Mailwatch(ed) Forum

It's been denied

I think there may be deliberate mixed messaging going on here. Whether that's genius of disaster is above my pay grade.

‘This is the figure we aim to spend on nice things when it becomes affordable to do so,’ covers a few bases.

Again, "We can't say too much because God knows what kind of a shitshow we'll inherit" would be a good line to take.

Starmer had a very good PMQs today. He seemed totally in control and full of confidence. Sunak foundering as usual.
I enjoyed it.

Tory MPs will be in despair at Sunak’s duffing up. Does he even have anyone watching his back?

Abernathy wrote: ↑Wed Nov 29, 2023 12:41 pm Starmer had a very good PMQs today. He seemed totally in control and full of confidence. Sunak foundering as usual.
I enjoyed it.

Nyaaahhh, but Starmer likes Beethoven.
You know who else likes Beethoven?

Abernathy wrote: ↑Wed Nov 29, 2023 12:41 pm Starmer had a very good PMQs today. He seemed totally in control and full of confidence. Sunak foundering as usual.
I enjoyed it.

Indeed, LBC's political editor Natasha Clark (no friend of Labour) called it Starmer's best ever PMQs.

A Pendant Writes:

Midas was not a Greek. He was Phrygian. Nowadays Turkey.

The look on his face was part "I'm enjoying this" and part "There's more to come." The sight of Sunak squirming was further evidence that it's all up for him.

Malcolm Armsteen wrote: ↑Wed Nov 29, 2023 2:57 pm A Pendant Writes:

Midas was not a Greek. He was Phrygian. Nowadays Turkey.

To be fair isn’t it a John Smith quote.

Strange someone hasn’t brought this up mind

I’m not the only person to have noted this is the first time I’ve laughed at a joke delivered by Starmer, has he been having lessons? Harold Wilson transformed himself from a deeply dull back bench statistician to a very amusing quipster so there is a precedent for Keir to aspire to.

So, Starmer has presented himself for a right good queening by the ghost of Thatcher? Well, apparently so and in a paywalled Telegraph article, according to the BBC.

All we really have to go on - unless we subject our finances to that hysterical rag - is the BBC's reporting. In barely perceptible noises-off this morning, it was mentioned on Broadcasting house that Starmer was articulating his vision about leaders with vision and purpose.

The main bulletins offer no such subtle contextualisation. TwiXter melts down in a haze of fury and outrage.

BBC: job done, yet again.

kreuzberger wrote: ↑Sun Dec 03, 2023 12:46 pm So, Starmer has presented himself for a right good queening by the ghost of Thatcher? Well, apparently so and in a paywalled Telegraph article, according to the BBC.

All we really have to go on - unless we subject our finances to that hysterical rag - is the BBC's reporting. In barely perceptible noises-off this morning, it was mentioned on Broadcasting house that Starmer was articulating his vision about leaders with vision and purpose.

The main bulletins offer no such subtle contextualisation. TwiXter melts down in a haze of fury and outrage.

BBC: job done, yet again.

What he actually said:

Every moment of meaningful change in modern British politics begins with the realisation that politics must act in service of the British people, rather than dictating to them. Margaret Thatcher sought to drag Britain out of its stupor by setting loose our natural entrepreneurialism. Tony Blair reimagined a stale, outdated Labour Party into one that could seize the optimism of the late 90s. A century ago, Clement Attlee wrote that Labour must be a party of duty and patriotism, not abstract theory. To build a “New Jerusalem” meant first casting off the mind-forged manacles. That lesson is as true today as it was then.

The only mention of Thatcher in 977 words was that she 'sought to' drag Britain out of a stupor - which is undeniably true. He didn't even say she succeeded...

He then gave an interview to R4:

The Guardian wrote:The Labour leader picked Thatcher as one of three former prime ministers he wanted to emulate if he became prime minister, alongside his Labour predecessors Tony Blair and Clement Attlee. All three, he said had a drive and sense of purpose that defined their premiership.

Starmer told BBC Radio 4’s Broadcasting House on Sunday: “Thatcher did have a plan for entrepreneurialism, [she] had a mission. It doesn’t mean I agree with what she did, but I don’t think anybody could suggest that she didn’t have a driving sense of purpose.”

Whatever he says will be wrong. The Gospel according to St Jeremy, chapter 1.

Mr Moorhouse rightly chastises the fuckwits .

Owen Jones and Jeremy Corbyn are Thatcherites! #TRUFACT

Wow this is really, really weak

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/p ... 58086.html

Two years ago, Mr Tarry was keen to praise Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham’s announcement that bus services were to be brought under public control, and wanted to hail the “biggest announcement on buses since Thatcher’s failed Transport Act in 1985”.

The Tory leader’s act introduced privatised and deregulated bus services throughout Great Britain and led to the mass sale of council bus companies. It has been criticised for pushing up fares and eroding Britain’s bus network, leaving passengers in some areas stranded.

Left-winger Mr Tarry had wanted to criticise her 1985 Transport Act, saying it “failed to deliver lower fares and better services across Greater Manchester”.

But when the comments were sent to Sir Keir’s office for approval, one of his top aides insisted the reference to Thatcher be taken out.

The leaked email said: “Can we take out the Thatcher stuff and instead criticise the current government?”