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Starmer's job isn't to be personally popular, it's to persuade people to vote for the Labour Party. Voter intention numbers are, as you agreed a couple of days ago, not very different to how Corbyn's were for most of his leadership.
The other thing is we were told that if only Labour ditched the ambitious socialist policies and became more centrist it would be much more popular. If a Tory lite Labour party isn't actually more popular, then what's the point?
grams-
To some extent, isn't the point to actually try?
We've had two unsuccessful attempts with Corbyn. You say "what's the point" but what's the point of trying again with exactly the same and seeing how it plays out at an election?
Also dispute calling Starmer Tory lite. I'm not mad about the flags (or staying quiet on some human rights issues) but very clear economically distinct and quite progressive - this on the current policy is good https://www.politics.co.uk/comment/2021/01/21/under-the-radar-labours-progressive-economic-agenda/
andyfallsoff
I think that's the only point I push back too. I've no problem with people recording their disappointment with Starmer - I only think he's doing OK at the moment, no better - but I do resent being told by people who have spent the last three years telling me to ignore Corbyn's personal approval rating that I should stop supporting Starmer on the basis of his (much better!) approval ratings. One is hypocrisy, one isn't.