Can Sir Keir Starmer revive the Labour Party?
Discussion
Derek Smith said:
There’s a certain suspicion that Starmer was waiting for this to make his big entrance. Doesn’t make him a bad leader of course.
The move means a battle ground opens up. Johnson will try and milk the report, as Gove shows above; there are lots of opportunities to do so, but it’s a long time to the election.
Corbyn’s refusal to accept the conclusions of the report forced Starmer’s hand, but then the report, more or less, forced his.
Starmer can take the moral high ground as he’s acted swiftly and decisively against racism in the labour party. There’s a question over how much further he’ll go. He’s said six weeks. We await developments.
I have the feeling it’ll get dirty – hardly going out on a limb I know – but it might be seen as make or break for labour. If Corbyn’s side ‘wins’ then there will be problems for the party.
Starmer’s probably got at least two and a half years to get the upper hand, smooth the ruffles, and show that he’s in total control, but he needs to score points early on, and taking the whip away from Corbyn is the way to go.
Can Starmer revive the labour party? He’s certainly upped its profile by sacking his high profile emeny. He’s also taken the sting from the conclusion of the report. Good moves, and both equally targets I should imagine. We’ve got one leader of a political party who seems to have his head screwed on.
More to come on this. Isn’t it exciting. This could run for months and months as the tories will want to deflect from problems with Brexit and the economic fallout from lockdowns.
Invest in popcorn.
Great post as alwaysThe move means a battle ground opens up. Johnson will try and milk the report, as Gove shows above; there are lots of opportunities to do so, but it’s a long time to the election.
Corbyn’s refusal to accept the conclusions of the report forced Starmer’s hand, but then the report, more or less, forced his.
Starmer can take the moral high ground as he’s acted swiftly and decisively against racism in the labour party. There’s a question over how much further he’ll go. He’s said six weeks. We await developments.
I have the feeling it’ll get dirty – hardly going out on a limb I know – but it might be seen as make or break for labour. If Corbyn’s side ‘wins’ then there will be problems for the party.
Starmer’s probably got at least two and a half years to get the upper hand, smooth the ruffles, and show that he’s in total control, but he needs to score points early on, and taking the whip away from Corbyn is the way to go.
Can Starmer revive the labour party? He’s certainly upped its profile by sacking his high profile emeny. He’s also taken the sting from the conclusion of the report. Good moves, and both equally targets I should imagine. We’ve got one leader of a political party who seems to have his head screwed on.
More to come on this. Isn’t it exciting. This could run for months and months as the tories will want to deflect from problems with Brexit and the economic fallout from lockdowns.
Invest in popcorn.
In short, Starmer has the ‘Labour’ brand and Blair showed in 1997 that enough of the public will get behind a sensible looking moderate party, blue or red. So I don’t think they need the 500,000 noisy lunatics. Following that through - he may well cull a load more of the lefty idiots that are totally tainted by the last 4 years.
jakesmith said:
Great post as always
In short, Starmer has the ‘Labour’ brand and Blair showed in 1997 that enough of the public will get behind a sensible looking moderate party, blue or red. So I don’t think they need the 500,000 noisy lunatics. Following that through - he may well cull a load more of the lefty idiots that are totally tainted by the last 4 years.
Yep, let them head to the greens and fringe independents. They would pick up many many times that from disillusioned centrist tories and returning red wall voters. In short, Starmer has the ‘Labour’ brand and Blair showed in 1997 that enough of the public will get behind a sensible looking moderate party, blue or red. So I don’t think they need the 500,000 noisy lunatics. Following that through - he may well cull a load more of the lefty idiots that are totally tainted by the last 4 years.
markyb_lcy said:
jakesmith said:
Pure political opportunism.
Whatever next!!!!!
jakesmith said:
Firstly that is a credible view on here and one shared by many / most. Apart from the utter clowns on the Boris thread talking about 'Boris Ultra's' you will find little steadfast support for the Torys here and in fact most can see they are crap but up until today a better alternative to the lunatics on the left.
Secondly, yes, I hope he does form a breakaway party too, so it can be like 1997 again when all the d
heads got into speed garage and then D&B became good again & you could have a night out without the stabbings & CS gas going off. Basically he's like a st racist pied piper and I hope he takes the loonies that have effectively let the Torys run riot for the last 5 years off the edge of a metophorical cliff into oblivion.
Secondly, yes, I hope he does form a breakaway party too, so it can be like 1997 again when all the d
heads got into speed garage and then D&B became good again & you could have a night out without the stabbings & CS gas going off. Basically he's like a st racist pied piper and I hope he takes the loonies that have effectively let the Torys run riot for the last 5 years off the edge of a metophorical cliff into oblivion.
this is just brilliant.
most of the Corbyn loons on my facebook feed are D&B associates... and a couple of my old mates made the switch to garage when i was going to The End basically every Friday! i hope you dont mind but i've stolen it already
my £2 bet has finally paid off
Derek Smith said:
Starmer’s probably got at least two and a half years to get the upper hand, smooth the ruffles, and show that he’s in total control, but he needs to score points early on, and taking the whip away from Corbyn is the way to go.
Can Starmer revive the labour party? He’s certainly upped its profile by sacking his high profile emeny. He’s also taken the sting from the conclusion of the report. Good moves, and both equally targets I should imagine. We’ve got one leader of a political party who seems to have his head screwed on.
Invest in popcorn.
He's definitely showing himself to be the master of the long game, and fortuitously could not have landed a better time to be in opposition IMO.Can Starmer revive the labour party? He’s certainly upped its profile by sacking his high profile emeny. He’s also taken the sting from the conclusion of the report. Good moves, and both equally targets I should imagine. We’ve got one leader of a political party who seems to have his head screwed on.
Invest in popcorn.
Evercross said:
He's definitely showing himself to be the master of the long game, and fortuitously could not have landed a better time to be in opposition IMO.
That's a good point about the timing of the report's publication. Sir S is lucky. He's also got a distinct advantage when it comes to claiming the Jewish vote. A Winner Is You said:
amusingduck said:
bhstewie said:
hstewie said: Twitter can be a bit odd at the best of times but Christ the state of it this afternoon 
Got any highlights? https://twitter.com/jeremycorbyn/status/1321812345...
Derek Smith said:
There’s a certain suspicion that Starmer was waiting for this to make his big entrance.
Every time Starmer sits on his hands and does nothing for slightly too long, someone always pipes up claiming he was "waiting for the perfect time".A full year after taking leadership of the party, throughout which there have been constant complaints of inaction and denial, he has decided that the "perfect time" to actually do something is not after accusations of law breaking, but after the person he actively defended made his position untenable by refusing to show contrition.
That's not the perfect time. That's not even 24 hours after the perfect time. It's a year after the perfect time.
Stop projecting - he's not thinking clever thoughts, he's sat on his arse trying to avoid making any decisions that someone could find fault with.
Tuna said:
Derek Smith said:
There’s a certain suspicion that Starmer was waiting for this to make his big entrance.
Every time Starmer sits on his hands and does nothing for slightly too long, someone always pipes up claiming he was "waiting for the perfect time".A full year after taking leadership of the party, throughout which there have been constant complaints of inaction and denial, he has decided that the "perfect time" to actually do something is not after accusations of law breaking, but after the person he actively defended made his position untenable by refusing to show contrition.
That's not the perfect time. That's not even 24 hours after the perfect time. It's a year after the perfect time.
Stop projecting - he's not thinking clever thoughts, he's sat on his arse trying to avoid making any decisions that someone could find fault with.
On what basis could he have expelled Corbyn before?
Without getting mired in legal challenges? This way of doing it has given him far more legitimacy I. The eyes of the public and the party.
Yes he has played the situation, that’s what politics is and that’s what I’d like in the PM. Someone who has a strategy, plays the situation. That’s a transferable skill that can be used when negotiating on behalf of the country.
Tuna said:
Every time Starmer sits on his hands and does nothing for slightly too long, someone always pipes up claiming he was "waiting for the perfect time".
A full year after taking leadership of the party, throughout which there have been constant complaints of inaction and denial, he has decided that the "perfect time" to actually do something is not after accusations of law breaking, but after the person he actively defended made his position untenable by refusing to show contrition.
Missing the point.A full year after taking leadership of the party, throughout which there have been constant complaints of inaction and denial, he has decided that the "perfect time" to actually do something is not after accusations of law breaking, but after the person he actively defended made his position untenable by refusing to show contrition.
Starmer left Corbyn enough rope to hang himself rather than be seen as the person that opened the trap door.
Same end result for Corbyn, different end result for Starmer.
Edited by Evercross on Thursday 29th October 21:13
It's what a good Queen's Counsel does. Simply set a trap and then let the dim-witted defendant walk in to it. Corbyn is so morally superior and never, ever, ever wrong so Starmer will have known months ago how this would pan out. What a moment! What a difference a year makes. The head has been cut off the snake. Better than Game of Thrones.
Hereward said:
It's what a good Queen's Counsel does. Simply set a trap and then let the dim-witted defendant walk in to it. Corbyn is so morally superior and never, ever, ever wrong so Starmer will have known months ago how this would pan out. What a moment! What a difference a year makes. The head has been cut off the snake. Better than Game of Thrones.
More like the tail has been frightened off the lizard, it will grow back.Tuna said:
Derek Smith said:
There’s a certain suspicion that Starmer was waiting for this to make his big entrance.
Every time Starmer sits on his hands and does nothing for slightly too long, someone always pipes up claiming he was "waiting for the perfect time".A full year after taking leadership of the party, throughout which there have been constant complaints of inaction and denial, he has decided that the "perfect time" to actually do something is not after accusations of law breaking, but after the person he actively defended made his position untenable by refusing to show contrition.
That's not the perfect time. That's not even 24 hours after the perfect time. It's a year after the perfect time.
Stop projecting - he's not thinking clever thoughts, he's sat on his arse trying to avoid making any decisions that someone could find fault with.
The most important part of his role doesn’t come now. It’s in four years. He must, and probably is, preparing for it. Of course he is. He’d have to be daft not to, and he ain’t daft. Waiting is part of that.
It is patently the perfect time. The report is published and he dispenses with Corbyn, not on a whim, which would hurt him, but with overwhelming justification, albeit Corbyn’s response helped him.
The report had the possibility of harming him and the labour party. It has harmed the labour party but I think his swift action has mitigated that to an extent that will be revealed. However, ‘prompt and decisive action’ which is the way it will be portrayed, has deflected personal blame and placed it on one person; Corbyn. I’ve never gone along with the idea of the sacking one person curing a significant problem, but he’s probably not targeting me at the moment. It’s the classic way out of a difficult situation.
If he’d been battling Corbyn from the word go, at least publicly, his sacking would have been exploited by the left of the party as a personal vendetta. No chance of that now. Well, no chance of that being a successful ploy among those he’s targeting.
Being a clever bloke, and having advisors around him, he probably is thinking clever thoughts. He gave the appearance of letting things tick over. Now he’s the man of action when called on to leap on his charger and defend whatever. That’s how he’ll be portrayed.
This enquiry wasn’t hidden. It was known about by lots of people. It was expected to say something similar to what it said, and it is probable that Starmer knew of the conclusions. Of course it was opportune to wait for it to be published.
He may not be brilliant, I don’t know, but he’s clever. And lucky, which is probably more important if it lasts. The boy's done good.
At least, so far.
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