Starmer’s Speech today.

Legal blogger, David Allen Green, points this out this morning:

Every Prime Minister of the United Kingdom since 1974 has either taken office between general elections or lost office between general elections - and recently even both.

Those who came in between general elections since 1974: Callaghan, Major, Brown, May, Johnson, Truss, Sunak.

Those who left office between general elections since 1974: Wilson, Thatcher, Blair, Cameron, May, Johnson, Truss.

Those who did both: May, Johnson, Truss - though at least May and Johnson fought general elections during their term as Prime Minister.

The UK still functioned because those much despised Civil Servants kept the machinery of government going, all that was lacking was an ongoing legislative programme.

I think it would be less of a disaster to change the Labour leadership in an orderly fashion now, than for Starmer to limp on to lead an inevitable Labour defeat at the next GE.

MartavTaurus

Well at least Farage supports farmers 🥔🥕🧅🥦 and was particularly visible and vocal during rallies against inheritance tax charges.

Oh dear! So did Jeremy Clarkson and I wouldn’t want him running the government either!

mum2three

He always looks as though he has just woken up and has no idea where he is or how he got there.
However, he is now showing his true colours....he's a dictator. He knows perfectly well why so many people voted for Reform but he's determined to go again with his own agenda anyway.
I'm curious to know how he is at home. Does he force his will on his wife and family?

Oh for pity’s sake, this is the most ridiculous comment on this thread! You win!

For me, your last sentence epitomises what is wrong with the way much of the public view the actions of politicians Oreo. Securing the future of the UK by becoming more self sustaining and working with our only true allies is the most important thing, but we have become so complacent that we think that our short term needs and wants, which no party can ever hope to meet, are more important than that.

This a.m. those against Keir Starmer were 79, those supporting 91 , those who have said nothing 233.
I found this in Labour List when I was trying to find out where my M.P stood.Perhaps the media should have said more or perhaps they thought that people could do the maths.

MartavTaurus

^Starmer has been done like a kipper and I truly hope he steps down quietly.^

Poor bloke, first a potato now a kipper!

Rude and unnecessary!!

Silvergirl

We had 14 years of Austerity, a huge world pandemic, a failed massive GDP losing Brexit. You can't cure all that in 2 years. I hope they don't yield to media pressure and change the PM again. It is not the answer but I fear I will be disappointed.

It isn’t about curing all that, it’s about all the many mistakes and u turns he’s responsible for since coming into power two years ago…he has added to the miseries.
Once you lose the confidence of your own ministers and MP’s and the country, shown by the disastrous local elections then a Party has to act.
Labour will still be in power but under new management at the top.If whoever succeeds Starmer turns out to be equally poor then Labour is finished for the next GE.
I very much hope that won’t happen.
A new PM who can read the room and knows what voters want to see is very much needed.
Yesterday in his speech Starmer thinks that belatedly nationalising British Steel ( already losing well over a million pounds a day) and getting closer to the EU is what people really care about.

It seems as if some of the posters are reading a script, one which they've been rehearsing since Starmer stepped into his role and which the media has been churning out.
I am very angry that these new M.Ps have no thought what is best for the country, but are focused on 2029 and their seat.
Stephen Kinnock had some wise words on Radio 4 this morning advising caution.The leader changes in the Tory party did them no good and did the country no good either.
I'm also concerned that there seems to be a group here who find it all highly amusing. Farage will be pleased to see how easy it is being made for him.

I didn't vote Labour but this is a bad day for the country. The Tories destroyed themselves in a similar way.
This enables the mini Trump, Farage, to destroy our country even more.
People do want better but Brexit, the Pandemic and now a war in Iran is costing us dearly.
I don't think a new prime minister will magically reverse this. It will make things worse but so much damage has been done to Starmer that I doubt he will be able to carry on as PM.

Casdon

When will the message get through that there is not going to be an election. If you were the party in power with a three year term still to go, and were unpopular, knowing you wouldn’t be elected again what would you do? Would you take a kamikaze action, or would you try to hang on to power whilst trying to improve your ratings? Come on now, be sensible.

People, including some on here, are so gleeful at Starmer’s downfall, his speech didn’t sicken me, but some of the comments on here actually do.

Whatever happens now our economy will destabilise, our weak £ will drop further and god help us if we get someone that Trump can walk all over.

This isn’t about Starmer or his squabbling MPs, all vying for the top job, which isn’t a new thing, look at Churchill and Thatcher, no one gives us voters a second thought, no political appears to give a toss about those they’re paid to serve.

Of course there won’t be a GE, it would be bloody madness.

I hope and pray Starmer sees sense and simply negotiates something with his (ungrateful) MPs which allows him to go into a different role and keeps our country and £ as stable as possible.

MayBee70 I hope they do manage to renationalise the steel industry, first they have to negotiate a price with the current Chinese owners.

This will not be quick or easy, nor is it a foregone conclusion.

Cossy

Whether people are prepared to admit it or not, the press hounded and degraded Starmer from day one, and have given Farage almost a golden run.

Voters are disenchanted with politics, dissatisfied with their lives, many, it seems are quite prepared to blame those on benefits and migrants for their own very real problems, refusing to accept that even if these two issues were “resolved” tomorrow their lives would not be improved one iota.

Farage-10-jobs must be laughing all the way to the bank!

I think Farage is very disgruntled that the government have clamped down on political parties being funded by rich foreign backers ( yet another policy they’ve introduced that has had very little media coverage along with the re nationalisation of our steel industry). The media have been out to get Starmer ever since they failed with donkeygate. Now his own party have achieved what they failed to do.

MaizieD

I'd also propose that it's the UK population itself that has accelerated the decline of High Streets even if it's politicians who have no vision of how they could be transformed.

👏👏👏👏👏

I don't think he's a dictator, domestic or otherwise.

MartavTaurus

^Starmer has been done like a kipper and I truly hope he steps down quietly.^

Poor bloke, first a potato now a kipper!

You’re really finding all this amusing aren’t you? No thought for the damage it’s doing the country ?

Whether people are prepared to admit it or not, the press hounded and degraded Starmer from day one, and have given Farage almost a golden run.

Voters are disenchanted with politics, dissatisfied with their lives, many, it seems are quite prepared to blame those on benefits and migrants for their own very real problems, refusing to accept that even if these two issues were “resolved” tomorrow their lives would not be improved one iota.

Farage-10-jobs must be laughing all the way to the bank!

Just to add, I'm not sure I like the reference to his wife and family either.

Starmer has been done like a kipper and I truly hope he steps down quietly.

Poor bloke, first a potato now a kipper!

mum2three

He always looks as though he has just woken up and has no idea where he is or how he got there.
However, he is now showing his true colours....he's a dictator. He knows perfectly well why so many people voted for Reform but he's determined to go again with his own agenda anyway.
I'm curious to know how he is at home. Does he force his will on his wife and family?

Is this libel? As a member of the public and a voter, it reflects the impression I and many others have.

Have you ever seen him chatting to children in schools etc? He’s a natural with them.
As was Boris, as was Rishi, as was Theresa May, as was the lot of them. It's great for the cameras. Sitting on those little plastic chairs, telling funny jokes, crouching down next to the kids.
Maybe they're all naturals at getting down to that level!

MayBee70

Seems to me that people that have never liked Starmer are relishing all of this. No thought for the harm it’s doing our country both nationally and internationally; not to mention the economy.

I completely agree, and it also illustrates how little loyalty there is in politics.

Starmer has been done like a kipper and I truly hope he steps down quietly.

It is a sad day who those of us who voted Labour, I expected more from his government and a scrap of loyalty.

Silvergirl

In England these were local elections which often attract protest votes during mid term.

And weren’t many of them meant to be postponed because of boundary changes? The media are making it look as if Reform did incredibly well whereas that only happened in two areas.

MayBee70

Seems to me that people that have never liked Starmer are relishing all of this. No thought for the harm it’s doing our country both nationally and internationally; not to mention the economy.

Agreed. I don't vote Labour but I hate this completely unnecessary instability.

MayBee70

Seems to me that people that have never liked Starmer are relishing all of this. No thought for the harm it’s doing our country both nationally and internationally; not to mention the economy.

Very damaging internationally.

Mollygo

Who would people like to see instead if Starmer?
I keep reading suggestions of Rayner or Reeves but don’t feel they’d be an improvement. If KS does go, let’s hope the replacement has cleaned up their act before being appointed. Starting as PM with a list of accusations about your actions has never been a good idea.

I have no issue with Rayner BUT Reeves would be an absolute disaster.

Now we’ve reached this stage of proceedings Starmer would do best if he negotiated a timetable to gracefully step down and if whomever takes over has any sense they’ll appoint him as Foreign Secretary. The one thing he’s done very well is stand up to Trump.

I think Streeting is the likely candidate, but as we all know from our previous government, many unlikely people may stand and I do hope the LP get it right and choose someone who sees us through to 2029.