Brexit and the waning days of the United Kingdom

[HVC]

I still say you should give lettuce a chance. Can't be much worse then the last few PMs you've had.

[crazy canuck]

Lettuce expired 

[Josquius]

Godwilling. At this point, and I'm not generally a fan, I even think if the right made their move and got Streeting in that would be better than Starmer.

Labour's big problem at the moment is absolutely not one of right or left but of competence...
But I don't think a lurch to the right would help them, and not sure on Streeting's competence either. Burnham does seem to have that.

[Sheilbh]

Lettuce expired 

A late and much-mourned entry into the "best PM we never had" conversation.

Have you caught his 'tagline' - 'Promise Made, Promise Kept'?

I've no idea who is doing government comms or what they're thinking. Both that line but also just on a really basic level the colour grading is normally really weird - it's like they're deliberately going for "washed out". But also Starmer's videos are often just him walking around rooms in Downing Street and occasionally signing things. It's very very odd - especially compared with, say, Macron's ones which are normally pretty good and I think Sunak's were better too.

Labour's big problem at the moment is absolutely not one of right or left but of competence...

Sure - but there's a strong moment of opportunity for the right now. Rayner's on the backbenches and (for now) too damaged to run - otherwise she would win. Burnham's not in Parliament. They might not get a better chance.

And sure it's not about right or left but Labour's a pretty factional party

But I don't think a lurch to the right would help them, and not sure on Streeting's competence either. Burnham does seem to have that.

Yeah.

I think what is needed is direction and if nothing else Streeting has a politics which I think would be a huge improvement on Starmer. There's just so much drift and inaction because the PM doesn't really have clearly formed ideas - Starmer absolutely would. On the other hand I think a lot of the Labour right think he's a great policy mind and I'm not sure that's true based on his time at Health. However I think he has been pretty competent there - some fairly solid improvements, plus he's abolished NHS England which is absolutely right and the approach government needs to take everywhere - but Health has been absolutely hosed with money by the Chancellor (especially compared to all the other departments).

On Burnham I think he's done well in Manchester. I like Burnham quite a lot. He was my first choice in 2015 and my second choice in 2010 (after Diane Abbott). But one of the challenges to him, which I think is true, is that he's a bit all things to all men and tough to pin down. And I think you see that in Mainstream, the group he's set up, which is an absolutely extraordinary collection of hard-left Corbyn allies to Blairites. I like Burnham, I think he's authentic, I think he's a good communicator - but that worries me slightly as I think clarity of vision is a big problem for Starmer and Labour.

[mongers]

With a huge majority, labour can afford to try out three or four more PMs before throwing in the towel. 

[Sheilbh]

I am alarmed at the echoes of Tories achieving their biggest majority in 30 years

I had hoped that at the very least the days of the weird psycho-drama were gone. "Bliss was it in that dawn to be alive"