Keir Starmer Labour Leader

Raven

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I was willing to give Keir the benefit of the doubt but he can go head a feck himself now. He's nothing more than Blair Lite and I hope he never gets anywhere near power.
 

Cloudface

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Loads of people saying that criticising Israel isn’t anti-semitic. It isn’t. However blaming Israel for the death of George Floyd is, as it’s completely untrue. No one taught Derek Chauvin to kneel on a manacled black man for eight and a half minutes so why even bring Israel into it?

Starmer has done the right thing. In a swoop he has shown decisiveness, in contrast to the dithering Johnson who didn’t sack Cummings and isn’t sacking Jenrick any time soon.

And to be clear - RLB has been sacked for being an idiot, not an anti-semite. Shadow Ed Sec should be capable of comprehension as a minimum.
Unfortunately, I feel like this kind of discourse is pervasive even among our own on the left unconsciously. I don't think RLB is anti-Semitic in any conscious sense, but it has shown up her ignorance of the conspiratorial ideas that have surrounded Jewish communities for thousands of years and how lethal they have been. The American relationship with Israel and the left's opposition to their respective foreign policies has allowed the old ideas of undue Jewish influence in the affairs of the world room to breathe within the movement, despite the humanitarian intention within. Politicians, especially in the shadow cabinet, need to be very careful in the way they promote certain ideas.

On another note, it was politically stupid to start sharing articles headlining that anyone who didn't vote for Corbyn is a Tory. Over a third of the electorate didn't vote Tory or Labour and for the shadow education minister to share alienating rubbish such as that isn't going to help attract people to Labour and get rid of this shambolic Tory government.
 

Pogue Mahone

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It’s a shrewd political move by Starmer. Makes him seem decisive and in control, taking proactive steps to reverse one of the biggest perceived failings of his predecessor. Labour needs a shrewd politician in charge to have any hope of winning the next election. I have no opinion on RLB but am pleased that the Labour party finally have someone in charge who might have what it takes to get Labour back into power.
 

Buster15

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I was willing to give Keir the benefit of the doubt but he can go head a feck himself now. He's nothing more than Blair Lite and I hope he never gets anywhere near power.
The question is - did he have to take a strong stance on anti-Semitism or not.

Further, following Boris atrocious handling of the Cummings saga, did he have to take a strong stance on discipline within his shadow cabinet.

He will be judged on those issues by the public.
And my view is that he has made the right call.

And by the way, Tony Blair was the most successful leader of the Labour party in living memory.
Not a bad example to follow....
 

Buster15

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It’s a shrewd political move by Starmer. Makes him seem decisive and in control, taking proactive steps to reverse one of the biggest perceived failings of his predecessor. Labour needs a shrewd politician in charge to have any hope of winning the next election. I have no opinion on RLB but am pleased that the Labour party finally have someone in charge who might have what it takes to get Labour back into power.
Absolutely right.
 

Smores

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Loads of people saying that criticising Israel isn’t anti-semitic. It isn’t. However blaming Israel for the death of George Floyd is, as it’s completely untrue. No one taught Derek Chauvin to kneel on a manacled black man for eight and a half minutes so why even bring Israel into it?

Starmer has done the right thing. In a swoop he has shown decisiveness, in contrast to the dithering Johnson who didn’t sack Cummings and isn’t sacking Jenrick any time soon.

And to be clear - RLB has been sacked for being an idiot, not an anti-semite. Shadow Ed Sec should be capable of comprehension as a minimum.
It's a good job no one said that then isn't it.
 

decorativeed

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I was willing to give Keir the benefit of the doubt but he can go head a feck himself now. He's nothing more than Blair Lite and I hope he never gets anywhere near power.
Sadly, extreme reactions like this is why we have BoZo and Trump in power. I'm not particularly happy with his handling of this, but I'm still going to be a Labour voter until there's a realistic better option.
 

neverdie

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It’s a shrewd political move by Starmer. Makes him seem decisive and in control, taking proactive steps to reverse one of the biggest perceived failings of his predecessor. Labour needs a shrewd politician in charge to have any hope of winning the next election. I have no opinion on RLB but am pleased that the Labour party finally have someone in charge who might have what it takes to get Labour back into power.
I agree with this. On reflection I think it was ruthless and that'll turn a lot of people off but I can see Starmer being PM. I'll wait for his first fully fledged manifesto before taking a line either way.
 

ivaldo

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The last 5 years has been filled with people saying they're not going to vote for a Labour party because of who the leader is, but suddenly the idea is beyond comprehension?

Hell, Sir Keir's been courting one of them, who went as far as canvassing for another party twice, through the press since he announced his leadership.
The idea doesn't disappear, but he's right in a sense. Centralists had far more voting options than the Corbynites do. Corbyn's failings went beyond his policies. Starmer at the very least appears to be going at this with a more pragmatic approach. Corbyn's indisputable failure to make concessions and to mitigate the damage done by the anti-semitism allegations levied against him, whether driven by the media or not, demonstrates the difference between the two. Instead of howling at the moon he's used the situation to get a few brownie points.
 

MoskvaRed

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It’s a shrewd political move by Starmer. Makes him seem decisive and in control, taking proactive steps to reverse one of the biggest perceived failings of his predecessor. Labour needs a shrewd politician in charge to have any hope of winning the next election. I have no opinion on RLB but am pleased that the Labour party finally have someone in charge who might have what it takes to get Labour back into power.
Absolutely and it will play well with the wider electorate. It was a bit brutal but it’s nice to know Starmer can be a bit of a bastard as he will need it to fight the amoral chancers like Johnson and Cummings.
 

Dobba

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The idea doesn't disappear, but he's right in a sense. Centralists had far more voting options than the Corbynites do. Corbyn's failings went beyond his policies. Starmer at the very least appears to be going at this with a more pragmatic approach. Corbyn's indisputable failure to make concessions and to mitigate the damage done by the anti-semitism allegations levied against him, whether driven by the media or not, demonstrates the difference between the two. Instead of howling at the moon he's used the situation to get a few brownie points.
Staying at home is a voting option, if he wants to turn himself into the UK's Hilary. The PS5 might even be cheap enough for me by May 2024.
 

lynchie

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Yeah it would be nice if people actual read the article which has caused this shot show.
Tricky, given the offending part has been retracted by the paper. Do you not think it was weird to link Israel to US police brutality?
 

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Sounds alright. Blair minus Iraq would do an awful lot to help people in this county.
His problems start before then (tuition fees, academies to only focus on education) but given that either side of Blair/Brown is a decade plus of Tory rule then it'd be bloody shocking if he wouldn't do better.
 

Raven

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The question is - did he have to take a strong stance on anti-Semitism or not.

Further, following Boris atrocious handling of the Cummings saga, did he have to take a strong stance on discipline within his shadow cabinet.

He will be judged on those issues by the public.
And my view is that he has made the right call.

And by the way, Tony Blair was the most successful leader of the Labour party in living memory.
Not a bad example to follow....
So there's an ongoing corruption scandal within the Tory party yet instead of focusing on that, Keir decides to shift the focus to yet another fake antisemitism scandal on the Labour party.

fOreNsic.
 

Sweet Square

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Tricky, given the offending part has been retracted by the paper. Do you not think it was weird to link Israel to US police brutality?
Not when you're talking about effects of global racism. Both countries have close political relationships in the region, both have a very militarized societies and American police have been trained by Israeli forces, these are just facts.


The Americans during the Vietnam war were influenced by British Imperialism(The British were the first to use agent Orange). The Irish counter insurances against Britain were massively influential to a whole range of countries. Christ policing started due to British Imperialism in Ireland, yet if we draw the long historical connection between British Imperialism and what's happening in America would that be anti British ?

And again the idea the criticizing or even mentioning Israel is somehow anti Semitic is well itself anti Semitic, there are plenty of Jews around the world who want nothing to do with this backwards ethic state.

The outrage should really be more about the fact the Labour leader has sacked the shadow education Secretary due to her relationship with the teacher unions.

 

Raven

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Sadly, extreme reactions like this is why we have BoZo and Trump in power. I'm not particularly happy with his handling of this, but I'm still going to be a Labour voter until there's a realistic better option.
Couldn't care less. He's nothing but a wolf on sheep's clothing, it'll be a cold day in hell before I can ever support someone like that.
 

sun_tzu

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The outrage should really be more about the fact the Labour leader has sacked the shadow education Secretary due to her relationship with the teacher unions.
I'd feel more outrage that she was essentially a mouthpiece for the teachers unions instead of representing pupils, parents and generally looking to improve education holistically as well as representing teachers - that and the fact shes useless and I hope come that glorious day of reckoning with the EHRC we can get her out of the party along with all the other antisemites and anybody else who tries to smear the report and defend them
 
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Fearless

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Not when you're talking about effects of global racism. Both countries have close political relationships in the region, both have a very militarized societies and American police have been trained by Israeli forces, these are just facts.


The Americans during the Vietnam war were influenced by British Imperialism(The British were the first to use agent Orange). The Irish counter insurances against Britain were massively influential to a whole range of countries. Christ policing started due to British Imperialism in Ireland, yet if we draw the long historical connection between British Imperialism and what's happening in America would that be anti British ?

And again the idea the criticizing or even mentioning Israel is somehow anti Semitic is well itself anti Semitic, there are plenty of Jews around the world who want nothing to do with this backwards ethic state.

The outrage should really be more about the fact the Labour leader has sacked the shadow education Secretary due to her relationship with the teacher unions.
"backwards ethnic state"

Oh dear.
 

Raven

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I'd feel more outrage that she was essentially a mouthpiece for the teachers unions instead of representing pupils, parents and generally looking to improve education holistically as well as representing teachers - that and the fact shes useless and I hope come that glorious day of reckoning with the EHRC we can get her out of the party along with all the other antisemites and anybody else who tries to smear the report and defend them
Never have I seen such an appropriate tag line. What an intensely boring comment.
 

EwanI Ted

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So there's an ongoing corruption scandal within the Tory party yet instead of focusing on that, Keir decides to shift the focus to yet another fake antisemitism scandal on the Labour party.

fOreNsic.
While I dont think this is why he did it, Starmer's decision to sack RLB is just about the best thing he could have done as far as Boris Johnson is concerned. The difference between Starmer's actions when someone stepped out of line and Johnson's over Jenrick and Cummings are pretty stark. Actions speak louder than words, as they say.
 

Fearless

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So there's an ongoing corruption scandal within the Tory party yet instead of focusing on that, Keir decides to shift the focus to yet another fake antisemitism scandal on the Labour party.

fOreNsic.
Leftie's seem to spend an inordinate amount of effort anti-semiticly explaining why anti-semitism/zionism isn't anti-semitic.
 

Raven

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While I dont think this is why he did it, Starmer's decision to sack RLB is just about the best thing he could have done as far as Boris Johnson is concerned. The difference between Starmer's actions when someone stepped out of line and Johnson's over Jenrick and Cummings are pretty stark. Actions speak louder than words, as they say.
Except nobody will ever remember Boris doing nothing because Keir decided to steal the limelight.
 

Spark

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It's a good job no one said that then isn't it.
“The tactics used by the police in America, kneeling on George Floyd’s neck, that was learnt from seminars with Israeli secret services.” Maxine Peake

“ I feel it’s important for me to clarify that, when talking to The Independent, I was inaccurate in my assumption of American Police training & its sources.” Maxine Peake

So someone did say it and then rightly apologised.
 

Spark

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But linking it to George Floyd is.
Exactly, it’s really simple.

Whether Starmer secretly wanted to boot RLB out anyway is beside the point, she left him with no choice at a moment in time when the actual PM is refusing to sack an advisor for breaking the law.

RLB is a moron for retweeting that article and I imagine Starmer will be explaining exactly that to the 1917 committee today.