Spot on. He is a dangerous combination of authoritarianism and incompetence with a giant sprinkling of hyper sensitivity as can be seen by his hounding of journalists when he was DPP. And we now have yet another scandal with Starmer’s closest advisors hiring a US group to dig up dirt and smear journalists who were investigating non declaration of Party funds. He really doesn’t like scrutiny. Trouble is, the alternatives are even worse. I’m not defending the Tories but just imagine the MSM if Boris Johnson was behaving like these tin pot tyrants.
Excellent essay, Andrew! What an appalling man he is. He epitomises Woke ideological dictatorship. I don’t understand how he could get away with denying the right to a jury trial! Isn’t that a violation of the Magna Carta?
As usual, Andrew, I agree with your succinctness and analysis, except for the passage where you quote Starmer saying, “Every fight I have ever been in, I’ve won,” he said last week. He might see this as statesmanlike defiance, but really it shows that he prioritises his own interests over the good of the country.”
As is common of Starmer, his words lack honesty. He hasn’t won ‘every fight’; his multiple forced U-turns demonstrate this. The man can’t read the room, has no vision, and can’t unite his own party. He reversed his decision on the grooming gangs because of public pressure, Elon Musk, objections from a few brave Labour MPs (after the fact) and Louise Casey’s findings/report. Similarly he had to backtrack on his welfare reforms - his MP’s won that fight, hands down. Starmer attempts to reframe his ‘fights’, but a winner he certainly isn’t. He’s a drowning man pretending to be a fish. As Andrew Neil said, he’s never known a party “lie and gaslight” as much as he’s seen Starmer and Co. do.
Yes, we mustn't rule out mendacity. I have given up trying to work out what's going on inside his head. It's all so inexplicable. One own goal after another... What a mess!
Given the u turns, the Party are having some influence on him. Given, also, their incompetence, we might as well stick with Starmer - rather than in-fighting, they need to pull their finger out and start running the country.
Quite frankly, we cannot do even another day with this government!
I work with people like him all the time. As a colleague puts it - 'My way or the highway' management style. They don't leave on their own. They must be sacked or made redundant. However, Starmer has too much power in his hands and he will use every lever that he has to stay. He holds the party hostage to the fact that he can call snap elections and they will lose their seats. I will stop here before I say something obscene about our politicians!
Modern Britain will be studied on how a dynamic country and economy willfully sabotaged its prospects and growth by severe economic and free speech regulations, religious devotion to net zero, and its fanatical embrace of multiculturalism at all costs.
The U-turns are pretty damning in themselves, and a decent proportion of them have been made after pressure from Starmer's own backbenchers. All of them have been made to save Starmer’s skin.
The possible exception is the reversal of the - actually illegal - local elections cancellation that Reform caused (with the risible Ed Davey trying to take the credit). Starmer must be gutted that his government is having to pay Reform’s legal expenses - with taxpayers’ money.
Yes, Starmer is pretty bad, but who would you have instead? Wes Streeting looks good, but I think the other realistic contenders would be worse than Starmer. I’m not sure I’d like to take the risk.
Spot on. He is a dangerous combination of authoritarianism and incompetence with a giant sprinkling of hyper sensitivity as can be seen by his hounding of journalists when he was DPP. And we now have yet another scandal with Starmer’s closest advisors hiring a US group to dig up dirt and smear journalists who were investigating non declaration of Party funds. He really doesn’t like scrutiny. Trouble is, the alternatives are even worse. I’m not defending the Tories but just imagine the MSM if Boris Johnson was behaving like these tin pot tyrants.
Excellent essay, Andrew! What an appalling man he is. He epitomises Woke ideological dictatorship. I don’t understand how he could get away with denying the right to a jury trial! Isn’t that a violation of the Magna Carta?
As usual, Andrew, I agree with your succinctness and analysis, except for the passage where you quote Starmer saying, “Every fight I have ever been in, I’ve won,” he said last week. He might see this as statesmanlike defiance, but really it shows that he prioritises his own interests over the good of the country.”
As is common of Starmer, his words lack honesty. He hasn’t won ‘every fight’; his multiple forced U-turns demonstrate this. The man can’t read the room, has no vision, and can’t unite his own party. He reversed his decision on the grooming gangs because of public pressure, Elon Musk, objections from a few brave Labour MPs (after the fact) and Louise Casey’s findings/report. Similarly he had to backtrack on his welfare reforms - his MP’s won that fight, hands down. Starmer attempts to reframe his ‘fights’, but a winner he certainly isn’t. He’s a drowning man pretending to be a fish. As Andrew Neil said, he’s never known a party “lie and gaslight” as much as he’s seen Starmer and Co. do.
Yes, we mustn't rule out mendacity. I have given up trying to work out what's going on inside his head. It's all so inexplicable. One own goal after another... What a mess!
Given the u turns, the Party are having some influence on him. Given, also, their incompetence, we might as well stick with Starmer - rather than in-fighting, they need to pull their finger out and start running the country.
Inept just about sums this chancer up. He was a disaster as DPP.
Quite frankly, we cannot do even another day with this government!
I work with people like him all the time. As a colleague puts it - 'My way or the highway' management style. They don't leave on their own. They must be sacked or made redundant. However, Starmer has too much power in his hands and he will use every lever that he has to stay. He holds the party hostage to the fact that he can call snap elections and they will lose their seats. I will stop here before I say something obscene about our politicians!
Most astute, especially the King John comparison. Our modern technocrats see themselves as a new Proustian type of monarchy.
But we should be careful what we wish for when surveying the ranks of potential successors 🫣
Modern Britain will be studied on how a dynamic country and economy willfully sabotaged its prospects and growth by severe economic and free speech regulations, religious devotion to net zero, and its fanatical embrace of multiculturalism at all costs.
Excellent piece, and utterly correct!!!
The U-turns are pretty damning in themselves, and a decent proportion of them have been made after pressure from Starmer's own backbenchers. All of them have been made to save Starmer’s skin.
The possible exception is the reversal of the - actually illegal - local elections cancellation that Reform caused (with the risible Ed Davey trying to take the credit). Starmer must be gutted that his government is having to pay Reform’s legal expenses - with taxpayers’ money.
Yes, Starmer is pretty bad, but who would you have instead? Wes Streeting looks good, but I think the other realistic contenders would be worse than Starmer. I’m not sure I’d like to take the risk.
The man’s a dangerous clown, history will hopefully show this to its fullest extent!