12 Comments

You keep looking at the UK, Blair or Corbyn to explain Starmer but I really think you need to look to Australia , they (cleverly, I thought initially) looked at Bill Shorten in 2019 then Albo in 2022 to learn their lessons in not allowing a deeply unpopular divided conservative Government coming off a business change of leadership to make the election a referendum on Labor (Shorten, franking credits and 2019) and instead went with the small target strategy (Albo 2022) but they have learned the lesson too well, preference voting and the rise of the Teals was vital to Albos victory as people put off by his lack of ambition still sent their votes to him via preferences or saw preferences elect Teals, that is not an option in the UK

Also they ignored what almost got Shorten elected in 2016 one term after a devastating defeat and that was the bravery of their negative gearing policy telling the electorate they were serious and the weakness of Turnbull as nobody knew what stood for (“What’s the point of Malcolm Turnbull” was just a devastating attack line)

Shorten (and Bowen) went too far adding Franking Credits in 2019 but Albo hurt himself dumping negative gearing oin 2022

I was with Starmers strategy until recently, he really is in danger of a ‘What’s the point of Keir Starmer” attack and without preferences , giving voters nothing to vote for risks leaking loads of votes in the Greens and LDs

He needs one big policy, maybe the Green transition wasn’t the right one, but he needs one otherwise he’ll run the risk of at best minority government when he should be aiming to put the Tory’s in a 3 election hole

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One of Paul Bloom's bits of advice to be a good guest is "Be Helen Lewis". Sensible advice, though.

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Real mystery why I included a link that was so nice about me, isn’t it?

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Emily Gould's article is so difficult to read. We're seeing someone in the middle of a breakdown. She's telling us in the moment. Just brutal journalism.

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I read the entire thing in one sitting and then shared it with all the friends who are tired of the female "Me first and I'm always right" attitude on modern relationships.

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Oh yes. I get that. It's this whole, treat me like a queen crap. I'm the Emily Gould in my relationship, but I've managed to become kinder.

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Were people mean about your appreance on Barpod? I enjoyed it (dont tell Jesse).

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no, it was 99% positive. The only people who didn’t like it were the people I criticised, unsurprisingly

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Aren't we now in a weird world where Starmer suspended his leader predecessor from the party and Sunak (if, and it's a big if, he has any back bone...) will do the same to his predecessor? I can't quite get my head around what this tells us about the current state of politics. Although, to be fair, I struggle to get my head around much of current politics.

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It is a sad Friday when I've already read several of the articles linked in The Bluestocking. Clearly, I have been too much online this week.

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Off to go touch some grass... and read the other pieces.

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And thanks for sharing the essay about ozempic. Such a great writer.

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