Political U Turns

[BoldonLad]

Pressure groups are fine

but they generally only consider one viewpoint

the people in charge have to consider them all

Maybe it depends how you define "pressure group", for example:

is the City Diggers organisation a "pressure group?

is/was the Vote Leave organisation a "pressure group"

 

[Psamathe]

problem with U-Turns due to pressure from back benchers - or whoever

is that it tends to be done at short notice

Knowledgeable commentators (eg Alistair Campbell, Nick Watt (BBC)) have recently been saying the Whips have been warning No 10 about this for months. If No 10 see is as "short notice" it's because they were being so arrogant and ignoring the PLP and not listening to what they were being told.

Ian

 

[Psamathe]

Interesting "The Rest Is Politics" podcast episode yesterday (2 July 2025) where Campbell was comparing his time with Blair and Starmer and their interractions with backbenchers. Apparently (he was saying) how No 10 staff (can't remember who in No 10) was virtually forcing Blair to hold weekly (maybe fortnightly) meetings with small groups of backbenchers, sometimes geographical regions, sometimes special interest groupings. All to make sure he heard views from outside his bubble and also giving them the feeling they were being listened to, they were having "input".

Where as Starmer does ... nothing.

Wonder why Starmer is finding debarkles like this week?

Ian

 

[spen666]

Maybe it depends how you define "pressure group", for example:

is the City Diggers organisation a "pressure group?

is/was the Vote Leave organisation a "pressure group"

Forgive my ignorance, but who or what are the City Diggers organisation?

 

[BoldonLad]

Forgive my ignorance, but who or what are the City Diggers organisation?

sorry, an predictive text cock-up, which it was too late to correct, it is meant to say "Dirty Diggers organisation" ie old Rupert. 😂

 

[BoldonLad]

Maybe it depends how you define "pressure group", for example:

is the City Diggers organisation a "pressure group?

is/was the Vote Leave organisation a "pressure group"

Thanks to Spen for pointing out the type. A combination of predictive text and my failure to proof read, it should say ""Dirty Diggers organisation" ie old Rupert.

 

[spen666]

Thanks to Spen for pointing out the type. A combination of predictive text and my failure to proof read, it should say ""Dirty Diggers organisation" ie old Rupert.

Thanks - I hadn't realised it was a typo. I could find nothing relevant to UK in a search for City Diggers. Thought must be a group I had not heard of.

 

[ebikeerwidnes]

Knowledgeable commentators (eg Alistair Campbell, Nick Watt (BBC)) have recently been saying the Whips have been warning No 10 about this for months. If No 10 see is as "short notice" it's because they were being so arrogant and ignoring the PLP and not listening to what they were being told.

Ian

SO maybe they were concentrating on doing their jobs

and forgetting that part of it is listening to the back benchers?

I mean - even Derek Twigg - our MP - voted against the leadership and he NEVER sticks his head over the parapet!!