Labour take note

Interesting article in Guardian
Think Trumpism couldn't take root and flourish in Britain? Think again | John Harris https://www.theguardian.com/comment...azon-warehouse-staffordshire-strongman-leader

Said it myself but its imperative that Starmer does something quick to improve lives. Voters aren't what they were 50 years ago. They want immediate results. Dont improve lives and people will knee-jerk into Reform just because it's 'different'. 'Give them a chance instead'. ''Tories and Labour haven't done anything'. So obvious. It is, also, very worrying. In my opinion there needs to be some form of redistribution of income and wealth in this country so poorer people who have been left behind start feeling as though they actually have some money in their pockets. Vague comments about growth by Reeves dont cut the mustard in the short term and the unwillingness to engage the EU on the single market and customs union is a complete mistake driven by political cowardice.
I've had my say....

 

Your instincts are right.
I have to bite my lip everywhere I go these days.
“Such and such hotel is full of immigrants and they’ve all just been given SIM cards and £xxx spending money“
“Labour have nicked my grandad’s pension“
“Trump has done more for his country in 4 days than the previous government did in 4 years“
When faced with such ignorance, how to you begin to respond?

 

so many young people my age are farage bashers now, cringe every time i go on facebook seeing their ignorant racist posts

 

The cats already out of the bag. Far too many people celebrate their own extremism but think it’s ok because they are white and happened by chance to be born in Britain.

it’s going to be a bumpy ride towards 2029 and a heck of a job trying to keep them out of government.

 

Keir or Trumpism/Farageism. Take your pick.

 

This is how things just continue to get worse. Where's the hope in that?

 

Progressive parties need to throw money at education. It’s easier to burn books than to read them.

 

Unlikely to happen because they're not willing to tackle inequality. Until that happens Farage has a free hit. Indeed it might take the liberal centre, and status quo, to collapse, before the taxing of wealth issue becomes mainstream.

 

There's plenty of hope in a centrist, stable government that keeps out the populists. I can't see that a radical left-leaning one gets past the voters, the way things are in the world

 

Can you see the wealthy actually getting taxed under the populists, bearing in mind some of the characters who are throwing their weight behind Reform?

 

As a side issue, the Amazon "fulfilment" centre shows what a shyster Bezos is, comes in builds a big ugly warehouse then buggers off a few years later. I bet he won't be paying for it to be redeveloped.

 

Labour has to do something quickly, but a 3rd runway at Heathrow isn't it - the plan involves moving the M25 into a tunnel under the airport, just imagine the years of transport chaos that will bring which will massively piss off millions of potential Labour voters. Instead they should drop the stupid Brexit "red lines" and go for membership of the single market and customs union, this would bring an almost immediate 4% of economic growth and would remove the need to build biometric passport facilities at all our ports and airports.
You might argue that this would lose voters to Herr Reicshfuhrer Farage and I'd agree but based on recent polling, it would attract quite a few remainer Tories and some from the LibDems. Tactical voting would probably see many pro EU voters of any persuasion voting Labour to keep the Brexit parties out.

 

Given the media reporting of the new government compared to the old, I don't think Labour have that much ability to have it's messages portrayed accurately or it's policies and actions reported fairly, and when you see that our main media news channels have decided it's much more important to show American politics to the fullest, but show just snippets of our government announcing policy, it highlights the bias that they have to overcome.

Labour have done some things I don't like, some things that are unpopular but needed and plenty of things that will take a long time and benefits will be years hence.

But how do they cut through when the media attack them for going too far, not far enough, not spending enough while spending too much, constantly, and sometimes in the same interview. The powers that be want a pro US, right... Or further... leaning government and they will misrepresent, obfuscate and create false equivalence to ensure they get it.

 

https://www.wearebarnsley.com/news/18551/latest-figures-predict-reform-gains

Tough read that. Labour have a few years to persuade people.

 

Yes, I wonder how much of the Miner's Pension Scheme Farage would have given back if he was in charge?

 

No and it's why the wealthy bang on about immigrants because they're a useful scape goat and distraction from the real issue, the continued removal of wealth from this country and its people.

Late stage capitalism is eating its own tail and everyone in between. Where is ends.. Economic collapse? Some modern form of fascism? Hanging the wealthy from lampposts? History strongly suggests we don't turn left and enact wealth distribution. Sadly.

 

Didn't all the exit polls on the last election night have Barnsley 99.summat% nailed on going Reform?

Still summat majorly wrong wi folk that it's even close though.

 

One would think that progressive parties would have learned to fight dirtier to get the message out by now. They dont make the noise that right-wing populists do and its not just down to a dismissive media. The left play too nice and end up reacting to criticism rather than getting on the front foot and getting stuck into the media in a proactive way. Not to say I think Starmer is particularly progressive...

 

The problem is that politicians are limited by a system that allows a very narrow spectrum of economic alternatives. Those alternate are different depending on where you live.

That system, especially when threatened, will much sooner allow more right wing solutions to its problems than actual left wing ones because it's natural tendancy is to protect its concentration of wealth rather than to share it out for the benefit of wider society.

All this manifests in those with money buying influence etc.

Corbyn wanted to limit the control of wealthy corporations and individuals to buy politicians. I don't think this view should be something anyone who values democracy (left or right) should object to. But you'll notice Labour of the Starmer variety went back to being owned by the same people.

When that's the case, nothing will really change. I have serious doubts Labour will make any real progressive change. I hope I'm wrong because I don't fancy the alternatives.