Brexit, for once some facts.

Jesus H Christ

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Dec 31, 2020
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Starmer really needs to go


The future has been cancelled due to lack of intelligence
Yes, Corbyn would have been infinitely better and definitely secured the win.

The problem Labour has is that no one knows what they are about. I have no idea what’s on offer.
 
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Zlatan

Esteemed Pedelecer
Nov 26, 2016
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A nice idea, but it cannot work here, the people are too selfish. The slightest hint of a social conscience and the Tories and their press will scream Communism, Trotskyite, Marxist and the people will believe them. And if that doesn't work well enough they will fabricate disgusting lies like accusations of anti-semitism.

This behaviour is fundamental to right wing politics, whether Republican, Conservative or Fascist Nazi, the lie is their weapon for success.

Look what happened to Obama in the USA and Medicare. Every lie was trotted out, he was Kenyan, he wasn't born in the USA, he was a Muslim, he was lining his pockets. So he was out and the Republicans scrapped Medicare as much as they dared.
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Sorry Flecc can't agree with that. Think it's actually part of problem.
Blaming electorate, media, Tories and anyone else is missing point and it has accompanied socialists movement into oblivion.
Part of labour's psyche is now blame somebody else without examing exactly what they do stand for.
Electorate would vote for a coherent, unified Labour Party if they could show both successful economic policies and caring approach to less fortunate... But they do neither. They argue amongst themselves and attack government.
When I was involved in selling big yachts we had golden rule. Never ever knock other builders. They are good, bull them up but then explain carefully why we are better.
Momentum are now having a go at Starmer...Its crazy. They have had more criticism of him than Tories... They do their job for them.
There is no place anymore for extremes of either end of spectrum. You can knock this government til you are blue in face but without doubt they are most centrist Tories in history. Labour haven't moved into that space, they have seen this shift as a reason to go further left. They should be centrist. Blair without the lies, war, Campbell and his affinity to money and Bush.
Yes, we all know Blair is now disliked but he got in power and stayed. Time socialists realised Blair (or his ilk) is as near to socialism as we can ever get.
 
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flecc

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Oct 25, 2006
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Yes, Corbyn would have been infinitely better and definitely secured the win.
Corbyn would also have lost, but far less badly since the left support him but dont support Starmer. Hence that disastrous result.

The problem Labour has is that no one knows what they are about. I have no idea what’s on offer.
Whats on offer is a repeat of Blair. A well to do barrister pretending to be Labour leading a party of MPs split beween being true socialists and those who are pseudo Tory for expediency, AKA Blairites.

There's been a long history of this, the Gang of Four, Roy Jenkins, David Owen, Bill Rodgers, and Shirley Williams left Labour to form the Social Democrats since they were never really true socialists and realised that the nation weren't either.

The people only want fantasy socialism, all of the benefits but none of the costs.
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Woosh

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The people only want fantasy socialism, all of the benefits but none of the costs.
what do you mean?
True socialists like Corbyn would like all the benefits paid for by those who are wealthy.
Blair split the cost more equally.
 
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flecc

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When I was involved in selling big yachts we had golden rule. Never ever knock other builders. They are good, bull them up but then explain carefully why we are better.
Very true, but it's never worked in politics and never will.

There is no longer a place for a true socialist Labour party in this country. Blair tried the confidence trick approach and ultimately failed, which is why Starmer couldn't succeed doing the same.

The only way Labour can ever come back is if the Tories really mess up and the public vote Labour only to get theTories out.
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flecc

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Oct 25, 2006
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what do you mean?
True socialists like Corbyn would like all the benefits paid for by those who are wealthy.
Blair split the cost more equally.
No, I meant what I posted.

Forget Blair, he failed as yesterday's man as his Starmer clone has also failed now.
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Zlatan

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Nov 26, 2016
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Blair could have gone down in history as a great PM. The lies, the war and his respect for Bush destroyed his tenure and legacy. Knock on affect is Labour still in disarray.
I, d vote for a Blair type (again) if he was leader of a unified party. I like Blair. He did have, or appear to, have a good balance between capitalism and care. Its actually the same as picked up by Cameron and now Boris. Making Labour redundant... But if a Labour leader could offer same I, d bet electorate would vote for them. (if Momentum and Unite could be lost somehow)
Its neither socialism or Labour which is dead. Its Momentum and Unite. Folk don't want either. They are both seen for what they are. Radical extremes representing a disappearing group. Time Unite and Momentum moved into 21st century and stop holding Labour to ransom. How many more strongholds must they lose before they cotton on.
 
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flecc

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Electorate would vote for a coherent, unified Labour Party
There can be no such thing in this small "c" conservative country, with so few people being true working class any more we cannot get enough socialist MPs elected to form even half a winning party.

What you keep arguing for is what we've already got in the LibDems and look at how successful they are. Remember they were the Social Democrat Party originally formed by four ex labour MPs.

So why repeat failure, which is what you are advocating?
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Zlatan

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Nov 26, 2016
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No, I meant what I posted.

Forget Blair, he failed as yesterday's man as his Starmer clone has also failed now.
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It's not Starmer failing though, it's Tories winning. Starmer could be sort of successful without dragging the anchor of Unite and Momentum. Policy makers in Labour are sort of right. Starmer could be right man... If Labour were sorted.
Changing to another leader won't alter a thing.
 
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Zlatan

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Nov 26, 2016
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There can be no such thing in this small "c" conservative country, with so few people being true working class any more we cannot get enough socialist MPs elected to form even half a winning party.

What you keep arguing for is what we've already got in the LibDems and look at how successful they are. Remember they were the Social Democrat Party originally formed by four ex labour MPs.

So why repeat failure, which is what you are advocating?
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Because country historically would never vote lib dem. They have failed before starting.
Listen to Labour today.. "we need to be more socialist" (just on news)
They never learn. We don't have left wing voters. They do not exist.
The writing is on the wall. Hartlepool Conservative.. First time ever.
Labour must change or disappear.
Labour must move centrist or our democracy is not working and doomed.
We have a one party system. Nobody in their right minds can support that.
Why can't Labour represent the voters who want them to. Its bordering on insane.
The red wall actually wants to vote Labour but can't. They won't support Unite/Momentum. They would Starmer.
 
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flecc

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Oct 25, 2006
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Because country historically would never vote lib dem. They have failed before starting.
Listen to Labour today.. "we need to be more socialist" (just on news)
They never learn. We don't have left wing voters. They do not exist.
Exactly, and why we cannot have the Labour party!

Why do you think Blair changed the name to New Labour? It was to escape the Labour image, but that didn't work well enough eventually. Only a completely new replacement non socialist party can work, Labour can't.

In this small "c" conservative country we can vote in enough conservatives to form a Tory government. That's because conservative is what we English predominantly are, and it is a broad church.

We cannot vote in enough left wing socialists to form a government.

We cannot vote in enough moderate socialists to form a government.

We cannot vote in enough Liberals to form a government.

The solution has long been known in Europe, proportional representation.

Without that you are spitting into the wind.
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Zlatan

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Nov 26, 2016
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Exactly, and why we cannot have the Labour party!

Why do you think Blair changed the name to New Labour? It was to escape the Labour image, but that didn't work well enough eventually. Only a completely new replacement non socialist party can work, Labour can't.

In this small "c" conservative country we can vote in enough conservatives to form a Tory government. That's because conservative is what we English predominantly are, and it is a broad church.

We cannot vote in enough left wing socialists to form a government.

We cannot vote in enough moderate socialists to form a government.

We cannot vote in enough Liberals to form a government.

The solution has long been known in Europe, proportional representation.

Without that you are spitting into the wind.
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What we call it is actually immaterial. It's a handle, a label.
Sad fact is with such little opposition we only have Tories. Personally I, d rather have a viable alternative even if it only had slightly more left policies. As it is we have either Tories or a Labour party still dominated by Unions and or Momentum.
Why should Unions still have block voting yet those same members can already exercise their democratic right at polling stations.
IMHO its high time Unions were separated from political parties.
I wonder if we, d see a surge in Labour Party membership if McCluskey and Co were not seen as controlling influences within party. IMHO its the way forward. Would initially be a weaker party but over a few years a new section would, or could, be attracted.
Two Jags and McCluskey are from a bygone age. Time Labour realised.
 

Nev

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May 1, 2018
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It will be exactly 8 weeks tomorrow since I had my first AZ jab, and I was wondering when I will be getting the second injection. The phone then rings and it's my local surgery I am now booked in on Tuesday morning for the second one.

When one sees on the news what is happening in countries like India and Brazil with regards to Covid and their vaccination programme, I'm glad I live in the UK and not over there.

Several people I know who had the first AZ vaccine and has some bad side effects had absolutely no effects (not even a sore arm) when they had the second jab.
 
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oldgroaner

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Good Post.
Labour need to have a good look at themselves and represent the country and not some idealistic view point.
Any viable party comes from the electorate and represents it. Labour, as many on here also think, feel the party should lead with morals, policies and agendas. They should not. They should represent the majority view. OG's point about voter intelligence, perhaps said in jest, is the issue. Labour see voters are wrong and should modify to their way of operating. Tories, even if distasteful at times, represent how people feel and see things. They appeal to the electorate.
Starmer coming on all offended by Tory sleaze sums it up. He should be talking jobs, health, minimum wage, prosperity, booster jabs,voter wealth and well being. Attacking the Tories continually is tiresome and counter productive.
We, ve had page after page of attacks on Boris and the Govt on here. Its pointless.
On here, and as in Labour,we should be shouting what we want, new policies, new outlooks, new jobs, different tax regimes, help for new businesses, higher minimum wage, better worker rights, incentives, building programmes, initiatives,equal rights, less prejudice, the list is endless for improvement. But just as labour don't, we don't. We moan about Boris, gun boats, sleaze, dodgy contracts, voter intelligence. (or lack of it), Brexit, rejoining, leavers etc etc.
Doesn't help that Momentum are now telling Starmer Corbyn won Hartleypool. A split and fractious party?
Have you quite finished Vicar?
The problem is quite simple, too many gullible people
 
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flecc

Member
Oct 25, 2006
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It will be exactly 8 weeks tomorrow since I had my first AZ jab, and I was wondering when I will be getting the second injection. The phone then rings and it's my local surgery I am now booked in on Tuesday morning for the second one.

When one sees on the news what is happening in countries like India and Brazil with regards to Covid and their vaccination programme, I'm glad I live in the UK and not over there.

Several people I know who had the first AZ vaccine and has some bad side effects had absolutely no effects (not even a sore arm) when they had the second jab.
Lucky you!

My second AZ jab was 14 weeks, six hours and 20 minutes after my first one, and then only because it was chased.

The first one had no appreciable side effects, but the second very much has had. Extreme exhaustion, tiredness and excessive sleeping that's still not gone and a very painful upper arm for six days.
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oyster

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Nov 7, 2017
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Lucky you!

My second AZ jab was 14 weeks, six hours and 20 minutes after my first one, and then only because it was chased.

The first one had no appreciable side effects, but the second very much has had. Extreme exhaustion, tiredness and excessive sleeping that's still not gone and a very painful upper arm for six days.
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Interesting - as I have previously said, I see lots of patient reports. I think the majority have said the second AstraZeneca vaccination has had less impact that the first. Whereas for Pfizer it seems the other way round.

It is, of course, wrong to apply population statistics, even if accurate and valid, to individuals.
 
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flecc

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What we call it is actually immaterial. It's a handle, a label.
Not so, the labour label is so discredited now for multiple reasons that it isn't acceptable. Too many reasons to dislike it to gain enough followers.

And even if that were not so, hardly anyone thinks of themselves as "labour" in the working sense now. The vast majority are effectively middle class and very long have been.

That's what Ted Heath meant in his term "Selsdon Man" at the Tory conference in the Selsdon Park Hotel in 1970, then winning the election. He was making the point that the old term for the working man, "The man on the Clapham Omnibus"no longer applied since all men were already more middle than working class.

That was 50 years ago, long before Blair, Starmer, McCluskie et al who are all an irrelevance in this discussion. Few men think of themselves as labouring any more. More typical are all those "working" men on their backsides using the bosses time to post in this pedelecs forum and social media right now.
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