That Starmer fella...

I think part of the trouble is that Johnson is in charge of the opposition.

Starmer's fairly dull approach normally wouldn't be too bad but he's up against someone who people view as a performer. On top of that he doesn't give a shit about lying and is shameless when he's caught out so the "forensic" approach is of limited value.

Interesting polling here. Clearly a whole host of issues at play, but Starmer's leadership and Labour not having any policies are at the top of the list.

(source)

The worst part is he had the most timid response to the debate, maybe, after reading 6 or 7 news articles to find some crumb of support he said “tories were wrong to go back on the GRA”, sandwiched inbetween a lot of “debate” and “strong views”/ “detoxifying” (maybe I missed one?)

No address of duffield or out and out support, not even a “yo those 2-3 year queues for health care are pretty long yikes” not least like known communist and social progressive “joe biden”

Hard to see how anyone can take this as a threat, unless they genuinely have exclusionary or discriminative views/ perceptions of trans people. Maybe they just don’t know any? Maybe they need some round for dinner?

I wonder how that compares to other leaders and parties?

Although the top reason, 14% actually seems pretty low. I remember with Corbyn it was about 45% and I wouldn't be surprised if it was pretty high with Johnson.

I think it shows they have a lot to sort out if they want to be a real opposition.

he doesn't give a shit about lying and is shameless when he's caught out

This is massively important. What can Labour do in a post-truth political landscape, when the media seem complicit in this Government's lies?

I really don't know the answer. I can see the argument that he needs more personality, but there's another (probably equally valid) argument that after the bluffer PM, the way the public would vote for a change would be for a more staid, serious personality (which would then favour Starmer). I think it may just be too early for that to happen, while the bluffer is being perceived as getting results (which, like it or not, people think is the case - brexit has happened and so far the majority are sheltered from the effects, and the vaccines are kicking in so Covid situation seems to be improving too)

I'm not sure and would be interested to see. Obviously Corbyn was highly divisive, and inspired intense dislike in a significant number of people. Starmer is clearly not on the same level but I guess people just aren't bothered about him. Can't blame them to be honest

Boris is KILLING it tho (exscuse the pun), these are not just headlines or faff, algorithm manipulations, these are functional wins:

He got brexit done

Brexit inextricably gave us a better/ quicker vaccine roll out

His party is almost comically evil on migration

His party delivered a furlough package which was truly exceptional for big business and profession workers in long term work, while a mortgage protection package which saved home owners and land lords

His party is comically evil on social issues

He’s matched the “get on with it....actually stop stop!’ Stopppp!!!!....ok let me see my nan again” tone of the public over lockdown

//

No wonder he done well in an election, these are huge wins for his base and party, of course he had fuck ups too, but lmao, memory holes are nothing knew in politics and the public. Not least against a party who either supported all these things, or mumbled critique on the side lines

Extracting one difference point here is how the furlough package was not so great to those onflexible/ 0 hour contracts, or hit low wage workers in rented accommodation the worst, they were getting less pay, more likely to be laid off and the only person getting support was their landlord on their mortgage payments.

Then when they were let go from work there wasn’t even a meaningful challenge on unemployment reform.

This doesn’t make one vote for the tories, but it does make one just not show up / put their vote elsewhere. Especially for local elections where people are aware they won’t see large scale changes / pivots in policy nationally.

Mr forensic statesman losing because he can’t cut the vibe is a bit weak, he’s up against a scoring opponent while trying to haggle for a VAR review.

Mr forensic statesman losing because he can’t cut the vibe is a bit weak, he’s up against a scoring opponent while trying to haggle for a VAR review.

Great post. This, pretty much.

Exactly, look him in action, tells voters what they want to hear, reinforcing to them they have done the right thing voting Tory
https://twitter.com/PeterStefanovi2/status/1390747745351311372

Lol, they seem to get a kick out of pointless lying. How many more police officers and new hospitals were they talking about during the election? It seems so long ago now. Trump tactics, keep fibbing enough, even small ones and no one can keep up to call each one out. Like a dead cat factory.

Virgin pro eu Brexit hater: actually we secured the vaccines under such protocol 0637373.483838-8838383838584838 and could do this without brexit

Chad brexiteer nan killer: absolute mad man in dept of health just ordered 300 million untested vaccines and told the eu procurement team to fuck off? Turns out they work really well???

Nothing new there, lots of people held their nose and voted for Labour under Blair.

Probably right, yeah. Question is how to make people want to do that....

Maybe you and Sir Kier need to pay closer attention to holds and gains made in Portsmouth, Salford, Preston, Wales, etc

Weirdly passive aggressive message, but what would you suggest I need to learn from the places where labour did better?

Policy messaging?

Messaging beyond my now favourite Keir Starmer electioneering quote of all time: "There are four elections on Thursday 6 May"? Impossible.

Sure, but some of those places are in England so would surely have been the same policy messaging as the places they lost. What am I missing? What different approach did they have in Portsmouth, say?

Managed to gain West of England Mayor, minor consolation

let the bloodletting commence. everyone who lives in scotland knows what happens next

Rayner sacked as Labour chair.

This crops up every so often. Generally some aggressive response about TERFs.

Personally I'm not a woman and I'm not trans so I have no idea what my view should be.

It tends to be loads of blokes telling women that their lived experience isn't valid which is a bit weird. It's a strange one.

why tho