I do not think for a minute starmer is an absolute racist. But he is dooming his electoral chances, happy to chase the votes of people who are, and ceding the centre to the far right.
When everyone accused Corbyn of student politics we were told we would now have “grown up politics”. Starmer’s phrase will haunt him and us for years to come in these days of sound bites. Whatever his intention or the context it was said in, it will be forever held up as support for a racist agenda.
I went and read those reports. You are correct he did say stop sending arms but only in the context of a peace deal. Yes it is naïve in the midst of the brutality but at some point all the components of a peace deal have to align for peace to prevail.
It just (re, possibly) occured to me that every time a government (e.g. May's, Johnson's, Starmer's) deliberately inflames an argument to increase engagement it is THEY that is bringing about polarisation.
So it's OK to blame more recent* migrants for the results of monetarist policy, as long as you're not proud of doing so?
* more recent than the Saxe-Coburg-Gothas??
No one thinks Starmer is exactly the same as Powell. No one is making that argument. But the fact his speech echoed Powells most famous speech exposes Labours lurch to the right and attempt to placate Reform voters
Good article. Well, it reflects how I feel anyway. About time we changed Parliament to a horseshoe debating chamber too so there’s less yah boo shouting and more nuance there too.
That's exactly what I'm saying we shouldn't do. Judge his actions, don't claim that "he's not an ideological racist, there's an absolute barrier between racists and non racists".
This. There's barely a hair's breadth between what Starmer's been saying lately on immigration and the position of "proud racialists" (like those in Reform)
So what tangible difference does it make whether Starmer actually means it or not? He's still saying, doing and enacting policy on it
Definitely the point. Whatever is in his heart he is a man willing to do racism for electoral expediency. Whatever he secretly feels, if he feels this acceptable then—he is a racist.
Oh no I think he probably is racist in the posh boy "the brown investment bankers are all right but not the asylum seekers" way. But the performance is entirely put on.
Bold of you to suggest you know Starmer's beliefs when his actions over the last 11 months show that he'll believe whatever he thinks people want, as long it allows Labour to retain power.
I lived in his constituency when he was an MP. Many immigrants in the area were adamant he was not racist (which if correct makes his comments bewildering at best). Impossible to get reasoned debate now. Shame on Labour in joining the fray.
At a tutorial the other day, a student of mine of Caribbean descent told me a) he didn’t care Starmer was not a racialist, it’s even worse that he isn’t, b) Starmer’s intentions behind the speech do not matter, only interpretation & impact do, and c) he’s never voting Labour again.
The problem is it is impossible to work out what Starmer is.
He has done his best to persuade racists he is one of them.
His choice of language indicates he is (at best) nationalist.
He is authoritarian rather than democratic.
A good fit for Reform when Labour MPs topple him?
And remember those that serve to do us harm such as: #RetreadPartyLtd reformed from #Brexit party reformed from #Vote Leave. They dominated media by #TellingLies & #SpreadingFear!
#ShameOnUs if #FA_Rage is ever in Gov!
If you're using the language of proud racists; you're a fucking racist as well. We all heard Keir repeat Powell. Why is the press so invested in telling us not to believe our lying ears? Keir is a racist who is stealing reform ideas wholesale and in the process losing 2points of reform voters - lol.
I don't know how you can claim to know what Keir Starmer believes, when it's self evident from all his broken leadership pledges that he doesn't believe in anything.
He was elected promising change, not more of the same.
Or maybe the different is not in the racism, but the pride?
Does it matter that he isn’t if he parrots the same lines and supports the same policies? The fact that Powell was a true believer and Starmer simply has no moral compass at all makes no difference to those it affects.
“Don’t worry, I’m not echoing racist talking points because I believe in what I’m saying. I’m only doing it because some people told me it would get votes from people who respond to racist talking points.”
I guess “nuanced” is one word for this sort of attitude, but I can think of better words.
That'll be Spain where they will paint their faces black and do monkey chants at Lewis Hamilton, and Australia which has a litany of abuses for it's indigenous population?
I'm not against the idea of restrictions on immigration where it's not needed. We can't fit the planet on our little island.
But yes we do have reason to call Spain and Australia racist, the most visible and jarring examples come from the former and the most insidious examples the latter.
Comments
It was about the russian politics.
11th of February Jeremy campaigned to disarm Ukraine, signing open letters, making videos.
How do you disarm the victims of brutal assault?
«Naive» disregarding Ukrainians' demands and pleas for help?
And that sudden urge to see good in aggressor burst out every time the russians involved. Salisbury, Syria, Ukraine.
* more recent than the Saxe-Coburg-Gothas??
But in all your examples, Starmer is to the right of them, and arguably is completely detached/insensitive/oblivious to the people who elected him
At best he is naive and foolish, at worst he doesn't speak for his base
So what tangible difference does it make whether Starmer actually means it or not? He's still saying, doing and enacting policy on it
He has done his best to persuade racists he is one of them.
His choice of language indicates he is (at best) nationalist.
He is authoritarian rather than democratic.
A good fit for Reform when Labour MPs topple him?
#ShameOnUs if #FA_Rage is ever in Gov!
Starmer: immigrants “have” caused harm
Not only has he made the statement, he has also validated the statement made by Powell.
He was elected promising change, not more of the same.
Or maybe the different is not in the racism, but the pride?
I guess “nuanced” is one word for this sort of attitude, but I can think of better words.
🤔
I'm not against the idea of restrictions on immigration where it's not needed. We can't fit the planet on our little island.
But yes we do have reason to call Spain and Australia racist, the most visible and jarring examples come from the former and the most insidious examples the latter.
I think he's got lost and ended up here instead of X 😂