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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.

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 09:32:25

Possibly LizzieDrip as Nanna8 isn’t right wing.

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🤔

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

Yes, electable and gained an amazing majority.

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.

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…

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.

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.

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.

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

Some of my typing went! nanna8 was missed.

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.

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.

MayBee70 Thu 25-Jun-26 02:50:55

nanna8

eazybee

Andy Burnham has got to be an improvement

Labour can't be any worse than the Tories

hmm
*? ? ? ? *

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.

If you didn’t follow the Tories can I ask why you suddenly took an interest in the governing body of the country when it became Labour?

nanna8 Thu 25-Jun-26 01:10:40

eazybee

^Andy Burnham has got to be an improvement ^

Labour can't be any worse than the Tories

hmm
*? ? ? ? *

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.

Padstow13 Thu 25-Jun-26 00:53:50

Then why is the demand on Foodbanks increasing?

MayBee70 Wed 24-Jun-26 23:58:37

www.youtube.com/watch?v=h5QoVGUbQp8
And while Keir is meeting European leaders discussing our relationship with them and the future of NATO Burnham is busy putting funny memes on social media. How wonderful to have a funny PM again instead of someone so serious and boring…

Iam64 Wed 24-Jun-26 21:51:28

The media has been undermining Andy Burnham for months and it will escalate now

Starmer did turn the LP round and led it into to a great election win. I continued to support him, despite the frequent introduction of policies, only to pull back when the backbenchers didn’t like them. Comms wuth his own party dreadful, with the country even worse.
The Mandelson appointment then denial of knowing the extent f Mandelson’s relationship with Epstein did for me. I emailed asking how this reconciled with his long commitments to improving safety for women and girls. No response, usually there’s a standard acknowledgment at least, more often a response

The speed of his downfall is a tragedy but imo his time was up.

petra Wed 24-Jun-26 18:49:48

Doodledog

Oreo

Doodledog

Oreo

It is to Labour! And to us all who don’t want to see the Conservatives back or Reform.

As I've said, I think he did the right thing by standing down, but I don't think he was useless or ineffectual, as the list in the OP shows.

I think he would have been an excellent leader even 30 years ago, before it became easy for those with money to dripfeed propaganda and simplistic slogans. These days, we need people with a different set of skills, and can just hope that those who have them can also be statesmanlike and politically astute. It's a big ask!

And I don't want to see the Conservatives back, or Reform, so I don't know who you mean by 'us all'. You are speaking for others again.

It’s simple enough to understand…. ‘And to us all who don’t want to see the Conservatives back or Reform.’ It means exactly what it says on the tin.

As I understand it, the tin is saying that anyone who doesn't agree with you must want to see the Conservatives or Reform in power. I am simply pointing out that that is far from the truth.

Like most things in the uk. It’s either black or white.

Harris27 Wed 24-Jun-26 18:44:29

I don’t think he’s done too bad look what he inherited. He wasn’t as flash as Boris or charismatic as his predecessor but I think he did the best with what he had to work with.

DaisyAnneReturns Wed 24-Jun-26 14:45:31

Ilovecheese

The Labour party as a whole achieved these things. They are not due to Starmer.

By that logic, no Prime Minister ever deserves credit for anything. We don't say "Churchill didn't win the war, Britain did" or "Attlee didn't create the NHS, Labour did" whenever achievements are mentioned. The question isn't whether Starmer acted alone, but whether those achievements occurred because of the government he leads and the direction he set.

MayBee70 Wed 24-Jun-26 14:35:08

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

eazybee Wed 24-Jun-26 13:47:13

Andy Burnham has got to be an improvement

Labour can't be any worse than the Tories

hmm
? ? ? ?

nanna8 Wed 24-Jun-26 10:14:10

Starmer was absolutely awful. I was so glad not to have him as our PM. You lot are living in another universe. Thankfully most agree and are glad to see the back of him. Andy Burnham has got to be an improvement and I really wish him well.

MaizieD Wed 24-Jun-26 10:04:41

I'm still bemused by the title of this thread.

We haven't 'lost' any of the listed achievements, they're enshrined in law, and there is no reason why another PM couldn't preside over more. Starmer wasn't the messiah, either.

Doodledog Tue 23-Jun-26 22:20:22

Oreo

You’re not understanding the tin at all Doodledog but that’s ok.

I'm reading what's written on it. It is clearly not as simple to understand as you say you think.

But in case I am being simple, who do you mean by 'us all' if you are excluding people like me who most certainly don't want to see a Conservative or Reform government?