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  • He won't win the manufactured "culture war" and shouldn't even try.

    He's not though is he? He's trying to avoid it. It seems that the main criticism of him is that he isn't taking the points in this culture war and people would prefer he did.

  • I agree, I don't think he is trying to, although I think they have veered in that direction a couple of times. But I really don't think that's the ground they should be fighting on.

    I think they should try to couple Starmer's "Prime Ministerial" looks and establishment image with some genuinely progressive policies and not be afraid to be seen as radicals who actually stand for something.

    Especially given that they're up against someone who is colourful, and radical, and has delivered on their main election pledge already.

  • I think that's probably right, although I'm more nervous about the idea they should come across as radical. The sense I get is that radicalism is the opposite of what the median UK voter wants - if anything, it's a small 'c' conservative country. Being painted as a radical was one of the factors that counted against Corbyn, as far as I can see.

    Although brexit could be seen as a radical change, I'm not convinced that it means the country has an appetite for more radicalism. I'd say the opposite - that act has satisfied a lot of the desire for a big change, and people want things which are or can be presented as common sense.

    Maybe a lot of this is presentation - the Biden approach is interesting, as he came across as moderate, but that has allowed more wide ranging changes than I think he'd have got away with if he had campaigned as a radical 'change' candidate.

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