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Starmer now leads Johnson in public approval ratings. And this has led to a rash of comments to the effect of "well, that's cos he's just a Tory".
But I ask people to think of a few things
But I ask people to think of a few things
1st
Accept that to win an election, we need some people who voted Tory in 2019 to vote Labour instead. This should be an uncontroversial idea.
Accept that to win an election, we need some people who voted Tory in 2019 to vote Labour instead. This should be an uncontroversial idea.
2nd
In this crisis Starmer can either:
A. Bully and undermine Tories, therefore making voters currently sympathetic to Johnson become MORE sympathetic
B. Try to fix the crisis, let Johnson's ineptitude become self-evident, so Boris loses support and we look like a govt
In this crisis Starmer can either:
A. Bully and undermine Tories, therefore making voters currently sympathetic to Johnson become MORE sympathetic
B. Try to fix the crisis, let Johnson's ineptitude become self-evident, so Boris loses support and we look like a govt
Starmer is obviously doing option B. He's saying, constantly, "We are trying to help, but look - Boris hadn't done his homework, and I've done mine".
And Johnson has no comeback. And he looks useless (which he is). And his own supporters can gradually see it.
And Johnson has no comeback. And he looks useless (which he is). And his own supporters can gradually see it.
This is why Johnson's approval has fallen 18% since he started facing off against Starmer, and Starmer's... well, I'm not trying to open old factional wounds, but he's 53% higher than his predecessor was.
The tactic is working.
The tactic is working.
3rd
We are 4 years from an election. It's a marathon, not a sprint, and Starmer can't begin by bellowing attack lines every day. People will be exhausted by this when the election comes. And he'll use up all his attack lines.
We are 4 years from an election. It's a marathon, not a sprint, and Starmer can't begin by bellowing attack lines every day. People will be exhausted by this when the election comes. And he'll use up all his attack lines.
4th
Tory voters are like Alfa Romeo drivers.
Doesn't matter how often it falls apart, how many experts says it's crap, how expensive it is to fix: they just like how it looks.
If you want to sell them a Volvo, make it look like an Alfa.
But it's still a Volvo.
Tory voters are like Alfa Romeo drivers.
Doesn't matter how often it falls apart, how many experts says it's crap, how expensive it is to fix: they just like how it looks.
If you want to sell them a Volvo, make it look like an Alfa.
But it's still a Volvo.
Metaphorically speaking, Keir Starmer looks like the Alfa they're used to.
So they'll give him a go. Or at the very least, be willing to walk into the showroom and listen to a sales-pitch. And we need that before anything else can happen.
So they'll give him a go. Or at the very least, be willing to walk into the showroom and listen to a sales-pitch. And we need that before anything else can happen.
5th
OK, he's not as left wing as Corbyn. Few people would claim he is.
But is a more centre-left government indistinguishable from the Tories? Read this see if you can spot any differences https://twitter.com/RussInCheshire/status/1207071942601248772?s=20
OK, he's not as left wing as Corbyn. Few people would claim he is.
But is a more centre-left government indistinguishable from the Tories? Read this see if you can spot any differences https://twitter.com/RussInCheshire/status/1207071942601248772?s=20
Tradition dictates that at this point somebody will mention Iraq.
Starmer wasn't an MP when that happened. Nor were most of his team.
Iraq was an abomination, but if we're going to blame all (for want of a better word) "centrists" for that, you should answer this question >
Starmer wasn't an MP when that happened. Nor were most of his team.
Iraq was an abomination, but if we're going to blame all (for want of a better word) "centrists" for that, you should answer this question >
If being in the centre causes Iraq, why didn't (then) centrist governments in these countries join in?
France, Germany, Netherlands, Belgium, Canada, Switzerland, Italy, Norway, Sweden, Latvia, Spain, Portugal...
They didn't. So it wasn't centrism. It was Blair.
France, Germany, Netherlands, Belgium, Canada, Switzerland, Italy, Norway, Sweden, Latvia, Spain, Portugal...
They didn't. So it wasn't centrism. It was Blair.
You cannot blame Starmer for Iraq, any more than you can blame the French, Germans, Dutch etc. They didn't join in. He didn't join in. I, and a million other centre-left voters, didn't join in.
So if you felt like mentioning that appalling conflict, please don't.
So if you felt like mentioning that appalling conflict, please don't.
I expected the Johnson administration to be dismal.
I expected Starmer to be good.
Both are surpassing the expectations I had of them. It's an absolute fucking shit-show, and 50,000 dead is an outrage.
But at least we've got an alternative leader, ready to go.
I expected Starmer to be good.
Both are surpassing the expectations I had of them. It's an absolute fucking shit-show, and 50,000 dead is an outrage.
But at least we've got an alternative leader, ready to go.
