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Keir Starmer: Leader of the Labour Party

Talking about Labour, not LDs.

Not the point. When will KS supporters highlight the plight of the Palestinians? When was the last time you posted anything in defence of the Palestinians? Quick to point out AS within the Labour party, quick to point out Ken Livingston was expelled by stating a fact (Harvana agreement)?

How is Layla Moran doing these days?

Corbyn was a man of principles, he wasn’t a sell-out like Starmer who is a pro Zionist through and through.

Why is it you feel the vote of a Jew is more valuable than the vote of the common man?

Corbyn sold out to Iranian state TV sharp quick.

I don’t feel the need to balance out criticism of anti-Jewish racism with support for Palestinians. They are completely separate issues. It’s not like a see-saw, where if I condemn an act of anti-Jewish racism within Labour I have to immediately counterbalance it with a statement condemning West Bank residential area denial with skunk gas or evictions.

Moran is Chair of the All-Party Paliamentary Group on Coronavirus.

Livingstone’s Labour membership was revoked because he said “When Hitler won his election in 1932 his policy then was that Jews should be moved to Israel. He was supporting Zionism before he went mad and ended up killing six million Jews". This is a distortion by Livingstone or at best a misinterpretation - Hitler was indifferent to the agreement to which you refer. The Nazis allowed some German Jews to leave for British Mandate Palestine, conditional on removal of their capital from Germany, by making payments to manufacturing industry - effective forfeiture of their estates.
 
Corbyn sold out to Iranian state TV sharp quick.

I don’t feel the need to balance out criticism of anti-Jewish racism with support for Palestinians. They are completely separate issues. It’s not like a see-saw, where if I condemn an act of anti-Jewish racism within Labour I have to immediately counterbalance it with a statement condemning West Bank residential area denial with skunk gas or evictions.

Moran is Chair of the All-Party Paliamentary Group on Coronavirus.

Livingstone’s Labour membership was revoked because he said “When Hitler won his election in 1932 his policy then was that Jews should be moved to Israel. He was supporting Zionism before he went mad and ended up killing six million Jews". This is a distortion by Livingstone or at best a misinterpretation - Hitler was indifferent to the agreement to which you refer. The Nazis allowed some German Jews to leave for British Mandate Palestine, conditional on removal of their capital from Germany, by making payments to manufacturing industry - effective forfeiture of their estates.

You only condemn the act of Anti-Semitism; where counter balancing is not needed anyway. Highliting injustices has nothing to do with counter balancing. Zilch.

The truth doesn't need counter balancing, it's not a see-saw, the fact is the moment you or anyone support or highlight the plight of Palestinians; you are labelled an anti-semite and an enemy of Isreal. This is the truth.

KL was 100% spot on, its just that his words didn't bode with the Isreali narrative. So much so, JC's support of the Palestinians is 'counter balanced' by his appearance on Iran state TV. Wow.
 
I read the fascinating Left Out in the week it was released, and that version ends with Corbyn stepping down. Is there now an updated edition? (It would make sense for there to be)

[MENTION=1842]James[/MENTION] it’s about the leadership race so far - Starmer vs. RLB vs. Lavery.
 
Labour Leader Sir Keir Starmer has tested positive for COVID - Angela Rayner will appear on his behalf at PMQs
 
Sir Keir is ahead in the polls now personally as well as in party polling.

A shock poll puts Labour 18% ahead in the Red Wall seats.
 
Sir Keir is ahead in the polls now personally as well as in party polling.

A shock poll puts Labour 18% ahead in the Red Wall seats.

Yup. Racism and Moozlum bashing pays in racist parts of the uk. Corbyns biggest handicap was he was seen as a moozlum and black person lover..hence why when voters were asked why they wouldn't vote corbyn they made stupid comments like 'errors I just don't like him' knowing what they really thought would cause issues in the media etc

What we have to remember is that the English electorate are hard core racists but behind close doors. So outside it's " you alright mate how's it going" but at home its effing P this or effing N that. Or a more polite discourse e.g. ' what's wrong with these people' etc..
This attitude then manifests in things like recruitment and promotion etc..the Rd wall is a racist heartland full of poor white racists who hate the tories coz they are rich but hate brown and black people too..
 
Yup. Racism and Moozlum bashing pays in racist parts of the uk. Corbyns biggest handicap was he was seen as a moozlum and black person lover..hence why when voters were asked why they wouldn't vote corbyn they made stupid comments like 'errors I just don't like him' knowing what they really thought would cause issues in the media etc

What we have to remember is that the English electorate are hard core racists but behind close doors. So outside it's " you alright mate how's it going" but at home its effing P this or effing N that. Or a more polite discourse e.g. ' what's wrong with these people' etc..
This attitude then manifests in things like recruitment and promotion etc..the Rd wall is a racist heartland full of poor white racists who hate the tories coz they are rich but hate brown and black people too..

Not all the North though, Merseyside is still Labour.

Tories are pushing those racist buttons with Johnson’s dogwhistle comments about letterboxes, and Patel demonising refugees, while wrapping themselves in the flag, which plays well.

Blue collar white Northerners are patriotic. Their problem with Corbyn was a perceived lack of patriotism - failing to bow properly at the Cenotaph, not knowing the national anthem or what time the Queen’s Speech airs on Christmas Day, instinctive belief of the Russian narrative of Salisbury instead of the MI5 narrative, seemingly unwilling to defend UK / NATO against Russia. Plus a general failure of leadership credibility. He did ok in 2017 when May did her robot impression and shot herself in the foot with the dementia tax, but badly in 2019 when he was becoming lacklustre and passé among youngsters and also up against Johnson who looked strong and decisive in comparison to Corbyn and would “Get Brexit Done”.

Any comments [MENTION=1842]James[/MENTION]? I have not lived oop north for a long while.

Starmer is not particularly strong looking but just has to wait for the Tories to self-destruct as their Hard Brexit plays out, people get cold due to skyrocket fuel bills, and hungry as the price of food climbs.
 
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-60213173

<b>Johnson focused on saving his own skin, Starmer says</b>

Sir Keir Starmer has accused Boris Johnson of spending all of his time "saving his own skin" after a report on lockdown parties in No 10 blamed a "failure of leadership".

Mr Johnson met with Tory MPs on Monday to reassure them about his leadership and promise a shake-up of No 10.

Labour leader Sir Keir said the PM had become distracted from key issues like the cost of living crisis.

Deputy PM Dominic Raab said Tory MPs "overwhelmingly" supported Mr Johnson.

Metropolitan Police officers are looking into 12 events for alleged breaches of lockdown rules, including three the PM reportedly attended and one in his flat.

In her partial report, released on Monday, senior civil servant Ms Gray said she had been "extremely limited" by the police investigation in how much she could say, so a "meaningful" report could not be released yet.

An updated report on lockdown parties in No 10 will be published by Ms Gray once police finish their inquiries, Downing Street has said.

A number of Conservative MPs had said they are waiting for Ms Gray's full report to decide whether to try to remove the PM from office.

Mr Johnson addressed a meeting of the 1922 Committee of Conservative backbench MPs on Monday evening, after which cabinet minister Jacob Rees-Mogg said the "mood was positive".

Speaking to BBC Breakfast, Sir Keir said the Mr Johnson had become distracted by trying to save his own premiership.

He said: "So many people are worried about issues such as their energy bills, which are going through the roof, and the prime minister is spending all of his time saving his own skin.

"We now know that he had a meeting planned with the chancellor last week to discuss energy bills, but that was cancelled because he was having meetings to save his own job."

On Monday in the Commons, some of the PM's backbenchers expressed support for him - but others issued stinging rebukes in light of the findings.

Former Prime Minister Theresa May asked if he had read or understood the Covid rules created by his government, or whether he "believed they did not apply" to No 10, while ex-cabinet minister Andrew Mitchell said the PM no longer had his support.

Speaking on Tuesday, Mr Raab told Times Radio: "On the specific issues Sue Gray cited, I think he has addressed all of those questions in a fulsome way and, frankly, at the political level, my experiences in the Chamber but also at the meeting of Conservative MPs - overwhelmingly MPs backing him, wanting to see us getting on with the job.

"The economy is firing, the vaccine rollout has been a spectacular success. People, and I think our constituents, want to see us getting on with the job."
 
Starmer took Prime Ministerial yesterday. Gravitas, eloquence, humanity, intellect.
 
Starmer took Prime Ministerial yesterday. Gravitas, eloquence, humanity, intellect.

Has his flaws but is increasingly growing in stature. And surely he would be an improvement on the current incumbent!
 
Sir Keir Starmer cleared over lockdown beer

The Labour leader has been cleared of an allegation he broke lockdown rules after he was filmed drinking a beer in an office.

Sir Keir was in the City of Durham MP's office, working in the run-up to the Hartlepool by-election in April 2021.

He has previously insisted he did nothing wrong, despite comparisons by his opponents to the partygate allegations at 10 Downing Street.

Durham police have now confirmed they did not believe any offence was committed.

A spokesman for the force said: "Durham Constabulary has reviewed video footage recorded in Durham on April 30 2021.

"We do not believe an offence has been established in relation to the legislation and guidance in place at that time and will therefore take no further action in relation to this matter."
 
MPs from all sides angrily rounded on Boris Johnson and accused him of whipping up political poison after the Labour leader, Keir Starmer, was set upon by protesters who accused him of protecting the paedophile Jimmy Savile.

Johnson provoked widespread fury last week when he suggested Starmer had protected Savile during his time as director of public prosecutions. The comments drew criticism from two former Tory chief whips and prompted the resignation of a long-serving aide.

On Monday, Starmer and the shadow foreign secretary, David Lammy, had to be bundled into a police car after anti-vax protesters surrounded him near parliament with shouts of “traitor” and “Jimmy Savile”. One witness said a protester carried a hangman’s noose prop, which another protester had joked was for Starmer.

Lammy said it was “no surprise the conspiracy theorist thugs who harassed Keir Starmer and I repeated slurs we heard from Boris Johnson last week at the despatch box. Intimidation, harassment and lies have no place in our democracy. And they won’t ever stop me doing my job.”

The former chief whip Julian Smith, who has called on Johnson to apologise, described the events as appalling. “It is really important for our democracy and for his security that the false Savile slurs made against him are withdrawn in full.”

Tory MP Rob Largan also said it was time to diffuse the situation. “Words matter. What we say and how we say it echoes out far beyond Parliament. It can have serious real world consequences. Elected representatives have a responsibility to lower the temperature of debate, not add fuel to the fire.”

Boris Johnson said the behaviour “directed at the leader of the opposition tonight is absolutely disgraceful” but stopped short of apologising for his remarks. “All forms of harassment of our elected representatives are completely unacceptable. I thank the police for responding swiftly,” he said.

Labour sources were furious at the incident, though Starmer was unharmed and escorted back to his office within minutes. “Boris Johnson and his cabinet chose to lie down with the dogs – and now the whole lot of them are covered in fleas,” one Labour source said.

The row has been cited by a number of Tory MPs who have submitted letters of no confidence in the prime minister, 54 of which must be sent to trigger a vote of no confidence in him.

During an exchange in the House of Commons last Monday, Johnson said Starmer was “a former director of public prosecutions, who spent more time prosecuting journalists and failing to prosecute Jimmy Savile”. Starmer did not take the decision personally but had apologised for institutional failings after Savile’s abuse was revealed.

Munira Mirza, one of Johnson’s closest aides who headed the No 10 policy unit, quit on Thursday after urging Johnson to retract the comments. Cabinet ministers have also expressed unease at the remarks, including the chancellor, Rishi Sunak, during a national press conference, saying “I wouldn’t have said it”. Other cabinet ministers have defended the remarks – including the business secretary, Kwasi Kwarteng, and the justice secretary, Dominic Raab, who called it part of the “cut and thrust” of politics.

The incident on Monday night prompted renewed anger from MPs. Labour’s Chris Bryant tweeted that Johnson’s comments were directly responsible for circulating links between Starmer and Savile, which had originally appeared on far right websites.

“This is appalling. People were shouting all sorts at Keir, including ‘Jimmy Savile’. This is what happens when a prime minister descends into the gutter and recycles lies from hard-right conspiracy theorists. Political poison has an effect. Johnson has no moral compass,” he wrote.

The shadow minister, Yasmin Qureshi, said: “The PM enabled and actively encouraged this.” Liam Byrne, the MP and former mayoral candidate, said: “The best of this country will always defeat the worst. But now we see clearly the kind of behaviour Boris Johnson is prepared to incite.”

The Labour mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, also blamed Johnson for amplifying false claims. “This is what happens when fake news is amplified and given credibility by people who should know better. Solidarity with Keir Starmer and David Lammy. Thank you to the Met officers for their swift intervention.”

The health secretary, Sajid Javid, had earlier said it was time to “move on” from the row over Johnson’s Savile comments. “I think we should draw a line under this issue and try to move on because the prime minister has come forward and clarified his remarks.”

Johnson is expected to reshuffle his team on Tuesday, including a shake-up of the whips’ office that could see the chief, Mark Spencer, sacked. Chris Pincher, a housing minister and ally of the prime minister, is tipped to replace him.

The prime minister will also continue the overhaul of his back office team, after recruiting Steve Barclay, the Cabinet Office minister, as his chief of staff, and Guto Harri, his former spokesperson, as his new director of comms. Henry Newman, the deputy chief of staff, and an ally of Carrie Johnson, is also leaving No 10 to return to a job in Michael Gove’s team.

Barclay addressed No 10 staff on Monday saying he wanted to create a “mutually supportive” environment after difficult recent weeks and assuring them his doors is “always open”. He will now divide his time between No 10 and the Cabinet Office, with some of his portfolio distributed to other ministers.

Harri was also present at the staff meeting, after drawing criticism from Labour over his previous job for a lobbying firm and a media interview in which he recounted Johnson appearing to make light of his troubles by singing: “I will survive”.

Labour called for more scrutiny of Harri’s past work for the lobbying firm, saying: “We can’t have the revolving door from lobbying to government see potential national security issues arise. We need full transparency from Guto Harri about all contact he had with government in his former role as a lobbyist and who his clients were.”

Scotland Yard said two arrests were made following clashes between police and protesters on the Victoria Embankment after Starmer was taken to safety. A Met police statement said: “Shortly after 5.10pm on Monday, 7 February, a man who had been surrounded by a group of protesters near to New Scotland Yard, was taken away from the scene by a police car.

“A man and a woman were arrested at the scene for assault of an emergency worker after a traffic cone was thrown at a police officer. They have been taken into custody.”

https://www.theguardian.com/politic...after-protesters-surround-him-near-parliament
 
Boris Johnson's discredited claim that Sir Keir Starmer personally failed to prosecute Jimmy Savile is "certainly not to blame" for the mob intimidation of the Labour leader, a minister has told Sky News.

Technology minister Chris Philp told Kay Burley Mr Johnson's words in Parliament last week "did not prompt the terrible harassment and intimidation" of Sir Keir yesterday, but described the incident as "completely unacceptable".
 
Protest is familiar in Westminster and always has been. It's an important part of our political tradition. But in 2022, very angry gatherings are common.

Small bands of furious members of the public are often spotted on the corner of Parliament Square, or outside Portcullis House, where many MPs work and gather.

They sometimes hold placards and are normally carrying camera phones to record and share their exploits, carefully watching who goes past.

On Monday such a group spotted the Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer. He became the latest, along with the shadow foreign secretary and Labour's leader in the Lords, to be personally targeted and swarmed, before being bundled into the back of a police car for his own safety.

The experience, inevitably filmed and posted online in minutes, was another ugly reminder of what many politicians encounter in the name of this modern form of protest - abusive, personal, edgy.

But it's also reignited the anger inside the Conservative Party at the prime minister's false claims in Parliament a week ago.

Mr Johnson misleadingly suggested the Labour leader had been involved in the decision not to prosecute serial sex offender Jimmy Savile, a political attack that attracted criticism from some Conservatives straight away.

It led later in the week to the resignation of one of his closest political confidants, and was one of the reasons why concern was spreading in Conservative ranks last week about Mr Johnson's leadership.

His refusal to apologise, and partial retraction, made some MPs queasy and was the trigger for at least one of them to add their private letter to those already submitted in an effort to oust him.

Since then the prime minister has been trying to demonstrate that he would make good on his promise to the party to change - to sharpen up No 10, to end the missteps and mistakes.

Some of the protesters who surrounded Sir Keir were heard to be shouting "Jimmy Savile" among the frenzied accusations they were hurling at him.

It's impossible to say categorically that they had been driven by the prime minister's comments last week. But the ugly event has stirred calls again among Tory MPs for the PM to take back his comments completely, and to acknowledge the danger of what he'd said.

There is no sign as I write that No 10 has any intention of doing so.

Mr Johnson has condemned the behaviour of the protesters but made no comment about the content of their accusations, far less addressed suggestions that his own conduct may have had something to do with it.

So the prime minister may find himself accused of stirring up an unpleasant episode of modern protest just at the point when No 10 had been trying to calm things down.
 
Serves Starmer right! As Director of Public Prosecutions at the time, there was enough evidence to bring Saville to trial! He turned a blind eye!

Boris is a genius! He's managed to turn the party gate story into a peado-protector Starmer story!
 
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-60333340

<b>Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer says his predecessor Jeremy Corbyn was "wrong" on Nato and that his party's commitment to the alliance is "unshakeable".</b>

Mr Corbyn is a longstanding critic of Nato, although pulling out of it was never Labour policy when he was leader.

Speaking to the BBC, Sir Keir also said he supported Boris Johnson's actions on the Ukraine crisis but urged him to make better use of sanctions.

He was speaking to the BBC's Political Editor Laura Kuenssberg in Brussels.

The Labour leader earlier held a meeting with Nato secretary general Jens Stoltenberg about tensions between Ukraine and Russia.

He said it was "important for me to make clear that we stand united in the UK".

"Whatever challenges we have with the government, when it comes to Russian aggression we stand together."

He said there was "nothing" Russia wanted to see more than division between UK political parties, or division between NATO allies.

Mr Johnson also held a meeting with the Nato secretary general on Thursday and later met the Polish prime minister.

Speaking from Warsaw, Mr Johnson, said the UK stood "shoulder to shoulder" with Nato allies.

He also warned Russia "if they want less NATO, this is entirely the wrong way to go about it."

Asked whether he agreed with Mr Corbyn's stance on the military alliance, Sir Keir said:

"Jeremy Corbyn had a very different view, he was wrong about that and I spoke out at the time about that."

Before becoming leader of the Labour Party, Mr Corbyn described Nato as "a major problem and a major difficulty".

Writing in the Morning Star newspaper in 2012, he argued that Nato's mission had been "thwarting the Soviet Union", and that the collapse of the bloc was "the obvious time for Nato to have been disbanded".

However, on taking charge of the party, he did not change its policy and Labour fought the 2019 general election on a pledge to maintain membership.

Sir Keir, who served in Mr Corbyn's shadow cabinet, also criticised the former leader's position on the 2018 Salisbury poisonings, arguing that he "didn't respond appropriately".

At the time, Mr Corbyn was questioned for seeming to cast doubt on whether Russia was responsible.

In 2018, he told the BBC that it was "very clear" the nerve agent was "very similar" to those made in Russia but added that "absolute evidence" was still needed.

Mr Corbyn, who currently sits as an independent MP, is expected to address a Stop the War Coalition protest on Thursday evening entitled "No War in Ukraine: Stop Nato Expansion".

The group argues that the government is "ramping up the threat of war" and accuses Mr Johnson of trying to "distract from the implosion of his premiership".

Sir Keir also sought to distance himself from the previous Labour leader on the topic of the UK's nuclear arsenal.

Pressed on whether he would be willing to use nuclear weapons, he replied "of course", adding "If you believe in the deterrent, that's the whole point".

However, he added it would be wrong to talk about the circumstances under which he would take such a step.

On becoming leader in 2015, Mr Corbyn said: "I am opposed to the use of nuclear weapons. I am opposed to the holding of nuclear weapons. I want to see a nuclear-free world. I believe it is possible."

Mr Corbyn was Labour's leader for four years, stepping down after the party's defeat at the 2019 general elections.
 
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-60347836

<b>Labour MP Neil Coyle suspended over racist comment claim</b>

MP Neil Coyle has been suspended by the Labour Party after allegations he made racist comments.

Political journalist Henry Dyer has made a formal complaint to the parliamentary authorities about the MP.

Mr Dyer, who is of British-Chinese heritage, says Mr Coyle used racial slurs and made him feel uncomfortable at an incident in a Commons bar.

Following his suspension, Mr Coyle said he was "very sorry for my insensitive comments".

He said he had "apologised to everyone involved" and would be cooperating with the investigation.

In a later statement he said he was "devastated to be in this situation through my own fault" and would "take every step necessary to improve myself".

"I hope to re-prove my Labour values and have the whip restored in due course."

Mr Dyer later confirmed Mr Coyle had "offered his apologies for his inappropriate actions... and reiterated that he will be complying with the Labour Party's investigation".

A Labour spokesman said: "The Labour Party expects the highest standards of behaviour from all our MPs and we take allegations of this sort very seriously.

"Accordingly the chief whip has now suspended the Labour whip from Neil Coyle pending an investigation."

The BBC has been told Mr Coyle has also been suspended from the membership of the Labour Party, as well as the parliamentary Labour Party.

It is also understood the party intends to talk to Mr Dyer as part of their investigation.

The initial complaint about Mr Coyle was made to the Commons Speaker, and Labour launched their investigation once the allegations were made public.

Writing in the Insider, where he works as a political reporter, Mr Dyer said the MP made a racially insensitive remark during a conversation in the Strangers' Bar about Barry Gardiner, the Labour MP who received funding from a suspected Chinese spy.

Mr Dyer claims Mr Coyle used a racial stereotype, a comment the journalist says "struck me at the time as not right".

He says he "gently pushed back at Coyle about this" but the MP suggested he was being "over-sensitive".

"I responded by saying that I am British-Chinese, to which Coyle responded that he could tell, "from how you look like you've been giving renminbi [the Chinese currency] to Barry Gardiner."

Mr Dyer says as he left the bar later that evening he waved at Mr Coyle to "defuse the tension" but the MP responded by "putting two fingers up at me".

Later that week, Mr Dyer reported the exchange to Commons Sir Lindsay Hoyle, who he said "took immediate action".

The Speaker is understood to be "very concerned" about the incident.

Chair of the Home Affairs Committee, and Labour MP, Diana Johnson said Mr Coyle's comments were "totally unacceptable".

In a statement, the East and South East Asians for Labour group praised Mr Dyer for "speaking out".

"No one should face racism in the workplace especially in Parliament which should be setting the highest example for the rest of the country".

Last week, the Daily Mail reported Mr Coyle had launched an angry expletive-laden anti-Brexit rant in the Strangers' Bar.

Mr Coyle has since been banned from the bars on the parliamentary estate for six months.
 
Sir Keir Starmer has confirmed he received death threats after Boris Johnson falsely claimed that he failed to prosecute paedophile Jimmy Savile.

Speaking to BBC Newcastle, the Labour leader said the PM was "wrong" to repeat "a right-wing conspiracy".

Mr Johnson has not withdrawn his claim, but clarified his remarks to say Sir Keir was not personally involved in decisions over Savile.

Meanwhile, the police are investigating online death threats against Sir Keir.

Documents, including messages from users of the Telegram app, were sent to Scotland Yard by the Centre for Countering Digital Hate (CCDH) on Friday.

Asked if he felt responsible for the death threats or would like to apologise, Mr Johnson said: "I've said more than enough about that issue."

The prime minister's official spokesman added: "Any sort of death threats to politicians are unacceptable."

Before entering politics, Sir Keir had a career as a lawyer and acted as head of the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) between 2008 and 2013.

On 31 January, during a stormy Commons debate about lockdown parties in No 10, Mr Johnson accused Sir Keir of spending "most of his time" at the CPS "prosecuting journalists and failing to prosecute Jimmy Savile".

Mr Johnson subsequently faced calls from some of his own MPs to apologise for the comment.

Pressed on the subject three days later, Mr Johnson said: "I totally understand that he [Sir Keir] had nothing to do personally" with decisions not to prosecute Savile.

"I was making a point about his responsibility for the organisation as a whole."

Speaking to the BBC, Sir Keir said after Savile died in 2011 he ordered an audit to find out if any allegations against the TV personality had come to the CPS.

"I found out decisions had been made years earlier that I didn't know about in local offices, quite rightly, to where I think two individuals had come forward, separately.

"They had each said that they wouldn't support a prosecution against Jimmy Savile.

"I was concerned that the system hadn't worked out there were two cases and therefore there was a systems failure."

He said following the audit he made the decision to "change the system".

A week after Mr Johnson's Savile remark in the Commons, Sir Keir was surrounded by protesters as he left Parliament, with some shouting "Jimmy Savile" at him.

Mr Johnson tweeted that the "behaviour directed" at the Labour leader was "absolutely disgraceful".

Sir Keir has said he believes there was a link between the protests and the prime minister's comments telling The Times: "I have never been called a paedophile protector before.

"That happened yesterday for the first time in my life. If others want to argue that this is unconnected with precisely what the PM said one week before then let them make that case. But they'll never persuade me that there is no link."

Speaking on BBC's Question Time last Thursday, Environment Secretary George Eustice said Sir Keir would "obviously want to make that particular political point" but argued it was wrong to make a connection between the protests and the prime minister's words.

Asked on Monday if he had received death threats as a result of the prime minister's comment, Sir Keir replied "yes," adding: "It's very important for me to say that what the prime minister said was wrong, it was very wrong. He knew exactly what he was doing.

"There has been a right-wing conspiracy theory for some time that's a complete fabrication.

"He fed into that, and that has caused difficulty, but my preference is not to talk about that because, as I say, I have got young children and I don't particularly want them to hear too much of what may or may not be said about me."

He later said there were "threats to too many politicians," particularly woman, and that everyone had a duty to "de-escalate these issues".

BBC
 
Durham Police should reopen an investigation into whether Sir Keir Starmer broke coronavirus laws, a minister has said.

The Labour leader has come under pressure since footage emerged of him drinking a beer with colleagues in April 2021 when restrictions were in place.

SKY
 
Starmer: Labour has moved past anti-Semitism row

More from Sir Keir Starmer, who addressed jubilant crowds in north London this morning following significant Labour gains across the capital.

The Labour leader said it is clear the party has changed, after winning a council in the Jewish-populated area of Barnet.

Outlining the importance of the gain after the anti-Semitism rows during Jeremy Corbyn's leadership, Sir Keir said: "My first words as leader of our party, when I took over in April 2020, was that we were going to root out anti-Semitism from our party, not tolerate it any more in our party, change our party.

"I said the test of that will be whether voters trust us again in places like Barnet, and they've done it. That is your hard work, that is the change we've collectively brought about in our Labour Party, the trust that we're building, putting us on the road to Number 10, on the road to that general election.

"That change these last two years has been really hard for us as a party, but we've done it, we've built those solid foundations, we've won here in Barnet, we've won across London, we're winning from coast to coast."
 
Beergate: Durham Police to investigate Sir Keir Starmer over allegation he broke lockdown rules

Sir Keir Starmer will be investigated by police over "beergate" - the allegation he broke lockdown rules while drinking with colleagues.

The Labour leader has come under pressure since footage emerged of him drinking a beer and having curry with colleagues in Durham during campaigning for the Hartlepool by-election in April 2021.

At the time, non-essential retail and outdoor venues including pub gardens were open but social distancing rules, which included a ban on indoor mixing between households, remained in place.

Durham Constabulary said: "Earlier this year, Durham Constabulary carried out an assessment as to whether Covid-19 regulations had been breached at a gathering in Durham City on April 30 2021.

"At that time, it was concluded that no offence had been established and therefore no further action would be taken.

"Following the receipt of significant new information over recent days, Durham Constabulary has reviewed that position and now, following the conclusion of the pre-election period, we can confirm that an investigation into potential breaches of COVID-19 regulations relating to this gathering is now being conducted."

A Labour Party spokesman said: "We're obviously happy to answer any questions there are and we remain clear that no rules were broken."

The revelation will dent the Labour Party's joy at winning three key Conservative councils in London in the local elections, just hours earlier.

Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng said Sir Keir being investigated was "only a matter of time".

"The law should be applied fairly and consistently across the country," he added.

Boris Johnson and Chancellor Rishi Sunak - and other unnamed staff - were fined in March for breaking lockdown rules in Downing Street and Whitehall following a Met Police investigation into "partygate".

Sir Keir repeatedly called on Mr Johnson to resign after he was fined and accused him of knowingly misleading the House of Commons - something the PM has denied.

The Labour leader accused Conservative MPs on Monday of "mudslinging" over the allegations after coming under pressure from Tories over the event.

He said he and his colleagues were working in the Durham constituency office of local MP Mary Foy and paused for some food, adding that "no rules were broken".

Last week, the Labour Party confirmed its deputy leader Angela Rayner was also in attendance, having previously told journalists she was not present at the gathering last April when coronavirus restrictions were in force.

But a party source said it was a "mistake made in good faith" and Sir Keir has insisted it "makes absolutely no difference" as no rules had been broken.

PM apologises in Commons over partygate
Sir Keir said earlier this week: "There was no party, no breach of the rules.

"This is a few days from the election, I know what's going on here - Tories are desperately trying to talk about anything other than the cost of living, chucking as much mud as possible.

"If they spent as much energy and as much focus on people's bills and the tax that they are whacking people for then millions of people would be grateful for that.

"So I think this is classic two or three days before an election mudslinging from the Tories. But I have got nothing to add."

https://news.sky.com/story/beergate...-allegations-he-broke-lockdown-rules-12606679
 
Diane Abbott has become the first Labour MP to publicly say Sir Keir Starmer should "consider his position" if he is fined by police over "beergate".

The former shadow home secretary under Jeremy Corbyn told LBC: "If he actually gets a fixed penalty notice he really has to consider his position.

"I mean, I don't think he will, I think this is a lot of sort of hype built up by the Tory press.

"But if he were to get a fixed penalty notice he would have to consider his position."

On Thursday, Durham Constabulary said the force would be investigating allegations Sir Keir broke lockdown rules in April 2021 after he was pictured drinking a beer and having a takeaway with colleagues.

At the time, people in England were banned from mixing indoors apart from for work.

Allies of Sir Keir have refused to publicly contemplate what would happen if the Labour leader was fined.

Conservatives have been lining up to call out his "hypocrisy", as Education Secretary Nadhim Zahawi told Sky News.

Sir Keir spent months calling for Boris Johnson to resign over partygate, for which the prime minister was fined last month.

So far, just one Labour MP – the former shadow home secretary and Corbyn-ally Diane Abbott – has put their head above the parapet and said, on the record, that Keir Starmer would need to consider his position if he gets a fixed penalty notice for breaching COVID rules.

For the most part, allies of Sir Keir are refusing to contemplate the possibility. That is partly media management, but there's also a degree of puzzlement about the situation.

How does the straight-laced ex-lawyer who probably wouldn't go to a legal party end up getting caught out in a potentially lockdown-busting bash?

The Labour leader has argued that no rules were broken and they had stopped to eat the meal and then resumed their work during the Hartlepool by-election.

He told Sky News: "We were working in the office, we stopped for something to eat, no party, no breach of the rules.

"The police obviously have their job to do and we should let them get on with it but I'm confident no rules were broken."

Some top Labour MPs have admitted he might have to resign if he receives a fine, but have done so anonymously.

A shadow minister told Sky News: "It really doesn't feel like the same to me, but I guess we will need to see what happens if he's fined. I guess it's tough when we've called on the PM to resign."

A former shadow cabinet minister said: "If he's fined then yes [he should resign], but I doubt he will be."

SKY
 
If not for PP I'd never learn of these british politicians beyond Blond Boris. Thanks guys.
 
<b>Mail on Sunday exclusive:

Keir Starmer’s beergate story blown apart by leaked memo</b>

SIR KEIR STARMER has been plunged into a full-scale leadership crisis after The Mail on Sunday obtained a secret Labour Party document which appears to blow apart his version of events over ‘Beergate’.

An operational note drawn up ahead of Sir Keir’s notorious visit to Durham, where he was filmed enjoying a late-night beer with activists, reveals the gathering had been planned in advance.

The bombshell document, marked ‘private and confidential’, also calls into serious doubt Sir Keir’s claim that he returned to work after the beers and takeaway curries.

After the entry recording the ‘dinner in Miners Hall’ – which includes a note to ‘arrange takeaway from Spice Lounge’, a local curry house – the document simply says: ‘End of visit.’

The dramatic revelation follows the announcement by Durham Constabulary on Friday that it was opening a fresh investigation into the event on April 30 last year, which took place when indoor socialising was illegal.

The inquiry comes after a series of revelations in the Daily Mail.

The memo – which was passed to this newspaper by a whistleblower – also further undermines Labour’s claims that it made ‘an honest mistake’ when it denied that Deputy Leader Angela Rayner was at the event: it lists ‘AR’ alongside ‘KS’ as the two senior politicians anchoring the day’s proceedings.

The Labour leader – who is also under pressure from party members over his failure to make a significant UK-wide breakthrough in last week’s local elections – is facing accusations of hypocrisy, having called for Boris Johnson’s resignation in January when Scotland Yard launched its inquiry into claims of No 10 lockdown-breaking.

Labour has tried to draw a distinction between ‘Beergate’ and ‘Partygate’ on the grounds that Sir Keir’s event was not premeditated.

When Sir Keir’s transport spokeswoman Louise Haigh was asked by the BBC’s Fiona Bruce on Thursday how the beer and curry evening was different to a gathering in Downing Street, she said: ‘There was a big difference... he [Keir] broke to eat, and then carried on working afterwards.

‘The various parties in Downing Street were pre-arranged, social events.’

But the note – a forward-planning logistics document which is referred to as an ‘op note’ – makes clear the beer and curries had been planned in advance.

The note says that after a day’s campaigning in Hartlepool, Sir Keir’s team were due to arrive at the Radisson Blu hotel in Durham at 6.31pm, leaving by 7pm to walk to the Miners Hall.

After recording clips for the media, the note says a 1hr 20mins slot was set aside for ‘dinner in Miners Hall with Mary Foy’, the local Durham MP.

A side note reads: ‘YS to arrange takeaway from Spice Lounge’. YS is the acronym for a member of Sir Keir’s private office.

The Spice Lounge curry house was closed at the time, with callers being referred to the nearby Capital Indian restaurant.

Last week, the Daily Mail spoke to one of the restaurant’s delivery drivers, who said he had dropped off a ‘big’ order of food for at least 15 people, including four bags of curries, rice and naan bread.

Sir Keir has insisted the curries were eaten during a break in work.

When asked whether he had returned to work after the beer, the Labour leader said: ‘Yes. And the idea that nobody works at 10 o’clock at night is absurd.’

But the memo sets out that at the end of the dinner, at 10pm, he should ‘walk from Miners Hall to Radisson Blu’. Further work is not mentioned.

When he was quizzed on ITV’s Good Morning Britain programme last week, Sir Keir said: ‘At some point, this was in the evening, everybody’s hungry and then that takeaway was ordered. It was then delivered into the kitchen.

‘Restaurants and pubs were closed, so takeaways were really the only way you could eat. So this was brought in and at various points people went through the kitchen, got a plate, had some food to eat and got on with their work.’

However, The Mail on Sunday has established that the Radisson Blu was serving food when Sir Keir and his party checked in at 6.31pm and continued to do so until 9pm.

At the time, lockdown laws allowed staff to meet indoors if doing so was ‘reasonably necessary for work’, but ‘there should not be any sharing of food and drink by staff who do not share a household. Minimise self-serving options for food and drink’.

In addition, Government guidance put in place for the following month’s local elections stated: ‘You should not meet with other campaigners indoors. Only rarely will two people be required indoors at the same location to manage bulk delivery handling.

‘You should keep these interactions to a minimum to reduce contact and follow the guidance on how to stop the spread of coronavirus at all times... Meetings to organise and plan campaigns should be held online or over the phone. They should not take place in person’.

(Keir Starmer called on MPs to show 'honesty, integrity and decency' and oust Boris Johnson last month.)

The document also refers to four members of the ‘MPL’ – Met Police Liaison – who were included in the trip, suggesting they are likely to have information useful to the investigation.

Also included on the op note is the line ‘Covid Alert Level: National Lockdown’, and ‘important note: please maintain social distancing of 2m and wear face coverings whilst indoors at all time’.

The leaked document makes clear that Ms Rayner was to play a central role in the day’s events.

The party has already admitted to not telling the truth about Ms Rayner’s presence.

When the Daily Mail asked the party on January 14 whether she had taken part in the event, it said: ‘Goodness me, with all that’s going on. It’s an old story! Angela wasn’t there.’

But when confronted last month with video evidence, the party admitted: ‘Angela was present’, and said previous denials had been ‘an honest mistake’.

A Labour spokesperson said: ‘Keir was working, a takeaway was made available in the kitchen, and he ate between work demands. No rules were broken.’

A Labour source said: ‘During a fast-moving campaign, the op note doesn’t always keep up with events so it would be wrong to assume that activities occurred at the times originally planned. For example, it’s been documented that the takeaway was late’.

https://www.mailplus.co.uk/edition/...ers-beergate-story-blown-apart-by-leaked-memo
 
Labour leader investigation is 'desperate attempt to sling mud' by Conservatives, shadow levelling up secretary says

Shadow levelling up secretary Lisa Nandy has been speaking with Sky's Sophy Ride this morning after Durham Police said they would be investigating an incident involving Sir Keir Starmer last year.

She said the Labour leader had been on a "work visit" when he was pictured having a takeaway with colleagues before going on to say the last few weeks had been an "absolutely desperate attempt to sling mud" Labour by the Tories.

Ms Nandy went on to say the events in Downing Street and the incident involving Sir Keir were not the same.

"Keir Starmer went on a work visit and had a break to eat," she said.

"The idea that this is the same thing is just a sign of a government that is tired, desperate and just out of ideas and spends more time slinging mud at the Labour party than working out how they're going to help pensioners who are now struggling so much to heat their homes that they're having to go on buses avoid the cold."

This weekend, Durham Police confirmed that the force would be investigating an incident involving Sir Keir where he was pictured drinking a beer and having a takeaway with party workers during by-election campaigning in April 2021.

At the time, people in England were banned from mixing indoors apart from for work.

Sir Keir has argued that no rules were broken and they had stopped to eat the meal and then resumed their work.

The Labour leader said: "We were working in the office, we stopped for something to eat, no party, no breach of the rules.

"The police obviously have their job to do and we should let them get on with it but I'm confident no rules were broken."

SKY
 
Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer has pulled out of a keynote speech he is due to give today - as pressure mounts on him over so-called 'beergate' claims.

After being a hugely vocal critic of Prime Minister Boris Johnson and the 'partygate' Downing Street gatherings during COVID lockdown, Sir Keir is now facing allegations that he too had a beer in a room with colleagues.

Sir Keir has said he was working and stopped to eat when he was filmed having a drink in Durham in April last year - at a time when rules banned household mixing indoors, apart from working.

Durham Police are now investigating the event after a leaked memo obtained by the Mail of Sunday revealed it was in fact pre-planned, in contrast to Labour's earlier claims it was decided on the night as "nowhere served food".

SKY
 
Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer has pledged to offer his resignation if he is issued a fixed penalty notice for breaking COVID rules.

Sir Keir has come under pressure over an event in Durham in April 2021 with party colleagues when he was filmed having a drink and a takeaway curry was ordered.

Durham Police are now investigating the so-called "beergate" episode but the Labour leader said critics were "just trying to feed cynicism to get the public to believe all politicians are the same".

Sir Keir, who has been a fierce critics of Boris Johnson's rule breaking in Downing Street, said he was "absolutely clear that no laws were broken" in his case.

But he added: "If police decide to issue me with a fixed penalty notice, I would of course do the right thing and step down."

Pressed on whether he would quit if it was determined that there was a breach of the rules but he is not issued again, Sir Keir said he had not broken the rules and added: "The penalty for a COVID breach is a fixed-penalty notice, that's a matter of law, and I've set out what the position is in relation to that."

Labour's deputy leader Angela Rayner, who was also at the event, also said no rules were broken and made a similar pledge that she would quit if fined.

At the time of the Durham event, COVID rules banned household mixing indoors, apart from working.

Over the weekend a leaked memo obtained by the Mail on Sunday revealed the meal was pre-planned, in contrast to Labour's earlier claim that it was a decision on the night as "nowhere served food".

On Monday, Sir Keir pulled out of a planned think-tank event as pressure mounted.

But in a hastily-arranged news conference later that day, the Labour leader agreed to face broadcast journalists to answer growing questions about how he might respond if found to have broken the law.

In a statement, he sought to draw a distinction between his position and that of Boris Johnson, who has already received a fixed penalty notice after a Met police investigation into alleged lockdown breaches in Downing Street and Whitehall in 2020 and 2021.

That investigation, in which more than 50 fines have already been announced, is continuing.

Sir Keir said: "I believe in honour, integrity and the principle that those who make the laws must follow them.

"I believe that politicians who undermine that principle undermine trust in politics, undermine democracy, undermine Britain.

"I am absolutely clear that no laws were broken - they were followed at all times.

"I simply had something to eat while working late in the evening as any politician would do days before an election."

Education minister Michelle Donelan told Sky News on Monday that, if Sir Keir is fined, it was a decision for him as to whether he should step down.

But she added: "What my constituents are saying is that this whole thing smacks of sheer hypocrisy.

"He has got to search his soul after making this a top priority for the last few months at the expense of key issues like the rising cost of living."

SKY
 
Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer and deputy leader Angela Rayner have both received questionnaires from Durham Constabulary in relation to a potential breach of lockdown rules in April 2021.

Sir Keir has come under pressure over an event in Durham in April 2021 with party colleagues when he was filmed having a drink and a takeaway curry was ordered - dubbed 'beergate'.
 
Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer and deputy leader Angela Rayner have both received questionnaires from Durham Constabulary in relation to a potential breach of lockdown rules in April 2021.

Sir Keir has come under pressure over an event in Durham in April 2021 with party colleagues when he was filmed having a drink and a takeaway curry was ordered - dubbed 'beergate'.

Interesting.

Say Sir Keir is fined. Steps down as a matter of honour. Wes Streeting becomes Labour Leader. Labour storms the next GE and Streeting is PM.
 
Labour will win next time now I think.

Starmer has done the transitory groundwork to reasonable effect.
 
Starmer apologises for 'administrative errors' as parliamentary watchdog probe revealed

Sir Keir Starmer has apologised for "administrative errors" after it emerged that he was being investigated over potential breaches of parliamentary rules on earnings and gifts.

A spokesperson for the Labour leader said the errors had led to "a small number of late declarations". These were understood to relate to hospitality such as football tickets as well as book payments.

During a visit to Wakefield, Sir Keir said that the allegations were not a surprise. Asked if he was sure he had done nothing wrong, he said: "Absolutely confident, there's no problem here."

The Labour leader is being investigated by Kathryn Stone, the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards, under two sections of the MPs' rules of conduct on registering interests, the parliamentary website shows.

The investigation was opened last Wednesday.

According to the parliamentary website, one strand of the probe is looking at the registration of interests under the section on employment and earnings while a second concerns a possible breach of the section concerning gifts, benefits and hospitality from UK sources.

A spokesperson for the Labour leader said: "Keir Starmer takes his declaration responsibilities very seriously and has already apologised for the fact that administrative errors in his office have led to a small number of late declarations.

"The Standards Commissioner has asked for more information which we are happy to provide."

Under parliamentary rules on employment and earnings, MPs must register payments of more than £100 which they receive for work outside the Commons.

For gifts and hospitality, they must register benefits worth more than £300, or multiple benefits from the same source if they exceed that value in a calendar year.

The register of interests for Sir Keir includes two copyright payments for books written before his election to parliament as well as an £18,450 advance from publisher HarperCollins for a book he is writing.

Details of the probe have emerged at a time when Sir Keir is separately being investigated by police over whether COVID-19 rules were broken during an evening in Durham in April 2021 when he was filmed having a drink and a curry was ordered.

The Labour leader has pledged to resign if he is fined over the event.

https://news.sky.com/story/keir-sta...ion-under-mps-conduct-rules-revealed-12633022
 
Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer has been cleared by Durham Police after an investigation into whether he breached lockdown rules by sharing a beer and curry with party workers in April last year.

Sir Keir had vowed to do the "right thing" and stand down if he was fined in relation to a gathering in Labour offices in Durham ahead of the Hartlepool by-election.

The move was viewed as a huge gamble, with Sir Keir placing his future in the hands of Durham Police after it was announced officers would reopen an investigation into the event where he drank beer and ate curry.

The Labour leader has consistently denied the gathering was against the rules, arguing that he and those present were working, paused to eat food during a break and then returned to their duties.

Labour has sought to contrast Sir Keir's actions with those of Boris Johnson, who has refused to quit as prime minister after being fined by the Met Police over a gathering in Number 10 in June 2020 to mark his 56th birthday.

The party had expressed confidence that its leader would be cleared, with sources saying they would provide officers with proof that the Durham gathering was a work event.

In his statement, Sir Keir had said he believed in the principle that "those who make the laws must follow them" and that politicians who failed to do so "undermine our democracy".

He said: "I'm absolutely clear that no laws were broken, they were followed at all times, I simply had something to eat while working late in the evening as any politician would do days before an election.

"But if the police decide to issue me with a fixed penalty notice, I would, of course, do the right thing and step down."

SKY
 
Labour will win next time now I think.

Starmer has done the transitory groundwork to reasonable effect.

Not if the Tories elect Tugendhat. He will get by them the centre voters back.
 
What a coincidence, Starmer decision released the day after Boris resigns.

He was no doubt going to be fined, he would never have followed through his promise to resign had he been fined, and now, he's talking about new Labour. What was he doing for the past year?

Stinks of corruption.
 
Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer and deputy leader Angela Rayner have both received questionnaires from Durham Constabulary in relation to a potential breach of lockdown rules in April 2021.

Sir Keir has come under pressure over an event in Durham in April 2021 with party colleagues when he was filmed having a drink and a takeaway curry was ordered - dubbed 'beergate'.

I expected him to be exonerated. Didn't feel like he had broken any laws.
 
Starmer: Tories are 'totally detached from reality'

Sir Keir Starmer is giving a statement following news Durham Police will not issue fines over "beergate".

"People said to me I was taking a risk by saying I would step down if I was fined, but it was never about that," he says.

"For me, it was a matter of principle. It shouldn't be controversial to say that those who make the law can't break the law.

"But we have to set the bar far higher than that. Our country is stuck in a dangerous rut.

"Everywhere you look things are broken and nothing gets fixed.

"People say to me when they look at those running the country they see a group of people totally detached from reality whose words mean nothing and who put their own interests first.

"Who could blame them for concluding that politics doesn't matter, and doesn't work.

"This is not just about Boris Johnson, this feeling that politics is failed hasn't emerged in the last few months - it has been bubbling away for years."

Sir Keir adds that people have "lost faith that this can be changed".

"The reason I made the promise that I did was to change their mind, because when politics is done well, when people can have faith that politicians words mean something, when the power of government sits in the hands of those determined to serve the country... politics can change lives and that is what I will do as prime minister."

The Labour leader concludes by saying: "I won't get everything right, I'm certainly not perfect, and I will make mistakes along the way.

"But what you will always get from me is someone who believes honesty and integrity matter."
 
So, "reasonable necessary work" applies to Starmer (who was away from his place of work), but not to Boris Johnson who was running the country during a crisis and at his place of work.

Talk about sleaze, stench, and corruption.
 
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Labour's strong lead is more to do with the self implosion of the Conservatives rather than any sort of genius act of Starmer. For me Starmer is the worst labour leader I've ever seen.
 
Labour's strong lead is more to do with the self implosion of the Conservatives rather than any sort of genius act of Starmer. For me Starmer is the worst labour leader I've ever seen.

Significantly more capable than Corbyn, and rather better than Miliband too.

His problem is that he is boring.

I can remember back a ways….

Wilson - very good
Callaghan - good
Foot - awful
Kinnock - not up to it
Smith - excellent, should have been PM
Blair - most successful Labour leader ever
Brown - competent but boring
Miliband - promoted too early, would be better now
Corbyn - unspeakable
Starmer - like Brown

If the Tories can get a likeable leader they could win in 2024, if that is long enough to wear the Bodger toxicity off.
 
If the prediction [MENTION=93712]MenInG[/MENTION] quotes is accurate the result is seismic:

Tory 168
Labour 386
Scot Nats 51
Lib Dems 21

That’s close to Blair first term territory….
 
If the prediction [MENTION=93712]MenInG[/MENTION] quotes is accurate the result is seismic:

Tory 168
Labour 386
Scot Nats 51
Lib Dems 21

That’s close to Blair first term territory….

2024 is far away in British politics terms. Boris won a record breaking majority, look where he is now. As of late, it has never been about what either party’s can do for the country but more about the opposition and their self destruction. Before it was Jeremy/Brexit-facism and now scandal which is being reflected in the voting intention, it wouldn’t be surprising if things yo yo for a while. You’re a big fan of Keir but isn’t a god send who is guaranteed to take us out this hole, I can only see him boosting our defence spend and support to Ukraine. Our politicians stray too far from home and lack attention on local issues.
 
:))) Predictions :)))

Since 2008 - Degree holders in Politics, Political sciences, Pollsters, Analysts, Polling agencies, Political commentators, MSM, MPs (Past and present), News Agencies, you name it - GOT IT ALL WRONG.

  1. GE 2010 - Coalition - SHOCK result.
  2. GE 2015 - Cameron winning by a slim margin (12) - SHOCK result
  3. 2016 EU Referendum - SHOCK result
  4. GE 2017 - Conservative minority government - SHOCK result
  5. GE 2019 - Conservative landslide victory - SHOCK result

These so called experts of the field should hang their heads in shame and ask for any refund from their academia institutions. Their knowledge is now defunct. Their experience, trumped, their paraphrasing history torpedoed, and their wannabe desire to sound important, dead.

Never will these so called experts address cause, but focus on effect, which is why they are disconnected from reality and end up making a fool of themselves and predictions. And yes, since 2008 - AUSTERITY has been the cause!

Still laughing at so called expert/professional political predictions. Betting at the horses produces better results! :)))
 
2024 is far away in British politics terms. Boris won a record breaking majority, look where he is now. As of late, it has never been about what either party’s can do for the country but more about the opposition and their self destruction. Before it was Jeremy/Brexit-facism and now scandal which is being reflected in the voting intention, it wouldn’t be surprising if things yo yo for a while. You’re a big fan of Keir but isn’t a god send who is guaranteed to take us out this hole, I can only see him boosting our defence spend and support to Ukraine. Our politicians stray too far from home and lack attention on local issues.

Nowhere near record-breaking - he had 80 majority. Blair had 170.

Every UK PM ever would have supported Ukraine and so will every future PM.

I'm not a big fan of Keir and won't be voting for his party - I think he's competent and boring, but a technocrat will be good after the populism of Brexit / Corbyn / Johnson.
 
Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer has said one of his shadow ministers was sacked yesterday for making up policy "on the hoof" as he stood on a picket line during rail strikes.

Sam Tarry was dismissed from his role as a junior shadow transport minister after he disobeyed orders for frontbench Labour MPs to not appear on picket lines during Wednesday's rail strike.
 
Nowhere near record-breaking - he had 80 majority. Blair had 170.

Every UK PM ever would have supported Ukraine and so will every future PM.

I'm not a big fan of Keir and won't be voting for his party - I think he's competent and boring, but a technocrat will be good after the populism of Brexit / Corbyn / Johnson.

He has been trying his best to lose the vote from Corbyn supporters. If you argued he is only losing the muslim vote due to his foreign stance and that it was being replaced with the jewish vote, I’d have said ok. But now he has also angered the union and working class vote.

It might be a tactic to attract the Tory vote but in doing so risks isolating the traditional Labour voters who will most likely vote for the Lib dems in protest.
 
He has been trying his best to lose the vote from Corbyn supporters. If you argued he is only losing the muslim vote due to his foreign stance and that it was being replaced with the jewish vote, I’d have said ok. But now he has also angered the union and working class vote.

It might be a tactic to attract the Tory vote but in doing so risks isolating the traditional Labour voters who will most likely vote for the Lib dems in protest.

Doubt it, they still hate the LDs for 2010-15 Coalition. The left vote that the LDs won by voting against the Iraq War is gone.

LDs are trying to take "soft blue" votes - with some success of late.

Corbynistas might switch to the Greens, but Starmer needs to win the Red Wall back so the patriotic white working class vote is his target. He has to be careful as the Tories will try to link him to the rail strike in peoples' minds.
 
Thought that Mary Creagh (who isn’t normally worth listening to) made an interesting point when she said that this picket line sacking thing showed the Labour Party “is no longer wanting to be a party of protests and demos, it is wanting to be a party of government”.
 
Thought that Mary Creagh (who isn’t normally worth listening to) made an interesting point when she said that this picket line sacking thing showed the Labour Party “is no longer wanting to be a party of protests and demos, it is wanting to be a party of government”.

It’s a good point. The difference between student and mature politics.
 
It’s a good point. The difference between student and mature politics.

Which students are joining the picket line though? they need the train to pursue the education which the mature folk lack. Protest is a powerful tool and it is good to encourage the youth to keep in touch with politics and not burden them with debt which the Lib Dems seem to enjoy despite their elevated levels of maturity.
 
Doubt it, they still hate the LDs for 2010-15 Coalition. The left vote that the LDs won by voting against the Iraq War is gone.

LDs are trying to take "soft blue" votes - with some success of late.

Corbynistas might switch to the Greens, but Starmer needs to win the Red Wall back so the patriotic white working class vote is his target. He has to be careful as the Tories will try to link him to the rail strike in peoples' minds.

They do, that’s why I said it would be a protest vote. The Greens are not going to be an option on every ballot.

Is it wise for Sir Keir to isolate the union when he is trying to appease the patriotic white working class….patriotic white :)) good one
 
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Which students are joining the picket line though? they need the train to pursue the education which the mature folk lack. Protest is a powerful tool and it is good to encourage the youth to keep in touch with politics and not burden them with debt which the Lib Dems seem to enjoy despite their elevated levels of maturity.

I mean to say that people can go on demos to protest against apartheid, Iraq War, Brexit, climate change etc. and nothing happens - the politics doesn't change.

The adult politics is to change the system from the inside, which is what Starmer is trying to do.
 
I mean to say that people can go on demos to protest against apartheid, Iraq War, Brexit, climate change etc. and nothing happens - the politics doesn't change.

The adult politics is to change the system from the inside, which is what Starmer is trying to do.

So, Starmer is an adult politician…
 
<b>Labour ‘could face bankruptcy’ as unions revolt after shadow minister sacked for picketing</b>

<I>Sir Keir Starmer removed Sam Tarry from the front bench after he joined striking workers at Euston station</I>

Sir Keir Starmer has been warned that Labour could face bankruptcy as unions abandon the party after he sacked a shadow minister for appearing on a picket line.

The Labour leader is facing a backlash from union barons, who say he has severed the historical link between the party and the union movement.

Sam Tarry, a shadow transport minister, was sacked on Wednesday after joining striking workers from the National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers (RMT) on a picket line at Euston station in central London.

Sir Keir said he removed Mr Tarry from the frontbench team because he broke the party’s rule of collective responsibility by making up policy “on the hoof” and giving unauthorised broadcast interviews.

But the incident has dragged Labour into another row with the unions, which last year gave the party more than £6 million.

Several major unions including Unite, the Communication Workers’ Union (CWU) and the Transport Salaried Staffs' Association have already condemned Sir Keir for his decision to sack Mr Tarry.

The CWU and Unite have already voted to reduce funding to Labour beyond the base fee they pay to be affiliated to the party.

Dave Ward, the CWU general secretary, said on Wednesday: “I don’t think any trade union that is in dispute at the moment has got the support of the Labour leadership. Their actions – Keir Starmer’s actions – in this are a disgrace, and it’s not acceptable.”

The Telegraph understands that the disquiet also extends to more moderate unions that have yet to make public statements, including Usdaw, the shopworkers’ union, and Unison, which was Labour’s biggest financial backer last year, donating almost £1.8 million.

A Labour source said: “There is a real sense now that this could be quite a seminal moment. There could be a permanent break with the other unions. Starmer has p----- off basically the entire TUC [Trades Union Congress]. The party could be bankrupted, which has almost happened before.”

Sharon Graham, the general secretary of Unite, issued a furious statement on Wednesday night in which she called Mr Tarry’s sacking “an insult to the trade union movement” and said: “Juvenile attacks on trade unionists will do absolutely nothing to further Labour’s prospects for power.”

The Telegraph understands that while Unite is unlikely to disaffiliate fully from Labour it is unlikely to contribute more than a bare minimum in donations.

“Sharon is absolutely fuming about what's happened,” a source said. “Why should they [Unite] be giving millions of pounds a year to the Labour Party when they are not getting the support?”

But speaking on a visit to Birmingham on Thursday, Sir Keir appeared to play down the rift with Unite, saying: “The Unite union and the Labour Party have a very strong relationship. I am a member of the Unite union. That relationship is historic, it is present, and it will be the future of the Labour Party.

“They work with us on our employment rights' draft legislation, which is, you know, the most comprehensive set of employment rights that we have ever seen coming out of the Labour Party.”

DT
 
Not two referendums!! — we have already seen the divisiveness and damage caused by having just one.

If IndyRef2 results in Yes this time. then the new nation will have a common travel arrangement with the remainder of the UK, as do Ireland and the UK. Nothing will be lost, like Remainers lost their EU citizenship.

A PR referendum won’t divide the country if successful - but it will shake up Parliament and make smaller parties more powerful.

Starmer will only grant these for support in the Commons. He might not need both parties to form a government. Like Blair, he might not need either.
 
If IndyRef2 results in Yes this time. then the new nation will have a common travel arrangement with the remainder of the UK, as do Ireland and the UK. Nothing will be lost, like Remainers lost their EU citizenship.

A PR referendum won’t divide the country if successful - but it will shake up Parliament and make smaller parties more powerful.

Starmer will only grant these for support in the Commons. He might not need both parties to form a government. Like Blair, he might not need either.

Bookmarking this post for 2030.

Robert said it was all going to be ok.

;)
 
If IndyRef2 results in Yes this time. then the new nation will have a common travel arrangement with the remainder of the UK, as do Ireland and the UK. Nothing will be lost, like Remainers lost their EU citizenship.

A PR referendum won’t divide the country if successful - but it will shake up Parliament and make smaller parties more powerful.

Starmer will only grant these for support in the Commons. He might not need both parties to form a government. Like Blair, he might not need either.

Correct PR referendum is desperately needed to bring in major reforms in the country
 
Not two referendums!! — we have already seen the divisiveness and damage caused by having just one.

Another illusion of democracy. Indyref was done and dusted, but the powers to be will continue with another referendum until the desired result is achieved.

Brexit referendum was damaging for democracy thanks to the Remainers/Liberals who couldn't stomach a loss.

It's time we accept there's no such thing as democracy in the UK, only the illusion of choice.
 
If we had PR system in 2015, UKIP would have had approx 14 seats in HoP, and this would have brought HoP to a standstill.

Careful what you wish for.
 
If we had PR system in 2015, UKIP would have had approx 14 seats in HoP, and this would have brought HoP to a standstill.

Careful what you wish for.

imo when far left and far right fringe parties start to pick up HOC seats in an amended voting system and then receive a legitimised platform to speak their minds with parliamentary privilege, the advocates of PR will begin to regret their stance.
 
imo when far left and far right fringe parties start to pick up HOC seats in an amended voting system and then receive a legitimised platform to speak their minds with parliamentary privilege, the advocates of PR will begin to regret their stance.

It seems to work fine in Germany. The mainstream groups do all the decision-making and the extremists stamp their feet but have little real say. Their bad ideas are exposed in debate and their parties stay small.

The alternative is a massively distorted system which elects on average each Tory with every 28K votes, each Labourite with 35K votes, each Lib Dem with 150K votes and each Green with 1M votes. That’s not real democracy.
 
imo when far left and far right fringe parties start to pick up HOC seats in an amended voting system and then receive a legitimised platform to speak their minds with parliamentary privilege, the advocates of PR will begin to regret their stance.

And you don’t think this particular version of Conservative party led by Alexander Johnson and next Truss, hasn’t lurched further towards right? IMHO they are really UKIP lite.

And people with far right and far left views need to be heard. One cannot just ignore them if 14% of the people are willing to vote for them.
 
And you don’t think this particular version of Conservative party led by Alexander Johnson and next Truss, hasn’t lurched further towards right? IMHO they are really UKIP lite.

And people with far right and far left views need to be heard. One cannot just ignore them if 14% of the people are willing to vote for them.

Never mind UKIP, some of their MPs are using actual NF / BNP tropes:

- leave the EU
- communities overrun by foreigners
- send ‘em back
- scrap overseas aid
 
Be prepared, the rise of Right-wing is happening all over the West - Germany, France, Netherlands, and of course the UK!

Liberals want the voices of the right-wing shut down (so much for open to alternative views). When will they learn? When views are ignored, views go underground, then you have shocks like Brexit and then liberals cry racism! Invalidate result! Second referendum!

I cannot wait, austerity is on the rise, right wing views on the rise, the UK is on the path of social and political destruction, and I firmly blame Fascist Liberalism!

Starmer does not stand a chance; and if the PR is the system we end up, then my advise to Liberals is to migrate to another country, I hear EU needs the money.
 
Be prepared, the rise of Right-wing is happening all over the West - Germany, France, Netherlands, and of course the UK!

Liberals want the voices of the right-wing shut down (so much for open to alternative views). When will they learn? When views are ignored, views go underground, then you have shocks like Brexit and then liberals cry racism! Invalidate result! Second referendum!

I cannot wait, austerity is on the rise, right wing views on the rise, the UK is on the path of social and political destruction, and I firmly blame Fascist Liberalism!

Starmer does not stand a chance; and if the PR is the system we end up, then my advise to Liberals is to migrate to another country, I hear EU needs the money.

You are partly right. The hard right will be represented in the parliament, but so will hard left. Austerity leads to the rise of the extreme - left and right.

It will lead to a loft of corbynistas leaving Labor and forming a party further to the left. It will also lead to conservatives breaking into a far right and a centre right party.

Effectively these are the parties we will have
1. far left - corbynistas
2. centre left - labour
3. centre - Lib Dem
4. centre right - conservative
5. far right -
6. green
7. local parties

Essentially everyone has a chance to vote for what their own party.
 
You are partly right. The hard right will be represented in the parliament, but so will hard left. Austerity leads to the rise of the extreme - left and right.

It will lead to a loft of corbynistas leaving Labor and forming a party further to the left. It will also lead to conservatives breaking into a far right and a centre right party.

Effectively these are the parties we will have
1. far left - corbynistas
2. centre left - labour
3. centre - Lib Dem
4. centre right - conservative
5. far right -
6. green
7. local parties

Essentially everyone has a chance to vote for what their own party.

I agree austerity hits the left and right, but right-wing views/fascism are fueled by austerity because those who are hit hard will start looking to blame someone, johnny foreigner for example, where as the left do not go blaming others, other than the right-wing.
 
You are partly right. The hard right will be represented in the parliament, but so will hard left. Austerity leads to the rise of the extreme - left and right.

It will lead to a loft of corbynistas leaving Labor and forming a party further to the left. It will also lead to conservatives breaking into a far right and a centre right party.

Effectively these are the parties we will have
1. far left - corbynistas
2. centre left - labour
3. centre - Lib Dem
4. centre right - conservative
5. far right -
6. green
7. local parties

Essentially everyone has a chance to vote for what their own party.

Labour have always been a coalition between socialists and social democrats.

Tories are now a coalition between one nation and UKIP with the latter having the whip hand.

Fragmentation would be good for democracy.

Greens are hard left though, except that they are the only committed Rejoin party.
 
I have read alot of opinions in my time but this takes the biscuit.

In 2016, the largest democratic exercise took place in the UK, with 2 sides, Leave and Remain, and remain lost.

What ensued is the reality that democracy is a complete myth in the UK because the liberals/remainers were on a war-path to either invalidate the result, or overturn the result - some are still crying, trying, and lying.

Now we have the same group saying fragmentation is good for democracy, and this same group believe only the educated should be granted the right to vote. What facists, lets go back to 1870 when neither the common man or woman had the right to vote!

The enemy of the UK breeds within - it’s not terrorists, it’s not Putin, it’s not capitalism, but Liberalism - it is time to severe the snake’s head!
 
Labour have always been a coalition between socialists and social democrats.

Tories are now a coalition between one nation and UKIP with the latter having the whip hand.

Fragmentation would be good for democracy.

Greens are hard left though, except that they are the only committed Rejoin party.

Labour will need to fragment. There is too much infighting due to those two separate factions - socialists and social democrats.

However, they will remain close, even after a break up because all parties will need to work together with ideologies close to each other if they want to govern the country. So center left will need to work with the left and Lib Dems.

In the PR, the real challenge will be for the conservatives (assuming they take the centre right position), as they will need to choose between Hard right and centre. Especially if the hard right keeps getting 15% of the vote. For instance in Germany CDU/CSU (merkel‘s party) will never work with AfD(BNP equivalent) and would rather team up with centre (liberals) or even centre left (SPD). Obviously Germany‘s history means that far right is condemned across the board, except in east Germany (and the racists in west Germany).

The greens will also need to think of their place if labour does break up. The only parties that will not be affected much would be Lib Dems.
 
Be prepared, the rise of Right-wing is happening all over the West - Germany, France, Netherlands, and of course the UK!

Liberals want the voices of the right-wing shut down (so much for open to alternative views). When will they learn? When views are ignored, views go underground, then you have shocks like Brexit and then liberals cry racism! Invalidate result! Second referendum!

I cannot wait, austerity is on the rise, right wing views on the rise, the UK is on the path of social and political destruction, and I firmly blame Fascist Liberalism!

Starmer does not stand a chance; and if the PR is the system we end up, then my advise to Liberals is to migrate to another country, I hear EU needs the money.

Right wing views are on rise because successive goverments won't stop immigration because the zionist cabal rely on immigration for them its cheap labour its modern day slavery.
 
Right wing views are on rise because successive goverments won't stop immigration because the zionist cabal rely on immigration for them its cheap labour its modern day slavery.

Right wing views are on the rise because austerity is on the rise.
 
Right wing views are on rise because successive goverments won't stop immigration because the zionist cabal rely on immigration for them its cheap labour its modern day slavery.

Oh dear Lord.

We need immigrants because our national age profile is changing and soon there will be a huge number of pensioners with few wage earners to support them.

UK has a very long history of taking refugees fleeing war zones, whether we are involved in a given war or not, because it’s the right thing to do. The far right reaction to this was always there, but now we have cynical politicians harnessing xenophobia for votes. That is all that has changed.
 
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