[Politics] Are Labour going to turn this country around?

[SouthSaxon]

Looks like the plan isn't working. Also don't agree that the Left are at fault for being disappointed in Labour. The party is supposed to be an alternative to the Right wing and they're making a decision in Government to occupy that space. It's bad for the country and bad for democracy.

The mistake they are making is focusing too much on the numbers and employing simplistic reasoning - "Reform has won a bunch of local elections, voters must like their policies, so we need to be more like them".

What they should be reading from it is that people are really unhappy with the cost/standard of living still, and feel Labour isn't delivering what it promised. The situation is as bad as that, given Reform has taken most of its gains from disaffected Conservatives who see the party dying in plain sight.

If Labour focused on delivering policies that a) fit with their pre-election promises b) delivered tangible improvements to people's lives they would be doing much better. Instead, they've essentially decided they need to do more of the things that made people unhappy in the first place.

Conclusion: This being mostly about the political strategy, Morgan McSweeney should be fired for crimes against intelligence. Here's a damning profile of the man from the New European this week.

I see this type of thing happen all the time in my work, people misinterpret data because they don't employ critical thinking. Bad decisions are the inevitable result. I'd bet £50 that's what's happening inside Gov HQ right now.

 

[dsr-burnley]

The mistake they are making is focusing too much on the numbers and employing simplistic reasoning - "Reform has won a bunch of local elections, voters must like their policies, so we need to be more like them".

What they should be reading from it is that people are really unhappy with the cost/standard of living still, and feel Labour isn't delivering what it promised. The situation is as bad as that, given Reform has taken most of its gains from disaffected Conservatives who see the party dying in plain sight.

If Labour focused on delivering policies that a) fit with their pre-election promises b) delivered tangible improvements to people's lives they would be doing much better. Instead, they've essentially decided they need to do more of the things that made people unhappy in the first place.

Conclusion: This being mostly about the political strategy, Morgan McSweeney should be fired for crimes against intelligence. Here's a damning profile of the man from the New European this week.

I see this type of thing happen all the time in my work, people misinterpret data because they don't employ critical thinking. Bad decisions are the inevitable result. I'd bet £50 that's what's happening inside Gov HQ right now.

I wouldn't read too much into the idea of Reform gaining from the Tories. The reason the Tories lost more seats in the recent local elections was because they had more to lose.

The local elections of 2021 were a high point for the Tories, Boris Johnson being popular at the time. From that high point, they lost two thirds of their seats. Conversely, 2021 local elections were a low point for Labour, and from that low point they lost two thirds of their seats.

 

[SouthSaxon]

I wouldn't read too much into the idea of Reform gaining from the Tories. The reason the Tories lost more seats in the recent local elections was because they had more to lose.

The local elections of 2021 were a high point for the Tories, Boris Johnson being popular at the time. From that high point, they lost two thirds of their seats. Conversely, 2021 local elections were a low point for Labour, and from that low point they lost two thirds of their seats.

This spectacularly ignores how Boris frittered away that popularity through his corruption and incompetence, best personified by Partygate. Truss then twisted the knife.

Having more of something doesn’t explain why that something was subsequently lost now, does it?

“Why did they lose so many seats?”
“Because they could!”

 

[dsr-burnley]

This spectacularly ignores how Boris frittered away that popularity through his corruption and incompetence, best personified by Partygate. Truss then twisted the knife.

Having more of something doesn’t explain why that something was subsequently lost now, does it?

“Why did they lose so many seats?”
“Because they could!”

As this is the Labour party thread, I didn't think the reason the Tories lost votes was particularly relevant. The local elections brought up two big questions for Labour - one, why did they lose so many of the votes they had in 2021; two, why didn't they pick up many of the huge number of votes the Tories lost?

 

[SouthSaxon]

As this is the Labour party thread, I didn't think the reason the Tories lost votes was particularly relevant. The local elections brought up two big questions for Labour - one, why did they lose so many of the votes they had in 2021; two, why didn't they pick up many of the huge number of votes the Tories lost?

I raised points related to both those questions in my original post. I made a passing reference to the Tories. That’s the part you focused in on to start talking about why they lost seats

 

[dsr-burnley]

I raised points related to both those questions in my original post. I made a passing reference to the Tories. That’s the part you focused in on to start talking about why they lost seats

I apologise.

 

[abc]

Inflation up to 3.5%. How will the economically incompetent Reeves spin this one?

Edit; She is “disappointed”.

 

[Is it PotG?]

Our Ange knows best!

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cnv116qqqyjo

Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner's department called for Chancellor Rachel Reeves to increase taxes prior to this year's Spring Statement.

A memo - seen by the Daily Telegraph - appeared to urge Reeves to raise taxes by £3bn to £4bn a year through various measures, which the chancellor did not implement. She has repeatedly pushed against raising taxes and instead announced £5bn of welfare cuts in March.

 

[nevergoagain]

Inflation up to 3.5%. How will the economically incompetent Reeves spin this one?

Edit; She is “disappointed”.

This can't be right Shirley, I thought Labour had fixed the economy!

 

[JJ McClure]

Inflation up to 3.5%. How will the economically incompetent Reeves spin this one?

Edit; She is “disappointed”.

Don't worry she's vowed to go "further and faster" so hopefully that means she'll bugger off quickly.

 

[Is it PotG?]

Things are turning.

UK economy grew more than expected in first three months of year

The economy grew by 0.7% between January and March, official figures show.

www.bbc.co.uk

Well, inflation certainly is.

 

[Hugo Rune]

Well, inflation certainly is.

Those pesky water bills! Who privatised water FFS!

Anyway, you need to make as much hay out of this as you can as it's only temporary.

Inflation may sit above 3% for some months - but economists say effects likely temporary. BBC

Go!

 

[Is it PotG?]

Those pesky water bills! Who privatised water FFS!

Anyway, you need to make as much hay out of this as you can as it's only temporary.

Inflation may sit above 3% for some months - but economists say effects likely temporary. BBC

Go!

I'm not celebrating by any means, Two Tier promised me more money in my pocket after the brilliant EU deal, and I for one cannot wait.

 

[rippleman]

I think a part of the problem is the method of delivery. I was listening to Starmer in the HoC yesterday and he doesn't make for a good listen. He should employ a voice coach as Margaret Thatcher *spit* did to improve his delivery. That whiney, nasally delivery can't be helping.

 

[WATFORD zero]

I see the party faithful are out in force again this morning

Just to remind us, as if anyone had forgotten

 

[nevergoagain]

Closely followed by the usual suspects to throw silly childish insults around.

 

[TomandJerry]

https://www.theguardian.com/busines...ation-jumps-higher-than-expected-energy-bills

"Inflation in the UK jumped by more than expected last month to 3.5% – its highest rate in more than a year – after dramatic increases in water bills, energy costs and council tax."

 

[fly high]

https://www.theguardian.com/busines...ation-jumps-higher-than-expected-energy-bills

"Inflation in the UK jumped by more than expected last month to 3.5% – its highest rate in more than a year – after dramatic increases in water bills, energy costs and council tax."

Really not sure why it was unexpected, anyone with half a brain could see it coming with all the above inflation rises you mention.

 

[TomandJerry]

Really not sure why it was unexpected, anyone with half a brain could see it coming with all the above inflation rises you mention.

They were expecting it to rise but not to 3.5%

"A poll of City economists had forecast a rise of 3.3% in April, while the central bank expected last month’s inflation rate to hit 3.4%"

 

[Bozza]

Really not sure why it was unexpected, anyone with half a brain could see it coming with all the above inflation rises you mention.

A rise was expected, as you say.

The rise was "more than expected" according to that quote. Which was also the broad view from those 5Live pulled in to discuss this earlier.