Can Sir Keir Starmer revive the Labour Party?

Can Sir Keir Starmer revive the Labour Party?

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Discussion

Gargamel

Original Poster:

14,396 posts

248 months

Saturday 4th April 2020
quotequote all

I thought it was time Sir Keir had is own thread, after the Corbyn has ‘prepared’ the way for victory, what should Keir do first to revive Labour in the polls.

Deal with Momentum ?


Carl_Manchester

10,775 posts

249 months

Saturday 4th April 2020
quotequote all
He can't do any worse than Corbyn at the polls. The bar is set so low a toddler could step over it.

Good luck to him.

bloomen

5,863 posts

146 months

Saturday 4th April 2020
quotequote all
No one else would've had a hope in hell so if it's anyone it'll be him. He's got a lot of spring cleaning to do.

Vanden Saab

11,989 posts

61 months

Saturday 4th April 2020
quotequote all
Gargamel said:
I thought it was time Sir Keir had is own thread, after the Corbyn has ‘prepared’ the way for victory, what should Keir do first to revive Labour in the polls.

Deal with Momentum ?
Resign and let Crayons become shadow PM...

s2art

18,927 posts

240 months

Saturday 4th April 2020
quotequote all
I doubt he has the balls to do whats necessary. I never particularly liked Kinnock, but he did have said balls.

KarlMac

3,882 posts

128 months

Saturday 4th April 2020
quotequote all
Why have most headlines dropped the 'Sir' now he's leader?

hackjo

354 posts

147 months

Saturday 4th April 2020
quotequote all
I think the odds of Labour winning the election in five years are low. It would need the Government to make a very serious cockup for starters and as we saw with Blair and Iraq, that doesn't always provide a window for the opposition to seize power.

I think Starmer needs to do the following things which are all about rebuilding Labour's credibility:

- Support the Government when it's doing the right thing, don't oppose for the sake of opposition.

- Where the Government is failing, ask intelligent questions and make intelligent proposals in the spirit of being a check and balance. Seek to influence Government behaviour and work with them to ensure they do the right thing. Be factual, reasonable and accurate. Be challenging but again, don't oppose for the sake of opposing.

- Slowly develop credible Labour policies that address the failings of the Government and build on the things they've done well. Accept that if the Government is broadly successful, it may be tricky to find those one or two issues that really differentiate Labour.

- Speak openly and honestly. Don't be bullied by the press.

- Stamp out Momentum. Get away from the extreme left wing bias and aim to a more social conservative position, being to the left of the BoJo Tory Government but still credible. Effectively, take the party back where it was under Blair but with the gravitas and credibility New Labour lacked.

- Aim to re-engage with real people and get away from the London woke bubble.

- Build a shadow cabinet of A players.

If Starmer can tackle these things, he will build a credible and valuable opposition party. Even then, it may take up to 10 years of practising these principles for Labour to get another shot at power. But they must do them otherwise their only hope of power is a serious failure on the part of the Government. I think they can and should do better.

Edited by hackjo on Saturday 4th April 11:53

s2art

18,927 posts

240 months

Saturday 4th April 2020
quotequote all
hackjo said:
I think the odds of Labour winning the election in five years are low. It would need the Government to make a very serious cockup for starters and as we saw with Blair and Iraq, that doesn't always provide a window for the opposition to seize power.

I think Starmer needs to do the following things which are all about rebuilding Labour's credibility:

- Support the Government when it's doing the right thing, don't oppose for the sake of opposition.

- Where the Government is failing, ask intelligent questions and make intelligent proposals in the spirit of being a check and balance. Seek to influence Government behaviour and work with them to ensure they do the right thing. Be factual, reasonable and accurate. Be challenging but again, don't oppose for the sake of opposing.

- Slowly develop credible Labour policies that address the failings of the Government and build on the things they've done well. Accept that if the Government is broadly successful, it may be tricky to find those one or two issues that really differentiate Labour.

- Speak openly and honestly. Don't be bullied by the press

If Starmer can tackle these things, he will build a credible and valuable opposition party. Even then, it may take up to 10 years of practising these principles for Labour to get another shot at power. But they must do them otherwise their only hope of power is a serious failure on the part of the Government. I think they can and should do better.
You missed out purge the hard left.

Mojooo

12,220 posts

167 months

Saturday 4th April 2020
quotequote all
I suspect austerity will be back on the agenda by next election so that is something to focus on straight away.

hackjo

354 posts

147 months

Saturday 4th April 2020
quotequote all
s2art said:
You missed out purge the hard left.
I went back and fixed it. :-)

Derek Smith

43,758 posts

235 months

Saturday 4th April 2020
quotequote all
hackjo said:
I think the odds of Labour winning the election in five years are low. It would need the Government to make a very serious cockup for starters and as we saw with Blair and Iraq, that doesn't always provide a window for the opposition to seize power.
Coronavirus could be Johnson's Falklands War. Mind you, there'll be some criticism on the way the NHS was treated in the recent past, mabe some from doctors and nurses, and they'll be looked upon in a sympathetic light. Hancock didn't help with his 'some nurses' comment.

On the other hand, it may well be all forgotten at the next election if the economy is in a bit of a state. The electorate have never looked too kindly on a government that allows the economy to fall behind.

Everything might well depend on the econominc fallout of brexit, and that's a big unknown.

s2art

18,927 posts

240 months

Saturday 4th April 2020
quotequote all
hackjo said:
s2art said:
You missed out purge the hard left.
I went back and fixed it. :-)
I saw. Should I delete my post?

hackjo

354 posts

147 months

Saturday 4th April 2020
quotequote all
s2art said:
I saw. Should I delete my post?
No, you were right to raise it and it's actually one of the fundamental issues Starmer faces.

s2art

18,927 posts

240 months

Saturday 4th April 2020
quotequote all
Derek Smith said:
Coronavirus could be Johnson's Falklands War. Mind you, there'll be some criticism on the way the NHS was treated in the recent past, mabe some from doctors and nurses, and they'll be looked upon in a sympathetic light. Hancock didn't help with his 'some nurses' comment.

On the other hand, it may well be all forgotten at the next election if the economy is in a bit of a state. The electorate have never looked too kindly on a government that allows the economy to fall behind.

Everything might well depend on the econominc fallout of brexit, and that's a big unknown.
If he has a good pandemic I suspect the elecorate will forgive an economic downturn. Saving lives is a good excuse.

Teddy Lop

7,340 posts

54 months

Saturday 4th April 2020
quotequote all
hackjo said:
I think the odds of Labour winning the election in five years are low. It would need the Government to make a very serious cockup for starters and as we saw with Blair and Iraq, that doesn't always provide a window for the opposition to seize power.

I think Starmer needs to do the following things which are all about rebuilding Labour's credibility:

- Support the Government when it's doing the right thing, don't oppose for the sake of opposition.

- Where the Government is failing, ask intelligent questions and make intelligent proposals in the spirit of being a check and balance. Seek to influence Government behaviour and work with them to ensure they do the right thing. Be factual, reasonable and accurate. Be challenging but again, don't oppose for the sake of opposing.

- Slowly develop credible Labour policies that address the failings of the Government and build on the things they've done well. Accept that if the Government is broadly successful, it may be tricky to find those one or two issues that really differentiate Labour.

- Speak openly and honestly. Don't be bullied by the press.

- Stamp out Momentum. Get away from the extreme left wing bias and aim to a more social conservative position, being to the left of the BoJo Tory Government but still credible. Effectively, take the party back where it was under Blair but with the gravitas and credibility New Labour lacked.

- Aim to re-engage with real people and get away from the London woke bubble.

- Build a shadow cabinet of A players.

If Starmer can tackle these things, he will build a credible and valuable opposition party. Even then, it may take up to 10 years of practising these principles for Labour to get another shot at power. But they must do them otherwise their only hope of power is a serious failure on the part of the Government. I think they can and should do better.

Edited by hackjo on Saturday 4th April 11:53
TBF that's a template you could apply to politics across the world right now.

I fear the underlying issue is not something that can be addressed by telling people to grow up a bit and be sensible.

hackjo

354 posts

147 months

Saturday 4th April 2020
quotequote all
Teddy Lop said:
TBF that's a template you could apply to politics across the world right now.

I fear the underlying issue is not something that can be addressed by telling people to grow up a bit and be sensible.
I agree.

The core problem is ideology instead of values.

bloomen

5,863 posts

146 months

Saturday 4th April 2020
quotequote all
Derek Smith said:
Coronavirus could be Johnson's Falklands War.
I'm not convinced. It's not slotting dagos and then coming home to glory. That's easily packaged and swallowed.

No matter who's in charge and how it's handled there'll never be a satisfactory conclusion for some and there may never be a definitive conclusion. I'll bet any politician would give anything for a straightforward war if offered it as an alternative.

Tony427

2,873 posts

220 months

Saturday 4th April 2020
quotequote all
The makeup of his shadow cabinet will be key.

Unfortunately his pool of talent is extremely shallow. He cannot rely on Corbanistas, he has Crayons at his back and momentum already planning their revenge.

When he was heading up the CPS he was a disaster so organisation and strategic leadership is not his forte.

I think he will preside over open civil war in the Labour Party which will consign them to the opposition benches for the next two elections.

popegregory

1,299 posts

121 months

Saturday 4th April 2020
quotequote all
KarlMac said:
Why have most headlines dropped the 'Sir' now he's leader?
I noticed this smile

If ever there was an open goal surely this is it? The value of key workers being highlighted nationally whilst Boris’s tax dodging billionaire mates are either saying they want to be bailed out or laying all their staff off.

bitchstewie

45,610 posts

197 months

Saturday 4th April 2020
quotequote all
I hope he can because regardless of your politics it's important not to live in what's effectively a one-party system.