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Lest we forget what we have just lost ....

(163 Posts)
Luckygirl3 Tue 23-Jun-26 17:05:26

Since Labour took office, Keir Starmer’s government has:

- Scrapped the two-child benefit limit, lifting hundreds of thousands of children out of poverty and putting money back into some of the hardest-pressed households in the country.

- Expanded free school meals, cutting costs for families and making sure more children get a proper meal during the school day.

- Expanded funded childcare, reducing one of the biggest monthly costs facing working parents and making it easier for people to stay in work.

- Raised the National Living Wage, increasing pay for millions of low-paid workers.

- Strengthened workers’ rights, giving people greater protection against insecure work and bad employers.

- Introduced statutory sick pay from the first day of illness, so workers are less likely to choose between their health and their wages.

- Ended no-fault evictions, giving renters more security in their homes.

- Brought rail operators back into public ownership, taking key services out of failed private hands and giving the public a stronger stake in how they are run.

- Cut NHS waiting lists from their post-pandemic peak, meaning more patients are being seen sooner.

- Raised the state pension through the triple lock, protecting pensioners’ incomes against rising costs.

- Scrapped the old non-dom tax regime, making some of the wealthiest people in the country pay more fairly.

- Added VAT to private school fees, raising money from those most able to contribute.

- Removed business rates relief from private schools, ending an unjustified tax break.

- Increased neighbourhood policing, putting more officers and PCSOs back into communities.

- Helped bring knife crime down, meaning fewer families face the devastation of serious violence.

- Recorded the lowest homicide rate since the 1970s, a material improvement in public safety.

- Created Great British Energy, giving Britain a publicly owned clean energy company.

- Created the National Wealth Fund, backing investment in industry, infrastructure and clean energy.

- Passed planning reforms aimed at getting homes and major projects built faster.

- Improved relations with the EU, reducing diplomatic hostility and rebuilding practical cooperation.

- Agreed a UK-EU security partnership, strengthening cooperation on defence and European security.

- Signed a long-term partnership with Ukraine, reinforcing Britain’s support against Putin’s invasion.

- Secured new trade agreements, opening up markets for British businesses.

- Helped restore seriousness to government after years of scandal, chaos and decline.

- Revived Sure Start under the guise of Best Start Hubs.

- Stood up to Trump and kept us out of Iran without the US/UK relationship falling apart.

- Restored international faith in the UK

And this is the man who has been hounded out for not being flashy enough and not courting the media.

Maremia Thu 25-Jun-26 06:21:42

Padstow, one of the 3 main reasons for the increasing demand for foodbanks is insufficient Welfare allowances, says Google.

J52 Thu 25-Jun-26 07:12:57

I don’t know about the Tories, didn’t really follow them so it wouldn’t be a good comparison for me nanna

With respect, you might find some research into the last Tory government enlightening and inform your comments about the current Labour government.

J52 Thu 25-Jun-26 07:13:51

Some of my typing went! nanna8 was missed.

greyfur Thu 25-Jun-26 07:39:28

I suppose any positive changes take time to filter through,hence the continued demand for food banks.
Perhaps if KS hadn't been hounded out, the good work could have continued.

eazybee Thu 25-Jun-26 07:44:18

Labour can't be any worse than the Tories

Andy Burnham has got to be an improvement

I am not confused but to clarify I have put these statements in chronological order.
At the time of the 2024 General Election a common excuse made by those voting Labour was, 'Well, they can't be worse than the Tories'. If you look at GN in the months following the Labour win in 2024 you will find a string of comments disagreeing with this.

Now the excuse is: 'Andy Burnham has to be an improvement.'

I very much doubt it, and this catapulting him into leadership without any form of contest to investigate/expose his intentions, heartily endorsed by the Labour MPs and most of the disloyal Cabinet, gives cause for alarm.

M0nica Thu 25-Jun-26 08:04:12

Luckygirl3

They achieved these under his leadership. We cannot ascribe all good things to the whole party, but all shortcomings to Starmer himself.

That is unreasonable.

Anything achieved by this government was despite Starmer's leadership., he never gave any.

MayBee70 Thu 25-Jun-26 08:13:08

M0nica

Luckygirl3

They achieved these under his leadership. We cannot ascribe all good things to the whole party, but all shortcomings to Starmer himself.

That is unreasonable.

Anything achieved by this government was despite Starmer's leadership., he never gave any.

They wouldn’t have achieved anything if he hadn’t made them electable again…

nanna8 Thu 25-Jun-26 08:24:10

M0nica

Luckygirl3

They achieved these under his leadership. We cannot ascribe all good things to the whole party, but all shortcomings to Starmer himself.

That is unreasonable.

Anything achieved by this government was despite Starmer's leadership., he never gave any.

I agree. Wrong person for the job. I really hope he gets a job working in Europe as some sort of ambassador or legal eagle because that is where his skills are.

Maremia Thu 25-Jun-26 09:16:17

Yes, electable and gained an amazing majority.

LizzieDrip Thu 25-Jun-26 09:21:15

I don’t know about the Tories, didn’t really follow them so it wouldn’t be a good comparison for me. We did hear about Johnson from time to time but more his escapades and that he nearly died with Covid. I certainly didn’t make the last comment I think you are a bit confused there

Oh, you’ve surprised me there nanna.

I assumed you’d taken a long term interest in the UK political landscape, as you speak about it with such knowledge.

It’s just the last two years that’s interested you then🤔

Oreo Thu 25-Jun-26 09:32:25

Possibly LizzieDrip as Nanna8 isn’t right wing.

M0nica Thu 25-Jun-26 09:38:51

Maremia

Yes, electable and gained an amazing majority.

Labour were elected on a negative vote 'not a Conservative'.

The idea that Labour swept into power with the overwhelming joy of the people is an illusion. Labour got the 'I'll have to vote for them because the thought of the alternative appalls me even more' vote.

I know so many people who voted Labour in the last election for the first and they now say, the last time in their lives.

Oreo Thu 25-Jun-26 09:40:56

Sadly, what Monica says is true.

Ilovecheese Thu 25-Jun-26 09:46:12

Oreo

Sadly, what Monica says is true.

Yes it is.

eazybee Thu 25-Jun-26 09:51:10

Exactly, and now there appears to be universal joy at the prospect of the replacement, who was rejected for Leadership twice, and has won one by-election on home territory, not a leadership contest.

MayBee70 Thu 25-Jun-26 10:38:52

eazybee

Exactly, and now there appears to be universal joy at the prospect of the replacement, who was rejected for Leadership twice, and has won one by-election on home territory, not a leadership contest.

Certainly not universal. I know a lot of Labour members, myself included, that are going to resign our membership over it. And my MP is furious about what has happened. But we’ve been drowned out.

Madgran77 Thu 25-Jun-26 10:42:36

The OP is is a too simlpified surface description of the "facts"! Underneath many of those headline "achievements" are wide ranging impacts that are not in the interests of the country.

MayBee70 Thu 25-Jun-26 12:36:54

Madgran77

The OP is is a too simlpified surface description of the "facts"! Underneath many of those headline "achievements" are wide ranging impacts that are not in the interests of the country.

Please feel free to elucidate on that….

Maremia Thu 25-Jun-26 12:49:45

Yes, MOnica, the election result was a good effective use of tactical voting .
But, there was a lot of undeniable 'joy' when the big change was achieved.

Luckygirl3 Thu 25-Jun-26 12:51:04

Yes .. please do.

Madgran77 Thu 25-Jun-26 13:27:33

Well an obvious one would be the rising unemployment; employers not taking on new staff; cutting staff numbers hence redundancies; not taking on youngsters/school leavers; reduction in starter jobs; hence increasing numbers of NEETS.

I am not going to join in a back and forth on this; its pointless. I absolutely get the point of what the OP says and certainly see benefits but I think it is relevant to look at the wider impact as well as the headline. Where is the strategic joined up thinking to counter negative consequences when new policies are brought in? Sadly in my view that has been missing or at the very least has been too slow hence much bigger negative impacts of positive policies than was necessary.

Moii Thu 25-Jun-26 13:46:29

Luckygirl3

Since Labour took office, Keir Starmer’s government has:

- Scrapped the two-child benefit limit, lifting hundreds of thousands of children out of poverty and putting money back into some of the hardest-pressed households in the country.

- Expanded free school meals, cutting costs for families and making sure more children get a proper meal during the school day.

- Expanded funded childcare, reducing one of the biggest monthly costs facing working parents and making it easier for people to stay in work.

- Raised the National Living Wage, increasing pay for millions of low-paid workers.

- Strengthened workers’ rights, giving people greater protection against insecure work and bad employers.

- Introduced statutory sick pay from the first day of illness, so workers are less likely to choose between their health and their wages.

- Ended no-fault evictions, giving renters more security in their homes.

- Brought rail operators back into public ownership, taking key services out of failed private hands and giving the public a stronger stake in how they are run.

- Cut NHS waiting lists from their post-pandemic peak, meaning more patients are being seen sooner.

- Raised the state pension through the triple lock, protecting pensioners’ incomes against rising costs.

- Scrapped the old non-dom tax regime, making some of the wealthiest people in the country pay more fairly.

- Added VAT to private school fees, raising money from those most able to contribute.

- Removed business rates relief from private schools, ending an unjustified tax break.

- Increased neighbourhood policing, putting more officers and PCSOs back into communities.

- Helped bring knife crime down, meaning fewer families face the devastation of serious violence.

- Recorded the lowest homicide rate since the 1970s, a material improvement in public safety.

- Created Great British Energy, giving Britain a publicly owned clean energy company.

- Created the National Wealth Fund, backing investment in industry, infrastructure and clean energy.

- Passed planning reforms aimed at getting homes and major projects built faster.

- Improved relations with the EU, reducing diplomatic hostility and rebuilding practical cooperation.

- Agreed a UK-EU security partnership, strengthening cooperation on defence and European security.

- Signed a long-term partnership with Ukraine, reinforcing Britain’s support against Putin’s invasion.

- Secured new trade agreements, opening up markets for British businesses.

- Helped restore seriousness to government after years of scandal, chaos and decline.

- Revived Sure Start under the guise of Best Start Hubs.

- Stood up to Trump and kept us out of Iran without the US/UK relationship falling apart.

- Restored international faith in the UK

And this is the man who has been hounded out for not being flashy enough and not courting the media.

Do you know a family with 6 children one on disability not working because they can claim carers and renting so they claim housing benefits are getting just under £6000k cash every 4 weeks. Shame people who take personal responsibility with a mortgage can't afford more than 2. Yes it's real I've seen the paperwork.

Mojack26 Thu 25-Jun-26 13:49:28

And you think they are allgreat do you? 2 child cap should never have been discarded. If you really think the child benefits you are deluded! Just more for the parents

M0nica Thu 25-Jun-26 13:58:04

Mojack26

And you think they are allgreat do you? 2 child cap should never have been discarded. If you really think the child benefits you are deluded! Just more for the parents

Evidence for your claim?

Oh I forgot you are an evidence free zone. You never need evidence when a good solid unfounded defamation can be made.

Grantanow Thu 25-Jun-26 14:01:16

Thry only removed the 2 child cap after massive pressure. They didn't plan to do it.