Starmer's vision quest

[Psamathe]

Listening to The Rest Is Politics podcast (a day late) and Rory Stewart had a good analogy describing those Labour MPs recognising Starmer is useless but talking about how the country has had too many changes of PM and his replacement might be no better. His analogy is a passenger on the Titanic deciding not to get into a life raft as the life raft might not work (ie the Titanic is sinking and working or not the life raft is your only hope).

 

[TailWindHome]

Pippa Crear reporting that Streeting is preparing to resign (whatever that means)

 

[bobzmyunkle]

Well rumour has it Wes is going to declare tomorrow. Can we all agree he's not the man for the job. Apparently not that popular in the party either.

 

[Pblakeney]

Maybe the task of capable politicians to find enough in the way forward to keep people happy.
eg. I might want fruit scones but given circumstances (eg shortage of sultanas and raisins) I get given plain scones. I probably wouldn't be calling to the chef to be thrown out as maybe not what I wanted but I'm happy anyway.

Maybe the problem with our current political classes is that they are not even trying to get close and probably don't even realise it. One example I feel strongly about is our rivers having been turned into open sewers and the Government basically rearranges the deckchairs on the Titanic. My solution is to renationalise the Water Companies but an open to alternatives to address the issue but Government steps are at best trivial.

I think you are underestimating the amount of unicorns that the electorate want.
I agree with your second point that government really have to be more proactive regarding infrastructure of this country. It is not the immediate vote winner but a country falling apart isn't either.

 

[Pblakeney]

Well rumour has it Wes is going to declare tomorrow. Can we all agree he's not the man for the job. Apparently not that popular in the party either.

Yes, we can all agree.

 

[Psamathe]

Well rumour has it Wes is going to declare tomorrow. Can we all agree he's not the man for the job. Apparently not that popular in the party either.

Guardian reporting it.
If he does then I assume Burnham is too late to be a candidate (after being excluded by Starmer) but I'd hope others would step forward to contest.

That said I guess Starmer could pre-empt Streeting by announcing a long schedule for his departure, long enough to give Burnham time to sort out if he wants or can get himself elected. ie if Starmer announces "I'm stepping down late September and we will have 2 months for nominations, 2 months for candidates to present their policies". If Starmer announced he's stepping down Streeting can't announce a challenge.

But from recent events I suspect Starmer would use his automatic option to stand and defend against Streeting.

 

[Shortfall]

I'm sorry, but what the f uck are you talking about?

If you think my predictions of a serious financial crisis are hyperbole then you may want to take note of PBlakeney instead. We don't agree on much but he shares my view on the dire prospects for the economy. Plenty of financial writers and correspondents are similarly gloomy too.

 

[Shortfall]

You can extend that 2 years to 10 years.
Sums up UK politics.

Fair

 

[Shortfall]

Well it seems to be a competition between Starmer and truss for the least popular ever, depending on how you try to measure it, or which polling company is used.
From Fullfact.org:
Ipsos polling shows Mr Starmer has the lowest satisfaction level of any PM since it started asking the question in the 1970s, some other polls suggest fewer people approved of or favoured Liz Truss.

Clearly they're not pollng members of NCAAP 😁

 

[Dorset Boy]

Folowing Streeting scuttling out of Downing Street yesterday having been denied his post cabinet meeting with Starmer, one of the comments I heard was:
Streeting has never knowingly avoided a microphone or TV crew before

Sounds like his meeting with Starmer this morning was very short too.

 

[TailWindHome]

If you think my predictions of a serious financial crisis are hyperbole then you may want to take note of PBlakeney instead. We don't agree on much but he shares my view on the dire prospects for the economy. Plenty of financial writers and correspondents are similarly gloomy too.

There's a crisis coming, ive said that too...but the idea that this government 'took the economy to the brink' is bollocks

 

[bobzmyunkle]

And the Telegraph begins the onslaught.
At least he's paid his council tax (probably).
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2026/05/13/burnham-accused-of-burying-skyscraper-loan-report/

 

[briantrumpet]

Well rumour has it Wes is going to declare tomorrow. Can we all agree he's not the man for the job. Apparently not that popular in the party either.

There was rumour that Yvette Cooper said yesterday that she'd resign. Apparently it transpires today that that rumour wasn't true, but who knows? We shouldn't overlook that the press is doing all it can to provoke maximum crisis, though politicians seem to be willing participants too.

 

[TailWindHome]

There was rumour that Yvette Cooper said yesterday that she'd resign. Apparently it transpires today that that rumour wasn't true, but who knows? We shouldn't overlook that the press is doing all it can to provoke maximum crisis, though politicians seem to be willing participants too.

Starmer has taken responsibilty and will today sack Peston, Mason & Kuennsberg as part of this week's reset

 

[Ian H]

Michael Rosen again (these are as good as his Dear Mog letters).

Hello.
I stand before you. I also stand behind you. I know people are worried. People are entitled to be worried. I'm worried. We all want things to get better. And they'll only feel better when they feel better. This means that the voters are telling us things. I'll be frank and honest with you: last week's results were not good. In actual fact, no one's results were good. That's the point. And there's no point in people splitting off. That will benefit no one. And it most certainly won't help us get on. And we all want to get on, don't we. So I'm going nowhere. And neither is Britain. I know why I went into politics. I want to be clear about that. We have achieved a huge amount. But I'm not satisfied. I'm hungry for change. I want to be clear about that too. My wife is Jewish. I want to be clear about that too. Let's not forget, we're British and we're going nowhere.
Good night
no questions