Not an exceptional PM, but better with the benefit of perspective.
The bar was set very low with Johnson and Truss but like his immediate predecessor, Sunak, he cleared it comfortably by simply being honest and industrious. That's all I asked for. You could say that's all I got, but I'll settle for that.
I also wanted honest and industrious. I don't believe we got either.
Newsnight have Poppy whatnot on from the Telegraph. She's just said "They are saying this is worse than the Profumo Affair". The only person who has said that is Nigel Farage. I really can't believe that they keep puuting her on. She hates Starmer. and is totally hopeless.
I really don't think she's the only person in the country who hates Starmer...
Not even the only one on PB
The Only SKS Fan In The Village?
Do we have a single Starmer supporter other than the pet troll?
I'm Spartacus!
I've been frustrated with Starmer, but I broadly think he's been doing a good job without getting any credit for it.
I think if he does stand down before the next election, he'll be remembered a bit like John Major. Not an exceptional PM, but better with the benefit of perspective.
The bar was set very low with Johnson and Truss but like his immediate predecessor, Sunak, he cleared it comfortably by simply being honest and industrious. That's all I asked for. You could say that's all I got, but I'll settle for that.
I’d like some degree of competence too. He’s just not very good or effective. Labour talk a good fight but just fail to deliver in many key areas and he simply blames the civil servants. Even Streeting called that out.. He was fatally wounded when he couldn’t get some modest changes to the benefits bill through, not cuts but simply slowing the rate of growth.
We need to turn our attention to who comes next and will they be any better ?
Labour are addicted to tax and spend and welfarism. This won’t end well.
He certainly hasn't scored well on the basic competence issue, although I think his greater shortcoming is on the political front. He simply lacks the nous you need in a PM.
On tax spend and welfarism I don't see any Party offering credible policies. Sooner or later somebody is going to have to face up to the economic realities the country faces. At the moment, no Party is being honest about this.
Maybe the problem is that the politicians know there is little mileage in telling the voters the truth.
The frustrating thing is Starmer has, elliptically or sometimes even openly, correctly diagnosed a lot of what is wrong with the way the country is currently being run.
It’s just he says it then does very little about it.
Newsnight have Poppy whatnot on from the Telegraph. She's just said "They are saying this is worse than the Profumo Affair". The only person who has said that is Nigel Farage. I really can't believe that they keep puuting her on. She hates Starmer. and is totally hopeless.
I really don't think she's the only person in the country who hates Starmer...
Not even the only one on PB
The Only SKS Fan In The Village?
Do we have a single Starmer supporter other than the pet troll?
I'm Spartacus!
I've been frustrated with Starmer, but I broadly think he's been doing a good job without getting any credit for it.
I think if he does stand down before the next election, he'll be remembered a bit like John Major. Not an exceptional PM, but better with the benefit of perspective.
The bar was set very low with Johnson and Truss but like his immediate predecessor, Sunak, he cleared it comfortably by simply being honest and industrious. That's all I asked for. You could say that's all I got, but I'll settle for that.
I’d like some degree of competence too. He’s just not very good or effective. Labour talk a good fight but just fail to deliver in many key areas and he simply blames the civil servants. Even Streeting called that out.. He was fatally wounded when he couldn’t get some modest changes to the benefits bill through, not cuts but simply slowing the rate of growth.
We need to turn our attention to who comes next and will they be any better ?
Labour are addicted to tax and spend and welfarism. This won’t end well.
He certainly hasn't scored well on the basic competence issue, although I think his greater shortcoming is on the political front. He simply lacks the nous you need in a PM.
On tax spend and welfarism I don't see any Party offering credible policies. Sooner or later somebody is going to have to face up to the economic realities the country faces. At the moment, no Party is being honest about this.
Maybe the problem is that the politicians know there is little mileage in telling the voters the truth.
Quite. Considering the 2024 manifestos, none of them were fully honest, but the not-Labour ones were more dishonest about the possibilities. That hasn't changed under Badenoch's leadership of the Conservatives.
Sometimes the problem isn't the people doing the job, it's the job they are asked to do. That job seems to boil down to "make life better for people, whilst only hurting people who deserve it". That is for the birds.
The hypocrisy of the right wing media who thought the Mandelson appointment was worth the risk and now going into major hysteria .
Of course Starmer can’t say why he appointed Mandelson. Appoint a sleaze bag who will feel right at home with another sleaze bag.
So the thing about this is, the pundits are being willfully obtuse but - Everyone knows why he did it - Everyone knows why he can't say why he did it
Is there evidence that it's bothering the voters?
It's probably got to the stage now where it's getting quite boring.
Everyone has the measure of Andrew, Mandelson and Epstein by now.
Sure, and I think we can infer just how wide the web was spun.
The cartoon that appeared this week on the front page of France’s most influential national newspaper, Le Monde. Brilliant work by the cartoonist, Guffo.
Newsnight have Poppy whatnot on from the Telegraph. She's just said "They are saying this is worse than the Profumo Affair". The only person who has said that is Nigel Farage. I really can't believe that they keep puuting her on. She hates Starmer. and is totally hopeless.
I really don't think she's the only person in the country who hates Starmer...
Not even the only one on PB
The Only SKS Fan In The Village?
Do we have a single Starmer supporter other than the pet troll?
I am a Tory but would rather have Starmer than Rayner or Ed Miliband
Starmer has been very ineffective. The continuity Sunak policies were not what people voted for.
Starmer has to go. Milliband would be a disaster of Johnsonian proportions.
I don't like Rayner but she has more about her than Starmer, Milliband or Streeting.
Newsnight have Poppy whatnot on from the Telegraph. She's just said "They are saying this is worse than the Profumo Affair". The only person who has said that is Nigel Farage. I really can't believe that they keep puuting her on. She hates Starmer. and is totally hopeless.
I really don't think she's the only person in the country who hates Starmer...
Not even the only one on PB
The Only SKS Fan In The Village?
Do we have a single Starmer supporter other than the pet troll?
I'm Spartacus!
I've been frustrated with Starmer, but I broadly think he's been doing a good job without getting any credit for it.
I think if he does stand down before the next election, he'll be remembered a bit like John Major. Not an exceptional PM, but better with the benefit of perspective.
The bar was set very low with Johnson and Truss but like his immediate predecessor, Sunak, he cleared it comfortably by simply being honest and industrious. That's all I asked for. You could say that's all I got, but I'll settle for that.
“That’s one of my worries about the attention economy, or whatever you want to call it, and how that works now, and how we consume media, is that it rewards people for that kind of provocative, bigoted language, whatever that language might be. And I think that that is just a concern of mine. It’s something that, sadly, we’re seeing a bit more frequently as a result.”
Newsnight have Poppy whatnot on from the Telegraph. She's just said "They are saying this is worse than the Profumo Affair". The only person who has said that is Nigel Farage. I really can't believe that they keep puuting her on. She hates Starmer. and is totally hopeless.
I really don't think she's the only person in the country who hates Starmer...
Not even the only one on PB
The Only SKS Fan In The Village?
Do we have a single Starmer supporter other than the pet troll?
I voted for him because it would kick the tories (who really I should be a natural voter of snice we don't have a gladstonian liberal party) in the face and because he'd be ineffectual and not change very much while some better political option arrived. Until the last couple of weeks I was very happy with that and although it's getting a bit more interesting at this point my opinion of him hasn't changed. Am basically satisified.
My hope of a better political option arriving has failed miserably though, but whatever.
He seems a fundamentally decent man, which is one of the reasons he's atrocious at politics. Can't lie for shit (see video in immediately preceeding post @isam linked to). And when he does, feels guilty about it.
That's a view many of us here would sympathise with, Dumbo.
Btw, congratulations on your 1000th post. Once that landmark has been reached, everyone can be sure you are not a troll!
Newsnight have Poppy whatnot on from the Telegraph. She's just said "They are saying this is worse than the Profumo Affair". The only person who has said that is Nigel Farage. I really can't believe that they keep puuting her on. She hates Starmer. and is totally hopeless.
I really don't think she's the only person in the country who hates Starmer...
Not even the only one on PB
The Only SKS Fan In The Village?
Do we have a single Starmer supporter other than the pet troll?
I'm Spartacus!
I've been frustrated with Starmer, but I broadly think he's been doing a good job without getting any credit for it.
I think if he does stand down before the next election, he'll be remembered a bit like John Major. Not an exceptional PM, but better with the benefit of perspective.
The bar was set very low with Johnson and Truss but like his immediate predecessor, Sunak, he cleared it comfortably by simply being honest and industrious. That's all I asked for. You could say that's all I got, but I'll settle for that.
I think , whatever happens in the next few weeks, that if the economy stays on the same wavelength it is on now, that by the end of this year all but the most partisan and anti will look back and say , that ain't half bad! , in fact its bloody good in comparison to what it was.
Inflation at or below 2% Base Rate at or around 2.25% Mortgages available generally starting with a high 2% The Fiscal Rules being met! The probability of a safety net of 30bn for future spending / tax cuts targetted at those who most need them
I also think Starmer will deserve great credit for his handling of Ukraine ; US Tariffs and hoefully he or whoever will have the balls to approach EU for more deals and concessions.
His biggest foreign policy decision in my opinion was not confronting the zionists head on, recognising Palestine sooner, standing up to Netanyahu. His family links make that tough but he would have taken the wholse of the labour movement with him, the vast majority of the Country and neutered completely a lot of the policies of LD and Greens to his left. Fundamentally too the honest thing to do. He could and should have clearely explained the key difference is being anti zionist expansion and used his family links to stress the key fact he abhors and will attack anti semitism at root. The sooner any British Political leader does this the better.
The Welfare bomb CREATED BT BORIS JOHNSON would then have been easier to attack with full PARTY support and othe rissues like Housing / Education / Environment , the latter two where Labour HAS made progress and taking the majority with them would have enhanced focus.
Finally and not least GENUINE efforts to attack the small boats issue would begin to bear fruit, although I challenge anyone of right or left to disprove the BASIC FACYT OF LIFE that the biggest denominator of small boats is THE WEATHER and no politicial can control that. You get LUCKY or you DON'T! .
The hypocrisy of the right wing media who thought the Mandelson appointment was worth the risk and now going into major hysteria .
Of course Starmer can’t say why he appointed Mandelson. Appoint a sleaze bag who will feel right at home with another sleaze bag.
So the thing about this is, the pundits are being willfully obtuse but - Everyone knows why he did it - Everyone knows why he can't say why he did it
Is there evidence that it's bothering the voters?
It's probably got to the stage now where it's getting quite boring.
Everyone has the measure of Andrew, Mandelson and Epstein by now.
Sure, and I think we can infer just how wide the web was spun.
The cartoon that appeared this week on the front page of France’s most influential national newspaper, Le Monde. Brilliant work by the cartoonist, Guffo.
Newsnight have Poppy whatnot on from the Telegraph. She's just said "They are saying this is worse than the Profumo Affair". The only person who has said that is Nigel Farage. I really can't believe that they keep puuting her on. She hates Starmer. and is totally hopeless.
I really don't think she's the only person in the country who hates Starmer...
Not even the only one on PB
The Only SKS Fan In The Village?
Do we have a single Starmer supporter other than the pet troll?
I'm Spartacus!
I've been frustrated with Starmer, but I broadly think he's been doing a good job without getting any credit for it.
I think if he does stand down before the next election, he'll be remembered a bit like John Major. Not an exceptional PM, but better with the benefit of perspective.
The bar was set very low with Johnson and Truss but like his immediate predecessor, Sunak, he cleared it comfortably by simply being honest and industrious. That's all I asked for. You could say that's all I got, but I'll settle for that.
I’d like some degree of competence too. He’s just not very good or effective. Labour talk a good fight but just fail to deliver in many key areas and he simply blames the civil servants. Even Streeting called that out.. He was fatally wounded when he couldn’t get some modest changes to the benefits bill through, not cuts but simply slowing the rate of growth.
We need to turn our attention to who comes next and will they be any better ?
Labour are addicted to tax and spend and welfarism. This won’t end well.
He certainly hasn't scored well on the basic competence issue, although I think his greater shortcoming is on the political front. He simply lacks the nous you need in a PM.
On tax spend and welfarism I don't see any Party offering credible policies. Sooner or later somebody is going to have to face up to the economic realities the country faces. At the moment, no Party is being honest about this.
Maybe the problem is that the politicians know there is little mileage in telling the voters the truth.
Even the so called Thatcherite Reform are not honest about it. Indeed if they were they risk a major chunk of their voter coalition peeling off.
I feel a little buyers remorse with Labour as I did expect a degree of fiscal responsibility from them given Reeves and SKS’s comments prior to the election.
There is no mileage in telling the truth. The voters don’t want to hear it. One day they’ll have to.
Newsnight have Poppy whatnot on from the Telegraph. She's just said "They are saying this is worse than the Profumo Affair". The only person who has said that is Nigel Farage. I really can't believe that they keep puuting her on. She hates Starmer. and is totally hopeless.
I really don't think she's the only person in the country who hates Starmer...
Not even the only one on PB
The Only SKS Fan In The Village?
Do we have a single Starmer supporter other than the pet troll?
I voted for him because it would kick the tories (who really I should be a natural voter of snice we don't have a gladstonian liberal party) in the face and because he'd be ineffectual and not change very much while some better political option arrived. Until the last couple of weeks I was very happy with that and although it's getting a bit more interesting at this point my opinion of him hasn't changed. Am basically satisified.
My hope of a better political option arriving has failed miserably though, but whatever.
He seems a fundamentally decent man, which is one of the reasons he's atrocious at politics. Can't lie for shit (see video in immediately preceeding post @isam linked to). And when he does, feels guilty about it.
That's a view many of us here would sympathise with, Dumbo.
Btw, congratulations on your 1000th post. Once that landmark has been reached, everyone can be sure you are not a troll!
The hypocrisy of the right wing media who thought the Mandelson appointment was worth the risk and now going into major hysteria .
Of course Starmer can’t say why he appointed Mandelson. Appoint a sleaze bag who will feel right at home with another sleaze bag.
So the thing about this is, the pundits are being willfully obtuse but - Everyone knows why he did it - Everyone knows why he can't say why he did it
Is there evidence that it's bothering the voters?
It's probably got to the stage now where it's getting quite boring.
Everyone has the measure of Andrew, Mandelson and Epstein by now.
Sure, and I think we can infer just how wide the web was spun.
The cartoon that appeared this week on the front page of France’s most influential national newspaper, Le Monde. Brilliant work by the cartoonist, Guffo.
The US DoJ isn’t investigating anyone connected to Epstein, while senior Trump appointees like Lutnick and Oz are mentioned repeatedly in the files, as well of course as Trump. While people in the UK, Norway etc. are rightly being hauled over the coals, who’s interrogating Thiel or Bannon?
Newsnight have Poppy whatnot on from the Telegraph. She's just said "They are saying this is worse than the Profumo Affair". The only person who has said that is Nigel Farage. I really can't believe that they keep puuting her on. She hates Starmer. and is totally hopeless.
I really don't think she's the only person in the country who hates Starmer...
Not even the only one on PB
The Only SKS Fan In The Village?
Do we have a single Starmer supporter other than the pet troll?
I'm Spartacus!
I've been frustrated with Starmer, but I broadly think he's been doing a good job without getting any credit for it.
I think if he does stand down before the next election, he'll be remembered a bit like John Major. Not an exceptional PM, but better with the benefit of perspective.
The bar was set very low with Johnson and Truss but like his immediate predecessor, Sunak, he cleared it comfortably by simply being honest and industrious. That's all I asked for. You could say that's all I got, but I'll settle for that.
I’d like some degree of competence too. He’s just not very good or effective. Labour talk a good fight but just fail to deliver in many key areas and he simply blames the civil servants. Even Streeting called that out.. He was fatally wounded when he couldn’t get some modest changes to the benefits bill through, not cuts but simply slowing the rate of growth.
We need to turn our attention to who comes next and will they be any better ?
Labour are addicted to tax and spend and welfarism. This won’t end well.
He certainly hasn't scored well on the basic competence issue, although I think his greater shortcoming is on the political front. He simply lacks the nous you need in a PM.
On tax spend and welfarism I don't see any Party offering credible policies. Sooner or later somebody is going to have to face up to the economic realities the country faces. At the moment, no Party is being honest about this.
Maybe the problem is that the politicians know there is little mileage in telling the voters the truth.
Even the so called Thatcherite Reform are not honest about it. Indeed if they were they risk a major chunk of their voter coalition peeling off.
I feel a little buyers remorse with Labour as I did expect a degree of fiscal responsibility from them given Reeves and SKS’s comments prior to the election.
There is no mileage in telling the truth. The voters don’t want to hear it. One day they’ll have to.
The uncomfortable truth I need to be told is that I'm saving too much cash because I'm not paying enough tax and I shouldn't be thinking in terms of retiring until my mid sixties and even that will be a bit early.
Gordon Brown on the 0810 slot on the Today programme. That'll no doubt calm things down.
The Brown-Blair feud redux? Only reason for him to wade in.
Dunno, the son of the manse is obsessed with his (as perceived by him) untarnished moral compass. He’ll be raging that Mandelson has dumped a whole load of excrement on it.
Newsnight have Poppy whatnot on from the Telegraph. She's just said "They are saying this is worse than the Profumo Affair". The only person who has said that is Nigel Farage. I really can't believe that they keep puuting her on. She hates Starmer. and is totally hopeless.
I really don't think she's the only person in the country who hates Starmer...
Not even the only one on PB
The Only SKS Fan In The Village?
Do we have a single Starmer supporter other than the pet troll?
I'm Spartacus!
I've been frustrated with Starmer, but I broadly think he's been doing a good job without getting any credit for it.
I think if he does stand down before the next election, he'll be remembered a bit like John Major. Not an exceptional PM, but better with the benefit of perspective.
The bar was set very low with Johnson and Truss but like his immediate predecessor, Sunak, he cleared it comfortably by simply being honest and industrious. That's all I asked for. You could say that's all I got, but I'll settle for that.
I’d like some degree of competence too. He’s just not very good or effective. Labour talk a good fight but just fail to deliver in many key areas and he simply blames the civil servants. Even Streeting called that out.. He was fatally wounded when he couldn’t get some modest changes to the benefits bill through, not cuts but simply slowing the rate of growth.
We need to turn our attention to who comes next and will they be any better ?
Labour are addicted to tax and spend and welfarism. This won’t end well.
He certainly hasn't scored well on the basic competence issue, although I think his greater shortcoming is on the political front. He simply lacks the nous you need in a PM.
On tax spend and welfarism I don't see any Party offering credible policies. Sooner or later somebody is going to have to face up to the economic realities the country faces. At the moment, no Party is being honest about this.
Maybe the problem is that the politicians know there is little mileage in telling the voters the truth.
Even the so called Thatcherite Reform are not honest about it. Indeed if they were they risk a major chunk of their voter coalition peeling off.
I feel a little buyers remorse with Labour as I did expect a degree of fiscal responsibility from them given Reeves and SKS’s comments prior to the election.
There is no mileage in telling the truth. The voters don’t want to hear it. One day they’ll have to.
The uncomfortable truth I need to be told is that I'm saving too much cash because I'm not paying enough tax and I shouldn't be thinking in terms of retiring until my mid sixties and even that will be a bit early.
What about everyone else?
Me, I probably need to wait an extra year or so for my state pension and the triple lock won’t be there. If I don’t like it get a part time job.
The press largely antagonistic towards Starmer are minute by minute digging up stuff on Mandelson and putting it in the 'Starmer must' go column.
It is absurd and if they're not careful they'll face a backlash. The Telegraph and the Mail have completely lost the plot and the BBC are not far behind.
Starmer made one mistake and one only. And even that is not as obvious as the 'wise after the eventers' are making it
Comments
Starmer has to go. Milliband would be a disaster of Johnsonian proportions.
I don't like Rayner but she has more about her than Starmer, Milliband or Streeting.
"Starlink shutdown sends Russian soldiers back to Dark Ages
Almost 90 per cent of Russian units have lost connections after Elon Musk ordered the switch-off" (£)
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/02/06/starlink-shutdown-sends-russian-soldiers-back-to-dark-ages
It doesn't matter whether they are supervillains or superheroes, it's the "super" that's the problem.
Everyone has the measure of Andrew, Mandelson and Epstein by now.
Musky baby is an unapologetic neo (or actual) fascist, trying to drive such politics. If I have to reach for a political analog, it would be around apartheid supporting tycoons in South Africa, or the true-believer industrialists who funded the Third Reich.
I think - subject to European democracies successfully facing down the extremist right and maintaining a democratic polity (which it is touch and go whether the USA will lose) - it will be Europe & other politicians in 1st world that put him in his place as the Trump / America First / MAGA initiated spiral of decline takes hold in the USA and makes it America Alone.
But he wants to be a Civil Servant not a political PM, and this is a time that requires a political PM. Farage is there to be disembowelled politically in a hundred ways, and the Tories gutted the party but are left with the stinking entrails which could be exposed.
But Starmer to me has neither the cunning nor the application to put 100 stakes through the vampire's chest, and at once to do solid political reforms in a limited number of areas.
So he's playing with pieces of jigsaw over a cup of tea.
Gavin Featherly: And you threw him out, Mr. Brittas!
Gordon Brittas: He was wearing unauthorised water wings, Gavin.
https://nation.cymru/news/the-new-leader-of-reform-uk-wales-lives-in-bath-not-wales/
Apart from the poor optics, it is a legal requirement that a Senedd candidate resides in Wales......
This could be awkward!!
I've been frustrated with Starmer, but I broadly think he's been doing a good job without getting any credit for it.
I think if he does stand down before the next election, he'll be remembered a bit like John Major. Not an exceptional PM, but better with the benefit of perspective.
JUST IN: Trump says he won't apologize for a now-deleted racist post depicting the Obamas after backlash from Republicans.
We need to turn our attention to who comes next and will they be any better ?
Labour are addicted to tax and spend and welfarism. This won’t end well.
Gordon Brown on the 0810 slot on the Today programme. That'll no doubt calm things down.
On tax spend and welfarism I don't see any Party offering credible policies. Sooner or later somebody is going to have to face up to the economic realities the country faces. At the moment, no Party is being honest about this.
Maybe the problem is that the politicians know there is little mileage in telling the voters the truth.
It’s just he says it then does very little about it.
Sometimes the problem isn't the people doing the job, it's the job they are asked to do. That job seems to boil down to "make life better for people, whilst only hurting people who deserve it". That is for the birds.
https://bsky.app/profile/swede1961.bsky.social/post/3me7yf7clw22i
https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2026/feb/06/british-rishi-sunak-riposte-racially-charged-debate-identity?CMP=Share_AndroidApp_Other
“That’s one of my worries about the attention economy, or whatever you want to call it, and how that works now, and how we consume media, is that it rewards people for that kind of provocative, bigoted language, whatever that language might be. And I think that that is just a concern of mine. It’s something that, sadly, we’re seeing a bit more frequently as a result.”
She's a horror show.!
Before they throw out the baby with the bathwater I hope they take note of the people he's been shielding us from
Btw, congratulations on your 1000th post. Once that landmark has been reached, everyone can be sure you are not a troll!
Inflation at or below 2%
Base Rate at or around 2.25%
Mortgages available generally starting with a high 2%
The Fiscal Rules being met!
The probability of a safety net of 30bn for future spending / tax cuts targetted at those who most need them
I also think Starmer will deserve great credit for his handling of Ukraine ; US Tariffs and hoefully he or whoever will have the balls to approach EU for more deals and concessions.
His biggest foreign policy decision in my opinion was not confronting the zionists head on, recognising Palestine sooner, standing up to Netanyahu. His family links make that tough but he would have taken the wholse of the labour movement with him, the vast majority of the Country and neutered completely a lot of the policies of LD and Greens to his left. Fundamentally too the honest thing to do. He could and should have clearely explained the key difference is being anti zionist expansion and used his family links to stress the key fact he abhors and will attack anti semitism at root. The sooner any British Political leader does this the better.
The Welfare bomb CREATED BT BORIS JOHNSON would then have been easier to attack with full PARTY support and othe rissues like Housing / Education / Environment , the latter two where Labour HAS made progress and taking the majority with them would have enhanced focus.
Finally and not least GENUINE efforts to attack the small boats issue would begin to bear fruit, although I challenge anyone of right or left to disprove the BASIC FACYT OF LIFE that the biggest denominator of small boats is THE WEATHER and no politicial can control that. You get LUCKY or you DON'T! .
I feel a little buyers remorse with Labour as I did expect a degree of fiscal responsibility from them given Reeves and SKS’s comments prior to the election.
There is no mileage in telling the truth. The voters don’t want to hear it. One day they’ll have to.
NEW THREAD
What about everyone else?
It is absurd and if they're not careful they'll face a backlash. The Telegraph and the Mail have completely lost the plot and the BBC are not far behind.
Starmer made one mistake and one only. And even that is not as obvious as the 'wise after the eventers' are making it