People seem bemused by this. Why would Streeting's donors care? The Tories make right-leaning noises and support vested interests. Labour makes left-leaning noises and supports vested interests. Vested interests don't care what noises are made to get the electorate onside, so long as they win.
In a battle between the populist right and the authoritarian, technocrat right (Starmer, Reeves, Streeting) - who's going to win?
We need a left alternative.
#BreakTheDuopoly
And does that mean tacking more rightwing then @rthonwesstreeting.bsky.social ? Maybe you should be more innovative and develop a Labour way to beat Reform rather than mimicking Farage and his party.
His donors can't lose. They accept that half of what's shoring them up has to make left-leaning noises to a modest degree because they know that way they get a vast majority of the electorate one way or the other. It's just a noise, they're only worried about the results.
The populist right will succeed if the Labour party hasn't reduced inequalities or improved quality of life. That's exactly where their current policy platform takes us.
The proble is the media, domiated by Tory owners. Not forgetting social media owned by MAGA oligarchs. He's right, but I can't see how the right wing media dominance can be combatted, unless standards are raised thru legislation.
It was head-acratching for me when I heard an interview in which he said he was still a man of faith even tho the church doesn't want him - or something to that effect. Bizarre
After he's privatized the NHS, inflicted a new generation of WMDs on Scotland, entrenched the populist insanity of Brexit, he'll stand up to the right...
Blair and Brown were able to keep a foot on the neck of the populist right by controlling the narrative.
Getting the first words in and mercilessly attacking and exposing the faults of their allies. This government needs to do the same because the media isn't going to help them.
Brown allowed the concept of "reasonable concerns about immigration" to be acceptable by not standing up to "that bigoted woman". Xenophobia should always be called out for what it is.
They also made tangible changes. This government could be channeling funds to local gov, get potholes fixed etc as an example. Make tangible changes now. Even small ones. Eat the elephant.
I can’t see any pothole repairs round my way. When the Tories cynically cut the HS2 budget and put the money to potholes, they got them repaired incredibly quickly.
Labour's already skipped to the 'if you can't beat them, join them' approach.
Targeting the disabled and poor with welfare cuts is the work of Tories, Labour's stance on immigration is equally tough and they've abandoned any notion of alignment with EU entities.
The right of the party needs to ditch its fiscal conservatism and the left of the party needs to break with the cranks who’ve been the kremlin’s useful idiots since 1917.
For starters they could enact policies that help the poor (i.e. the less well off), the vulnerable, people fleeing persecution, the environment and the NHS (without privatisation), and stop demonising immigrants, the disabled and those on benefits. Oh, and join EU customs union.
I am just thankful tories are not in power as they would be fully signed up to Trumps Agenda. Last night he fired 17 independent Inspector Generals of Federal Agencies - its what he's doing out of the headlines -press focus on his fight with Newsom as he destroys checks & balances = democracy
Yes, no doubt that they're better. But as the parent of a transgender child who has had to move to Belgium to make sure she can access care, Labour have been a disappointment. She's happy here but feels exiled from the UK.
No child should be the victim of hatred & discrimination that's cruel. Everyone should be able to lead their life in peace within the law. The trans community have been used as red meat for hatred & all that's wrong. It's disgusting & they deserve so much better. I'm sorry for you and child.
Stop acting like they're right about everything, then?
Admit that Brexit is a failure and do something about it. Stop persecuting LGBT people. Stop selling out the NHS. Stop cosying up to deranged billionaires and echoing their fantasies.
The populist right are coming for them: unfortunately Streeting & his mob aren't serious about beating them otherwise their policies would reflect that. Neoliberalism is an unmitigated catastrophe, Starmer's mendacity is sickening while Reeves' economic illiteracy beggars belief.
Question Musk’s backing of parties that are anti-net-zero.
Trump has nor only withdrawn from the Paris Agreement and unleashed oil and gas, he’s halted on and off-shore wind and talking about ripping out existing solar and windfarms.
lol @ serious about beating them.. he's off his head.. they've had ample opportunity but fallen at every fence.. it's not hard to secure the public and push reform back.. all they had to do was support the waspi women, scrap 2 child benefit cap, tax the rich, keep WTF, stop vilifying the disabled.
Then they need to cut out the half-measures, ‘Tory-lite’ policies and watering down of legislation to give people a tangible reason to support them instead of the populists!
How about the benefits crackdown? Continuing to look at fraud as the no.1 priority with BS like stopping you from driving?!? It’s due to gain £500m a year which is a pittance in state terms.
How about a genuine wealth tax, close loopholes on windfall taxes etc?
For starters, he needs to speak to his colleague Lisa Nandy - the minister in charge of making sure the media are impartial in news broadcasting but which allows GBNews to break the law every single day.
Yeah? HOW? Labour aren't prepared to be bold enough, to meet them toe-to-toe, blow-for-blow. To use their tactics. They're afraid of them. They need a measured, judicious, "to hell with them" approach
Labour need to keep their focus on:
1. Reducing hospital waiting lists
2. Building more houses
3. Processing immigrants quickly
The leadership also need to instruct all MPs going on TV to push back relentlessly on this endless moaning from business by stating repeatedly what the money is for!!!!!!
Lots of house building round my way (when the building companies deem it profitable).
"Luxury" homes unaffordable to locals who are stuck with increasing rents. Influx from outside the area who have sold property at high prices and can afford these new homes. No infrastructure to match the influx.
Streeting`s got more faces than the town hall clock, he moans about racism while taking at least £30K from Zionist groups, & £175K from USA healthcare as he sells off the NHS.
There`s little difference between the fascist Reform, the Zionist Liebour party & the racist Tories. #SaorAlba #IndyClan
"Sorry" but Labour are the populist Right.
Streeting's a vile little man that's out to destroy the NHS.
"Conspiracism"? Like introducing more Private Companies to the NHS? Like being in a LTR with a Lobbyist?
Yeah (and thanks), it just feels a bit convoluted to get back to it on here - it's not a very conversational format.
I suspect there's some Feature that I'm missing ;)
Hey, like most, I make it up as I go along. I’m determined, however to forge good relationships on here with like-minded souls. We’re all in terrible trouble with one thing and another. Ganging together is very important in my thinking. Face the fash down 😎
I veer (wildly) between optimism, we could be on the cusp of a decent UBI society if we banded together as Europe.
Then again, sometimes I read the news and feel small comfort in hoarding prescription meds for when the mass transports come. I wouldn't survive a work camp :/
Nor me. I’m badly diabetic 😐 up against a brick wall of glucose most days despite flogging myself at a gym and pool everyday and swallowing loads of drugs😎
Let's start by deep-sixing the term "populist". To some, that sounds like "popular", and what could be bad about that.
Let's start calling fascists what they are. One might argue that the current Tories are fascist-lite, but anyone who wants to argue that is starting from a bad place.
Good to hear this from Wes Streeting. But the Government have a huge amount of work to do in improving their comms, which just aren't effective enough. And they also need to look at strengthening the law around election interference and political donations.
Think what you want about Alastair Campbell, but their comms under him were strong & loud. I see both sides - the media are against this Govt, but their comms are really not as good as they should be either. 50/50 going on.
Additionally, rightly or wrongly, people are seeing some of their policies as hitting the more vulnerable members of society. While recognising they inherited a mess, i think they urgently need to ensure their solutions do not disproportionately hit the people struggling the most already.
And they really need to look at their mixed up messaging on EU relations. At the moment, that's where they are letting themselves down the most. And in doing that, they are also letting down voters. Finally, they need to recognise they have a huge majority. Use it properly to improve things.
Indeed, people need to see policies introduced that genuinely improve their lives and where the difference can be measured / clearly shown. If they don't deliver enough over the 5 year term, the electorate will rightly punish them at the next election.
And the added risk is that if they don't deliver, they are going to open the door for Reform or more likely a nastier populist successor, on current trends. And if they get power, we'll likely just get a whole pile of what is kicking off in the US. Benefits nobody in the end.
So agree with you Jonty. It's so frustrating watching them make missteps like these. The overly harsh WFA cut & actions like that could lose them the next GE. Their political judgement seems poor, despite their claimed focus on target voters.
Blimey.
What does Streeting mean by "us"?
If the "populist right" are going for lefties and socialists, he'll be a way down the list.
They'll want to buy the NHS first.
Tbf it's probably LBC. JamesOB went the same when Scottish Independence was on table, they still suffer from the same exceptionalism so you can object but not risk LBCs top line ask Sangita
True. I did hear JoB soften his stance on Scots Indy as he listened to people.
Lewis has gone the other way.
He's seen that by simply repeating the lies of the Right he gets clicks, he now seeks to explain their words (propaganda), rather stand by the evidence and explain the facts (journalism).
All very well thinking delivering change is a magic pill to cure populist cynicism, but unless that change is tangibly felt by ordinary people without any news media being needed to tell them about it they won't appreciate it—populist online propaganda will always tell them things are getting worse.
So they sort of get it but are not doing it......delivering real change that the electorate will recall & vote for means some tangible, simple wins eg reductions in energy bills - but I see no signs of that sort of delivery.
I want to - I am a Labour member & donor - but I worry about their core judgements, esp Reeves. I am also v annoyed & worried by their sacking of the CMA chair, very bad move. & By their framing of Youth Mobility as FoM & weediness on PEM. But I will keep hoping they get savvier. 🤞🌹
They aren’t perfect definitely, but Reeves is good, many of their moves are misreported the YMS hasn’t been rejected, for example, just pushed back. What’s being reported is an answer to a very specific question as though it’s their reasoning. The PEM hasn’t been offered yet, and they’re open to it
Hmm. I am less convinced by Reeves. I hope they are open to PEM & YM but I think they are making life harder for themselves by framing them so harshly. Let's hope they get more savvy & deliver some high profile tangible benefits for average voters.
This week Streeting re-cut the New Hospital Programme. DHSC press release: all gping ahead. Reality: most not for at least two Parliaments. Cynical, dishonest, bang in line with the Con approach, and the opposite of delivery. But carry on.
Except they have red lines, policy and comms which parrot populist (Reform) ideology and they offer low growth, declining living standards and zero hope.
So I’m not sure what planet Steeting is inhabiting at the moment.
Are these Streeting's words, or yours Lewis? Either way, none of these are happening. Particularly, the third. Which is the foundation for everything else.
Or deliver change the people can actually see eg abolishing prescription charges in England . If it is good enough for Livingston it's good enough for Liverpool
Finding reading some of these replies depressing do people not see what happened in America and how much social media can hoodwink a population and don’t forget Russia who will try to cause discord in this country via social media
Proportional Representation not mentioned ! 🤬
Abolishing big money and adopting State funding in Politics not mentioned.
#Labour are deeply unserious about this.
All very well but it’s just more of the same surely? They need to develop and implement an aggressive and effective strategy to counter the bullshit and lies spouted from the right. For every lie the government should be amplifying the truth and that’s just not happening.
And that’s Maya Forstater, who has worked with the Alliance defending Freedom, an organisation that campaigns around the world to make homosexuality illegal.
And bombard social media with sloganised truths. That is the new battlefield and it's where voters are influenced against their own best interests. (see brexit and Trump)
Win the battle of ideas? More like get in there first. Where is the forward-thinking direction and leadership to improve the well-being of the people of this country and the environment. People are tired of growth which only benefits the few and doesn't go to improving society for the rest of us.
How about making the lives of ordinary people better. Education, health, social care. What has happened to the Labour Party, they seem to be more concerned about copying the right than fighting for the people that voted for them
Quite how stupid does he think people are? I mean, stupid enough to vote him in, obviously, but you can't go on serving up plates of shit and telling people it's steak
They can’t do honesty. Even when they tell the truth they do it such a way that sounds like they’re avoiding the question, which comes across as a lie, feeding the “they’re all the same” narrative which opens the door for plain speaking populists. They’ve got to learn to be direct.
Considering the difference between Wes Streeting and the populist far right is precisely zero when it comes to trans people he appears to have decided not to fight far right populists but to join them.
those aren't plans those are twee slogans to put on dishtowels 😫 I can't even articulate how anxious this complacent platitude ridden bs makes me when Reform is snapping at Labour's heels and we're getting a sneak preview by watching everything going on across the Atlantic
Honesty, hope, intellectual courage. Vital values indeed. But quite airy. Specifics please. Blameronism's out of road. The right only offers destruction/chaos. Let's show courage to create a new Keynes, if not Marx, for 21stC, to pursue w hope while being honest enough to see it's a work in progress
Are Labour even aware how god awful their communications strategy is? That’s where they beat the populist right, with deliverables explained with positivity and hope, shown on every media platform under the sun. Not with carrier pigeons every 4th Thursday!
It would help massively if just about every news outlet did not throw crap. This includes the outrage on this platform as well as from the MSM of all stripes.
The press being the press is to be expected but Labour do themselves no favours. In fact, I would say that about all progressives of late. Parties like Reform gain traction because they have an upbeat and positive (albeit toxic) social presence. Labour need to up their game significantly.
Until the BBC gets rid of their Tory infiltration of Gibb and Davie and their tory sycophants (Bruce, Kuenssberg etc) they will be a lost cause to me. I do like the BBC for some of their content but their news and politics is in the gutter. Literally unwatchable.
And yet when e.g. Reeves talks things up it gets reported as her saying we need to he more Trump like (@Guardian a culprit today) . It gets exhausting.
It is very exhausting but keep calling it out. Guardian infuriates me on another level but I still subscribe because I want to call them out when they get it wrong.
Labour need to look at press reform. This is probably their last chance. Apathy is not an option.
I think people also need to be realistic in what they expect a govt to be able to do. They can do their best for the people given the current circumstances, they can avoid being self-serving, but they can't solve all of everyone's problems.
Populists can promise the earth and never have to deliver.
Wes Streeting who attacked trans people’s basic rights and supported unethical medical tests on children to further a debunked transphobic conspiracy theory?
The last one is interesting for other reasons. Who is it aimed at? Who doesn’t know this? What value is there in saying something so obvious? I just don’t get it.
To me it's the most interesting one simply cos it's the one none of them actually do, nor will they. It doesn't necessarily work tbh, but nor does Labour's approach of trying to echo Faragist 'concerns' either
Isn't it just an attempt to adhere to the rule of three by inserting a cliché everyone agrees with alongside the other more load-bearing ones with content?
I was trying to think of something like this from the moment I started reading the quote, but you nailed it so much better than my most radical ideas. I feel beaten, but also weirdly grateful. 😁
It just shows you how far we've regressed as a society when 20 yrs ago the public voted for a transgender immigrant as the winner of Big Brother (Nadia from Brazil) and nobody had a problem with it at all. Of course social media has played a massive role in this by being heavily influenced by the US
"delivering real change" is the only part that matters. 'Honesty', 'hope' & 'ideas' won't get you anywhere against the right-wing tide. They have been thoroughly wokified.
And that change has to be more than just inching back from the ground already lost.
Good jobs, good services, good media & more.
And say out loud that Brexit was and continues to be a disastrous act of national self harm sold to a hoodwinked public by self-serving liars.
...
Well? Go on, say it....
We could be here for a while.
And you will hear responses about blaming BBC. Nick Griffin appeared on question time back in the day. Even the person that Farage mirrors himself on,Oswald Mosley appeared on BBC - a much more controversial time. Farage is on TV a lot. People need to use the opportunity to expose him for what he is
Comments
The NHS is not safe in his hands.
We make it too easy for them.
Labour are creating an ecosystem where they can thrive.
You can't have it both ways.
The right will squeal and attack when confronted with legislation. But that's their response to everything.
Not sure why Labour are currently facilitating that tectonic shift then.
Naivety?
Hubris?
Answers on a post card…
We need a left alternative.
#BreakTheDuopoly
Getting the first words in and mercilessly attacking and exposing the faults of their allies. This government needs to do the same because the media isn't going to help them.
They are investing 1.6 Bn more in pothole repairs in England and planning to change local government funding.
https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/local-authority-funding-reform-objectives-and-principles/local-authority-funding-reform-objectives-and-principles
Targeting the disabled and poor with welfare cuts is the work of Tories, Labour's stance on immigration is equally tough and they've abandoned any notion of alignment with EU entities.
Traitor party.
Admit that Brexit is a failure and do something about it. Stop persecuting LGBT people. Stop selling out the NHS. Stop cosying up to deranged billionaires and echoing their fantasies.
Trump has nor only withdrawn from the Paris Agreement and unleashed oil and gas, he’s halted on and off-shore wind and talking about ripping out existing solar and windfarms.
Reform (UK) is also anti-net-zero.
Watering down non-dom taxation legislation
Policies aimed at reducing migration when it’s clearly needed
Continuing with Physician Assistants
Shall I continue?
Trust me the last thing I want is a populist right wave, but Labour need to pull their finger out!
Tweaks to the non dom status rules only apply to the transition. Same policy, will still raise over 12 billion from non doms.
Do better
How about a genuine wealth tax, close loopholes on windfall taxes etc?
How can Streeting say we need to be serious about beating populism when Reeves is promoting Trump saying we need a shot of his positivity?
What’s the difference in Lab, Con & Ref rhetoric on immigration? They ALL say even regular migration needs to come down! 1/
1. Reducing hospital waiting lists
2. Building more houses
3. Processing immigrants quickly
The leadership also need to instruct all MPs going on TV to push back relentlessly on this endless moaning from business by stating repeatedly what the money is for!!!!!!
"Luxury" homes unaffordable to locals who are stuck with increasing rents. Influx from outside the area who have sold property at high prices and can afford these new homes. No infrastructure to match the influx.
There`s little difference between the fascist Reform, the Zionist Liebour party & the racist Tories. #SaorAlba #IndyClan
Streeting's a vile little man that's out to destroy the NHS.
"Conspiracism"? Like introducing more Private Companies to the NHS? Like being in a LTR with a Lobbyist?
I suspect there's some Feature that I'm missing ;)
Then again, sometimes I read the news and feel small comfort in hoarding prescription meds for when the mass transports come. I wouldn't survive a work camp :/
I post other folks music sometimes and depressing news most of the time 😂
I'm still learning internet.
🤣
Let's start calling fascists what they are. One might argue that the current Tories are fascist-lite, but anyone who wants to argue that is starting from a bad place.
The only people that they are letting down are those that *expected/hoped* Labour would rejoin
The nods and winks then denials are surely part of the inevitable dance - sensible folk know we can’t afford not to rejoin in some capacity
What does Streeting mean by "us"?
If the "populist right" are going for lefties and socialists, he'll be a way down the list.
They'll want to buy the NHS first.
It starts in the media.
It starts with proper journalism, not the populism you even you have been falling for in the chase for clicks.
Someone tells a racist/sexist/bigoted joke - just ask them to explain it - it immediately exposes them
This isn't what Lewis does though. He used to, but not anymore.
Lewis has gone the other way.
He's seen that by simply repeating the lies of the Right he gets clicks, he now seeks to explain their words (propaganda), rather stand by the evidence and explain the facts (journalism).
Suffocate their conspiracism with honesty.
Overcome their cynicism with hope, by delivering real change.
And take on their arguments to win the battle of ideas.
Court the right by further advancing anti-immigrant/“anti-woke” agendas.
Decimate public services and supports by continually cutting funding.
Normalise slightly moderated versions of far-right arguments, rather than challenging them.
Maybe actually give them some time?
This may help: https://bylinetimes.com/2025/01/24/what-the-government-has-been-doing/
The Pioneer Fund has corrupted everything.
Heritage Fund, Tufton Street, Truss, Farage and Braverman all tools of them.
The eugenics brigade have never left the world stage.
we will definitely talk big, though, so you have that to look forward to"
So I’m not sure what planet Steeting is inhabiting at the moment.
5. Stop thinking that ignoring Israels war crimes will placate anyone
Thiel runs Palanatir, so Wes should know about him!
Populism thrives by claiming it can fix problems easily.
The only way to defeat it is to fix the problems and show how much work was needed to do so.
He's basically saying here that he's going to argue with people.
Great, we'll eat that shall we?
"Overcome their cynicism with hope, by delivering real change."
🤓
It's Govt by JPMorgan & BlackRock .
Abolishing big money and adopting State funding in Politics not mentioned.
#Labour are deeply unserious about this.
Typical from Streeting
Are Labour even aware how god awful their communications strategy is? That’s where they beat the populist right, with deliverables explained with positivity and hope, shown on every media platform under the sun. Not with carrier pigeons every 4th Thursday!
Labour need to look at press reform. This is probably their last chance. Apathy is not an option.
Populists can promise the earth and never have to deliver.
Some “hope”.
Trans existence was a major wedge issue in the US. Streeting threw trans kids on the popularist bonfire.
And that change has to be more than just inching back from the ground already lost.
Good jobs, good services, good media & more.
Better together
...
Well? Go on, say it....
We could be here for a while.