The Starmer Labour government

February 2025 Forums General discussion The Starmer Labour government

Viewing 10 posts - 61 through 70 (of 70 total)
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  • #256040
    imposs1904
    Participant

    “Anything new about this? Will it help?”

    I think what’s fascinating about stuff like this is that it’s another indication of how short-lived the current Labour government’s ‘honeymoon period’ was. I think it’s unprecedented in recent political history that a political party which had won a landslide in seats has pissed off so many people in such a short period of time. (An indication of the current political climate, no doubt.)

    Once upon a time, a dissident current within the Labour Party would have denounced a Labour govt’s actions but would have stayed in the party and fought their political corner. In Broxtowe, they obviously don’t see that as an option in 2024 . . . and that’s only 6 months into this Labour government.

    This is a one-term government.

    #256045
    DJP
    Participant

    “This is a one-term government.”

    It actually makes political sense to do all the unpopular stuff now when the next election is four or five years away. And the rise of Reform is actually a blessing for Labour. If Reform survives until the next election it will split the vote on right.

    #256048
    ALB
    Keymaster

    This assumes that they will be able to do popular stuff later on nearer the next general election. They might calculate on doing this but we know that, capitalism being capitalism, they can’t guarantee that they will be in a position to do this.

    In fact we know, from our knowledge of how capitalism works and that it can’t be controlled by governments, that they are unlikely to be able to. Such popular stuff as increasing real wages and social handouts (one of their election promises) is not something in their power to bring about.

    This said, there is a chance that they could be lucky in that capitalism might happen to be entering into the boom phase of its cycle a year before the election. I suppose that, if you are a government that has to seek re-election, that this might happen is a gamble worth taking. In fact that’s all they can do.

    #256049

    Yes, it’s like looking into a crystal ball. Who even knows if Reform will still be a force in the next election and won’t go the same way as the SDP did in he 80s?

    #256110
    ALB
    Keymaster

    Looks like the Labour government has been “blown off course” or “sabotaged by the gnomes of Zurich” already (to quote excuses invoked by previous Labour governments for their failure to control how capitalism works despite their election promises) after only six months of running the political side of capitalism:

    https://www.reuters.com/world/uk/uk-bond-market-sell-off-heaps-pressure-reeves-2025-01-09/

    #256116
    Mike Foster
    Participant

    Labour’s publicity department seriously messed up recently when it released a video promoting claims about how the government will improve things for people. Its AI-generated graphics of animals representing keyworkers (such as a hare wearing a nurse’s uniform) are unsettling enough, but the soundtrack is a song in Portuguese which advocates abusing young girls. Releasing this video at the same time as debate about how the state has dealt with ‘grooming gangs’ makes it even more of a misfire. The sorry story is reported here: https://news.sky.com/story/labour-apologise-after-posting-tiktok-video-featuring-explicit-song-13284944

    #256490
    james19
    Participant

    Labour ‘considers bringing forward’ state pension age increase
    It’s been reported that Labour is considering bringing forward increases to the UK’s state pension at a time when life expectancy appears to be falling.

    The Labour Government is “considering” bringing forward increases” to the state pension age despite experts agreeing that life expectancy in the UK was stalling

    GB News has reported that research suggested the official retirement age needs to rise to 71 by 2050 for payments to remain affordable

    Bearing in mind the same ‘stunt’ was pulled against women who now have to wait an extra 6 years, instead of being 60 years old to receive their state pension.

    https://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/2005415/labour-considers-raising-state-pension

    #256507
    ALB
    Keymaster

    The front page headline in today’s Times is:

    PM invokes Thatcher in promise to cut red tape
    Starmer: I’ll clear regulatory weeds for business

    It’s about a short article he has written for them in which he writes:

    “Our job is to work with businesses to create the environment that allows them to thrive.”

    Precisely. That in fact is the job of any government under capitalism and which any party which takes office must do.

    Revealing too that a PM question time today the leader of the Tory party complained that the Labour Party had stolen their clothes.

    #256508
    ALB
    Keymaster

    “Our job is to work with businesses to create the environment that allows them to thrive.”

    Labour, Tory, Same Old Story has never been truer.

    #256512
    ALB
    Keymaster

    Minister backs defence firms after protests” was the headline of an article in the Times on 29 January. The minister in question was John Healey, the Secretary of State for “Defence”. He was reported as saying “at a dinner hosted by the ADS, a UK defence industry trade body”:

    “Britain’s wars will not be stopped by boycotting its defence industry, the defence secretary has said, adding that those targetting companies that build weapons for the UK military have ‘flawed’ intentions.
    John Healey said it was ‘unacceptable’ that the defence industry was being treated like tobacco and gambling firms. (…)
    National security is a ‘precondition for economic security, investor confidence and social stability’, he added.”

    “Britain’s wars” may not be stopped by boycotting its “defence” industry but they certainly won’t be by the Labour government.

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