Absolutely, Starmer is protecting the country from Trump, he has no other option and he's doing a good job of it. He's also built excellent relationships with the Europeans too, absolutely essential. He's worked it well. You must've been asleep not to recognise the importance of his roles here.
How can you say he’s protecting the country from Trump when Reform’s poll lead is getting larger and larger. In four years time the UK will have a Trumpist government because of Starmer’s refusal to push back against rightwing populism! Where’s the success in that?
Reform is leading in the polls due to numerous factors, appeasement of Trump isn't one of them, every single British PM has done the same in order to protect the British economy.
Yes if is. Labour can’t use the strongest argument there is against Farage - look at how Trump is destroying democracy, Farage would sell us out to him and do the same thing here. Because they can’t make that argument Reform has free rein to set the agenda.
Trump is almost universally hated in the UK. And yet, in the next election, we'll probably elect a Trumpist party. That's how thick a huge chunk of the electorate is.
What you're saying is entirely correct. I was saying that appeasing Trump, as embarrassing as it is, is a necessary move to protect the economy from his destructive tendencies, and most of the country realise that. Labour is floundering due to numerous factors, this isn't one of them.
It is. It is Labour’s biggest failing. Not pushing back against rightwing populism and defend democracy. Not even trying to win the argument about the direction the country is going. It’ll cost them their prospects of reelection.and lead to a Reform government. Exactly what happened to Biden.
Its why establishment parties (like the GOP and, let's face it, Reform) position themselves as outsiders. Labour will never win by positioning as Sensible Reform, and whilst they are doing so, they'll turn off a huge chunk of their actual base. They need to pick something they actually stand for
I guess what's frustrating is that Labour is crawling with political strategists and data wonks, and yet they are completely ignoring the main driver of modern politics, which is a marketing technique called "challenger brand strategy". I need to sit down and write a post about it...
Trump should serve as an example to the world of how badly life can become under a dictator. Canada was leaning conservative & learned from the mistake the US made and they flipped their vote to liberal. Australia followed suit and voted their leader back in - something they hadn’t done in decades.
Exactly. But that's how dumb we are. Voting for Brexit was dumb. Voting for Trump the first time was dumb. Voting for Trump a second time was almost unbelievably dumb but Voting for Reform in 2029 will be dumber still.
If my country reelecting Trump was failing an open-book exam, Britain electing a Reform government right after Vance possibly loses would be failing an open-book ONLINE exam.
Honestly I don't know what the US will look like in 2029, but yes this is a great analogy
Especially since it looks like Trump’s got 5 months left on Earth tops, the GOP has become so dependent on him in many ways that it’s virtually impossible to predict what exactly will happen when he’s gone
Right, but the democratic decline of the US goes far deeper than one man. It would be optimistic in the extreme to think the death of Trump would mark a return to 'normal'
Yet every state that pushed back against Chump got tariff deadlines extended or tariffs reduced. Starmer just rolled over. Chump doesn't know what to do when he's told No, he just flails. Standing up to Chump would also serve to highlight economic protections we previously enjoyed in the EU also
Unlike the EU which is facing 30% tariffs we got the minimum 10%. It is a nonsense to say that all that sucking up gained us nothing.
Tariffs are the instrument Trump is using to exert influence. Britain got a lower rate but at a pride. Starmer can’t speak out against rightwing populism because to do so would offend Trump. It’s a massive price since it currently looks like it will give Britain a Reform government
When standing our ground would likely have got us three months of no extra tariff and then still ended up with a reduced amount or a further 'extension'
Not quite what happened to those who stood their ground with that infantile US president.