Someone was complaining about Starmer not being pro-Rejoin enough and I was about to add my voice to that when it occurred to me I was being selfish.
For people living in poverty, a lack of opportunity to pop over to France isn't terribly important.
For people living in poverty, a lack of opportunity to pop over to France isn't terribly important.
We need to get the Tories out. And, absent replacing FPTP, that's Labour. If Starmer's softly softly approach provides a path to a Lab gov, we can wait a little to go aggressively after Rejoin. People's lives are at risk from the current administration. That needs to change.
Yes, I've been disappointed by things I've seen and heard from him, but I've also been impressed with his cold takedowns of Johnson's failings at PMQs. No Labour leader is ever going to satisfy everyone; the toxic culture of perfectionism will ensure that. In this regard...
We need to behave more like the Tories do; stop infighting. Circle the wagons and face outward. Focus on what we need to make change: power.
The real issues of having left the EU are just starting to make themselves known (to the people who refused to see them previously). I don't think Starmer will actually need to do much to point these out in the coming weeks and months.
We know the worst affected will be people already living in difficult circumstances. We know those circumstances have likely been worsened during the last ten years of Tory rule.
Unless something really unexpected happens, we won't get a turn at the ballot box for another four years. Slagging off Starmer, whilst rooted in frustration, gets us nowhere.
Watching trade crumble, seeing supermarket shelves already empty; it's pretty scary. But there's limitless record of Tories being warned about this, and ploughing on regardless. That narrative needs to take centre stage, so that come the next GE, they'll stand no chance.
In the meantime yes, we must do everything to protect what we can. Lord Hannan (holy shit) is already proposing a bonfire of EU food/ employment/safety standards and protections. Make your voice heard in protest, if nothing else: write to your MP.
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