Keir Starmer’s 10 Socialist Pledges – A Thread
As the Labour leader plunges in the polls, simpering and abstaining his way to unpopularity, we look back at the ten socialist pledges he committed to a year ago
How many has he kept...?
/1
#SocialistSunday
As the Labour leader plunges in the polls, simpering and abstaining his way to unpopularity, we look back at the ten socialist pledges he committed to a year ago
How many has he kept...?
/1
#SocialistSunday
Pledge 1: WENT IN THE BIN Feb 2021
Should have been the easiest pledge for Starmer to keep.
Britain’s corporation tax rate (a tax ONLY on profits) is one of the lowest in Europe at 19%. For comparison France is at 35%, Spain 25% and Germany 30%
Corp tax is so low that... /2
Should have been the easiest pledge for Starmer to keep.
Britain’s corporation tax rate (a tax ONLY on profits) is one of the lowest in Europe at 19%. For comparison France is at 35%, Spain 25% and Germany 30%
Corp tax is so low that... /2
...EVEN THE TORIES plan to increase it to pay for the pandemic
Starmer opposed this: “Now is not the time for tax rises on families and businesses” he said
What family was he talking about – the Murdochs?
/3
theguardian.com/uk-news/2021/f…
Starmer opposed this: “Now is not the time for tax rises on families and businesses” he said
What family was he talking about – the Murdochs?
/3
theguardian.com/uk-news/2021/f…
Pledge 2: WENT IN THE BIN March 2021
A lot in this one but main focus is on the NHS (thrown front and centre by Covid)
Starmer’s decision to hire Ben Nunn, an ex-lobbyist for private healthcare companies, was an early warning sign re Starmer's commitment to the NHS...
/4
A lot in this one but main focus is on the NHS (thrown front and centre by Covid)
Starmer’s decision to hire Ben Nunn, an ex-lobbyist for private healthcare companies, was an early warning sign re Starmer's commitment to the NHS...
/4
An acid test arrived this month, when The Tories caused outrage with their 1% payrise for nurses.
Did Socialist Firebrand Starmer step up the plate?
“I think the starting point should be the 2.1% that was promised...”
2.1%? How nurses rejoiced!
/5
mirror.co.uk/news/politics/…
Did Socialist Firebrand Starmer step up the plate?
“I think the starting point should be the 2.1% that was promised...”
2.1%? How nurses rejoiced!
/5
mirror.co.uk/news/politics/…
That's Starmer offering £3 a week more than The Tories, the lowest rise that tracks inflation
Is that "social justice"?
Labour have backed Marcus Rashfords campaigns for Free School Meals and an extension of £20 Universal Credit increase
So they haven't QUITE done nothing /6
Is that "social justice"?
Labour have backed Marcus Rashfords campaigns for Free School Meals and an extension of £20 Universal Credit increase
So they haven't QUITE done nothing /6
Pledge 3: WENT IN THE BIN June 2020
What could be more important than this pledge
"Our house is on fire" Greta Thunberg has said.
Why, then, would Labour drop the ambitious 2030 climate crisis target it adopted under Jeremy Corbyn?
/7
independent.co.uk/news/uk/politi…
What could be more important than this pledge
"Our house is on fire" Greta Thunberg has said.
Why, then, would Labour drop the ambitious 2030 climate crisis target it adopted under Jeremy Corbyn?
/7
independent.co.uk/news/uk/politi…
“The next manifesto, the next target, will be written in four or five years’ time and we’ll have to deal with the circumstances we are in then”
When your house is on fire…Starmer's policy is to let it burn for another five years and see what the circumstances are?
Logical
/8
When your house is on fire…Starmer's policy is to let it burn for another five years and see what the circumstances are?
Logical
/8
Pledge 4: WENT IN THE BIN: September 2020
Who better to lead the opposition in the face of the most authoritarian, law-breaking government in recent memory than a celebrated human rights lawyer
Step forward Sir Keir…
/9
Who better to lead the opposition in the face of the most authoritarian, law-breaking government in recent memory than a celebrated human rights lawyer
Step forward Sir Keir…
/9
First up, the Overseas Operations Bill, which would grant British soldiers immunity from crimes committed while serving abroad.
Starmer whipped MPs to abstain and sacked frontbenchers Nadia Whittome, Beth Winter and Olivia Blake for defying him...
/10
theguardian.com/politics/2020/…
Starmer whipped MPs to abstain and sacked frontbenchers Nadia Whittome, Beth Winter and Olivia Blake for defying him...
/10
theguardian.com/politics/2020/…
Next up it’s the “Spycops” bill, which would grant undercover officers the right to commit crimes and continue doing things like, uh, deceive women into sexual relationships and have children with them before simply disappearing
Sir Keir: Abstain!
/11
labourlist.org/2020/10/35-lab…
Sir Keir: Abstain!
/11
labourlist.org/2020/10/35-lab…
What about Priti Patel’s bid to make “annoying” protests punishable by up to 10 years in prison, violating the right to peaceful protest in The Human Rights Act
Sir Keir, according to Diane Abbot, was whipping to abstain until some high profile scenes on Clapham Common...
/12
Sir Keir, according to Diane Abbot, was whipping to abstain until some high profile scenes on Clapham Common...
/12
Pledge 5: WENT IN THE BIN at the CBI Conference
"Have you dropped the plan to nationalise BT?" - FT's
@DanielThomasLDN
asks Labour leader Keir Starmer at #CBI2020
Keir: "A Labour government led by me will be pro-business"
/13
"Have you dropped the plan to nationalise BT?" - FT's
@DanielThomasLDN
asks Labour leader Keir Starmer at #CBI2020
Keir: "A Labour government led by me will be pro-business"
/13
Anyone still in doubt about Starmer's lack of commitment to nationalisation (in a year that's shown, once and for all, that outsourcing is inefficient, ineffective and riddled with cronyism) is referred to the below tweet
Double rollback!
/14
Double rollback!
/14
Pledge 6: WENT IN THE BIN August 2020
"Labour members were angered after the front bench criticised the government’s “incompetence” in dealing with migrants arriving by dinghy, instead of defending their right to claim asylum in Britain"
/15
independent.co.uk/news/uk/politi…
"Labour members were angered after the front bench criticised the government’s “incompetence” in dealing with migrants arriving by dinghy, instead of defending their right to claim asylum in Britain"
/15
independent.co.uk/news/uk/politi…
Sir Keir has been VERY quiet on the subject of migrant's rights...
In contrast, Priti Patel has been outrageously LOUD, with controversial, callous and provocative statements/policies
Starmer would have to defend migrant rights with force to meet this pledge. He has not.
/16
In contrast, Priti Patel has been outrageously LOUD, with controversial, callous and provocative statements/policies
Starmer would have to defend migrant rights with force to meet this pledge. He has not.
/16
Pledge 7: WENT IN THE BIN January 2021
Shall we ask teaching unions?
In early January, with the second wave of Covid climbing to its peak, Starmer refused to back teaching unions in their struggle against the govt
Teachers went back for one pointless, dangerous day
/17
Shall we ask teaching unions?
In early January, with the second wave of Covid climbing to its peak, Starmer refused to back teaching unions in their struggle against the govt
Teachers went back for one pointless, dangerous day
/17
When Starmer finally did get around to supporting a union - Unite, fighting against the awful practise of fire and rehire - he tweeted the below
Then panicked and deleted it
Gulp😬
/18
skwawkbox.org/2021/02/11/sta…
Then panicked and deleted it
Gulp😬
/18
skwawkbox.org/2021/02/11/sta…
Pledge 8: WENT IN THE BIN January 2021
"LABOUR leader Sir Keir Starmer has defended Boris Johnson’s trip to Scotland to promote the Union today, insisting the mid-pandemic visit is “legitimate""
Sir Keir, inevitably, "promotes the union"...
/19
thenational.scot/news/19045328.…
"LABOUR leader Sir Keir Starmer has defended Boris Johnson’s trip to Scotland to promote the Union today, insisting the mid-pandemic visit is “legitimate""
Sir Keir, inevitably, "promotes the union"...
/19
thenational.scot/news/19045328.…
What did Starmer have to say about The House of Lords when Johnson announced the latest intake of Tory donors/cronies.
Russian-born newspaper owner Evgeny Lebedev? Brexit-supporting cricketer Ian Botham? Claire Fox?
Keir Starmer: "___________"
/20
theguardian.com/politics/2020/…
Russian-born newspaper owner Evgeny Lebedev? Brexit-supporting cricketer Ian Botham? Claire Fox?
Keir Starmer: "___________"
/20
theguardian.com/politics/2020/…
Pledge 9: WENT IN THE BIN summer 2020
Starmer describes BLM as "a moment"
Starmer's "diversity audit...so far includes only white LOTO staff"
While expelling left-wingers for questioning (factually) the prevalence of anti-Semitism, Starmer...
/21
skwawkbox.org/2020/06/11/exc…
Starmer describes BLM as "a moment"
Starmer's "diversity audit...so far includes only white LOTO staff"
While expelling left-wingers for questioning (factually) the prevalence of anti-Semitism, Starmer...
/21
skwawkbox.org/2020/06/11/exc…
...has ignored every other form of racism
Buried the Forde report on internal racism (to the fury of BAME party members, see link below)
Accepted donations from David Abrahams, accused of making Islamophobic statements - theguardian.com/politics/2020/…
/22
independent.co.uk/voices/labour-…
Buried the Forde report on internal racism (to the fury of BAME party members, see link below)
Accepted donations from David Abrahams, accused of making Islamophobic statements - theguardian.com/politics/2020/…
/22
independent.co.uk/voices/labour-…
Meanwhile, a report suggesting Islamophobia is worthy of every bit as much attention in Labour as anti-Semitism...
Drew no direct response from Starmer
/23
theguardian.com/uk-news/2020/n…
Drew no direct response from Starmer
/23
theguardian.com/uk-news/2020/n…
Pledge 10: WENT IN THE BIN October 2020
Let's look at the headline first: Effective Opposition to Tories?
Starmer is behind in the polls to a government led by a buffoon, whose negligence and cronyism contributed to the deaths of 150,000 citizens and a tanking economy
/24
Let's look at the headline first: Effective Opposition to Tories?
Starmer is behind in the polls to a government led by a buffoon, whose negligence and cronyism contributed to the deaths of 150,000 citizens and a tanking economy
/24
We had our pick of stats showing how hopeless Starmer has been (they get worse by the week) but plumped for this one, as it highlights the role played by party "unity" in the decline
Not the decline accelerating from October...
/25
Not the decline accelerating from October...
/25
This was when Starmer expelled Corbyn from the party FOR MAKING A STATEMENT OF FACT EXPLICITLY PROTECTED BY THE EHRC REPORT
"the scale of the problem was also dramatically overstated for political reasons by our opponents"
/26
the-free-press.co.uk/2020/12/17/com…
"the scale of the problem was also dramatically overstated for political reasons by our opponents"
/26
the-free-press.co.uk/2020/12/17/com…
For a full view of the hypocrisy Starmer has shown in persecuting the left check out our article
- Long-Bailey suspended for tenuous links to AS Starmer allies have survived
- Anna Rothery removed from Liverpool mayoral race for being an actual socialist
the-free-press.co.uk/2020/11/24/the…
- Long-Bailey suspended for tenuous links to AS Starmer allies have survived
- Anna Rothery removed from Liverpool mayoral race for being an actual socialist
the-free-press.co.uk/2020/11/24/the…
His attack on internal democracy has been positively Stalinist
- banning discussions of Corbyn's suspension at branch meetings
- Young Labour chair describes "bullying" within party machinery
- banning discussions of Corbyn's suspension at branch meetings
- Young Labour chair describes "bullying" within party machinery
https://twitter.com/JessicaLBarnard/status/1330964928803565569?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1330964928803565569%7Ctwgr%5E%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.thelondoneconomic.com%2Fpolitics%2Flabour-left-lashes-out-bullying-factional-starmer-as-civil-war-boils-over-210749%2F
If you believe all of this is in the name of unity check out Starmer's conference call with two "unifying" figures
Margaret Hodge, who publically called Corbyn a "Fucking Anti-Semite"
Peter Mandelson, who said during Corbyn's reign...
/27
Margaret Hodge, who publically called Corbyn a "Fucking Anti-Semite"
Peter Mandelson, who said during Corbyn's reign...
/27
"I work every single day in some small way to bring forward the end of (Corbyn’s) tenure in office" (*previous tweet 29 not 27!)
The net result of infighting and discontent:
Loss of a tenth of Labour membership
Polls like the below diverging in October
/30
The net result of infighting and discontent:
Loss of a tenth of Labour membership
Polls like the below diverging in October
/30
CONCLUSION
We've already had replies to this thread screaming Starmer can win!
Can he? Even high-profile centrists like Hugo Rifkind are beginning to doubt this...
If Starmer CAN win then we have to ask the question:
What kind of PM will he be?
/31
We've already had replies to this thread screaming Starmer can win!
Can he? Even high-profile centrists like Hugo Rifkind are beginning to doubt this...
If Starmer CAN win then we have to ask the question:
What kind of PM will he be?
/31
Anyone who believes that Starmer is some kind of Trojan Horse, a closet socialist who's going to sneak into power then change the system, is deluded
History shows that politicians become MORE conservative and responsive to power when they actually gain power...
😬😬😬
History shows that politicians become MORE conservative and responsive to power when they actually gain power...
😬😬😬
The only rational explanation for Starmer's behaviour
- purging the left
- posing with flags
- passive when confronted with Tory authoritarianism
Is that he's pitching for support of Murdoch and the Mail
mediareform.org.uk/wp-content/upl…
- purging the left
- posing with flags
- passive when confronted with Tory authoritarianism
Is that he's pitching for support of Murdoch and the Mail
mediareform.org.uk/wp-content/upl…
Endorsement by the gutter press is the only hope Starmer has left
It's the only plan he seems to have had
If that is what you want to throw your weight behind - democratic choice at the whim of right-wing, nationalist rags - then Starmer is your man
Own him
It's the only plan he seems to have had
If that is what you want to throw your weight behind - democratic choice at the whim of right-wing, nationalist rags - then Starmer is your man
Own him
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