I concur
RT @other_mrs@twitter.com
Starmer isn’t daft. You may not like him, but the man is bright. So why is he pushing the ‘Brexit will work’ bullshit?
Just maybe he’s doing it so he gets the feedback to say it won’t.
Then he can legitimately go ahead with a policy of rejoining SM/CU.
‘Will of the people’
🐦🔗: https://twitter.com/other_mrs/status/1592076231776038912
@skiptomyloulou
I’m inclined to think Starmer is playing a long game. Thy may be frustrating for some but I agree he’s a clever man
@SueASmith @skiptomyloulou I think it is that Starmer knows that we are not going to be able to waltz back into the EU.
However, "making Brexit work" would mean aligning more closely with the Single Market and would be the first step towards rejoining.
But actually campaigning to rejoin is probably the wrong thing for the leader of the Opposition at this time.
Why give the Tories culture war ammunition for something that a Labour government could not deliver within a single Parliament, and something that would need a referendum anyway? The environment needs to be right and needs to be cultivated.
This does NOT mean that we shouldn't campaign to rejoin... Just that it's probably counterproductive for the leader of the Opposition to do so at this time. Counterproductive because it helps the Tories and helps solidify the Brexiteer support.
@ParkinJim @SueASmith @skiptomyloulou I think this is spot on Jim
@ParkinJim absolutely 💯
@ParkinJim @SueASmith @skiptomyloulou agree, no reason there can't be a grass roots campaign to rejoin but Starmer is walking a tightrope because the majority of the media supports Brexit and is desperate to deflect attention away from the absolute failure it is.
@csav55 @SueASmith @skiptomyloulou yup and the situation is changing. It gets harder to pretend everything is going fine as Brexit continues
@ParkinJim @SueASmith @skiptomyloulou Great point, well made. Small steps with the end game being rejoin
@ParkinJim @SueASmith @skiptomyloulou exactly, to effect change, has to be elected first. Once elected will need more than one term. So the sensible planner needs to play the long game. Hopefully back, but the terms will be very different to what we had.
@BruceBee @ParkinJim @SueASmith @skiptomyloulou the notion that, if elected, Starmer will bring about change is, at best, unproven.
Looking at his track record of saying one thing before an election and doing something completely different afterwards, I am distinctly sceptical.
One thing I am certain of, based on his proven track record before and after politics, is that Starmer will kowtow to the establishment.
@WHWood @BruceBee @SueASmith @skiptomyloulou
What do you mean by "his track record of saying one thing before an election and doing something completely different afterwards"?
@ParkinJim @BruceBee @SueASmith @skiptomyloulou leadership election in 2020 - 10 pledges all of which he subsequently repudiated; 2019 general election - bounced Labour into second referendum policy to return to EU, now totally rejects possibility. That will do for now!
@ParkinJim @SueASmith @skiptomyloulou You’re spot on Jim. I think a lot of the seemingly “Tory-lite” things Starmer has said lately, are all part of a ‘softly-softly-catchee-monkey’ approach to woo disgruntled working class Tories back to Labour. It’s not the perfect approach, but it’s possibly his best option at the present time. Same applies to his approach to Brexit.
@jazzdetective @SueASmith @skiptomyloulou Yup, I think Starmer is very keen on avoiding pointless political statements
@ParkinJim @SueASmith @skiptomyloulou The problem, is that in order to woo those voters, he’s ended up upsetting the Corbynistas, who seem obsessed with dragging him down with in-fighting, instead of focusing on the common enemy, until they’ve got them out of power.
I’m always saying to the Corbynistas, on the bird-site, “your No.1 jog is to get the Tories out. Then, and ONLY then, once Labour are in power, can we afford to start worrying about the purity of everyone’s socialist credentials”
@jazzdetective @ParkinJim @SueASmith @skiptomyloulou seems logical to me.
12 years of Tories and they want more just to make a point?
@cufcman @jazzdetective @SueASmith @skiptomyloulou
Ideological purity. If the media wasn't against them, and if the pragmatists didn't get tired of waiting, then *this time* the British people will come to their senses and vote for their leader?
And yes, making a point for purity - and often from a position of economic privilege is a luxury
@ParkinJim @SueASmith @skiptomyloulou this is borderline misinformation.
In fact the UK Parliament could apply to Rejoin EU next week, the "Long Game" myth is a tactic to get Pro EU voters to vote for Lexit.
Politically it's a bad tactic to go against the majority of voters wishes.
@richieholland @SueASmith @skiptomyloulou
The UK could apply next week, yes, so could most countries in theory. However in reality, until the political situation has changed in the UK, other countries in the EU would not accept us. Johnson destroyed a lot of trust.
The UK is not going to be able to waltz back into the EU. And I really don't think Starmer is interested in Lexit. He's just not interested in fighting a war that has already been lost. We ARE out of the EU and it will take time to get back.
The first step is to make sure we realign with Europe, while we are still out but before we can rejoin.
@ParkinJim @SueASmith @skiptomyloulou sorry not sure who told you that the EU won't accept The UK to Rejoin in irt current, that's another mistruth, Guy Verhoftstadt has stated the UK (a previous member) is most welcome back.
@ParkinJim @SueASmith @skiptomyloulou Very well put Jim. Rejoining the EU is not something that the current Labour Party can campaign for. They need to do everything they can to get into No.10 and then see what options are open from the EU.
@ParkinJim @skiptomyloulou
Well said, Jim