Discussion has been continuous in the Murphy family kitchen this morning.
After discussing Labour's strategy, we moved on to its plans for disability benefit cuts, which it is thought are opposed by 150 Labour MPs who have co-signed a letter saying so. By doing so they take the risk that they might be de-selected as Labour candidates in 2029, not that most of them would win then anyway.
The following summarised our discussion, after noting there are just 120 Tory MPs:
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I have been thinking for sometime that, if the Labour backbenchers would just get their act together they could be the de facto official opposition to LINO.
Collectively they have far more power than they seem to realise or are prepared to use.
But they’ve largely been selected on the basis of their loyalty to LINO.
Based on observation of Starmer’s tactics, I would think that the problem is that, at an individual level, anyone opposing him is likely to have the whip removed and subsequently be removed from the party, so it actually becomes very risky for any particular MP to participate in getting their act together. It would require a significant compelling moment for all 150 of them to collectively and synchronously take an opposing action that would have that outcome for each of them. Even they did, if they wanted to act as a concerted group, they would then have little choice other than to set up a new party in opposition to Starmer’s neoliberal cabal and that raises all sorts of questions of funding and voter support and leadership and so on.
It’s probably a more astute and survivable approach for them to covertly to pursue the political demise of individuals like Reeves, Streeting, and Starmer’s other close allies and wait for the subsequent political demise of Starmer himself and then try to take power and revive Labour as a party of the people.
But, of course, Larry Fink, Peter Thiel and the Techbros will be devoting resources, surveillance and political and media, (if not personal), intimidation to preventing that, because Starmer’s persistence in power is their best option for accomplishing the state capture they are pursuing.
Given their current rate of progress with that, it looks less and less likely that the outcome of the next election would have any constraining influence on the capture exercise, because the capture promises to have advanced to a point at which the actions/deliberations of politicians in the direction of state activity are of little relevance to the actual execution of technocratic oligarchy.
May I respectfully disagree.
If they act collectively they
can oppose, change or delay
the gov agenda.
Even Starmer could not
remove the whip from 83+
MPs. He would loose his
working maj – he would not survive this.
The real question for each MP should be who do I serve – self, party or constituents?
Their actions or inactions provide us with the answer!
I don’t believe he would have to remove the whip from 83 MPs – he would have to remove it from only a few and the rest would probably fall into line, because the alternative would be the political wilderness and, except for those like Corbyn, who are both principled and have already built a following and a base, and those brave MPs like Zara Sultana, whose principles matter more to them than political position , it is very hard to make one’s way in the Westminster wilderness as an independent.
I’m not questioning whether, if they acted in concert, they could succeed; just noting that I think that Starmer would use whatever political tactics he could to divide them and crush their opposition to him, because, as he has repeatedly demonstrated, what matters to him is not principle, but power.
It is now thought to be 120…
The issue is, will they beat the government?
I supect some massive change in direction is likely very soon
He is on the losing side here
Trying to keep my personal political views out of it, the situation that Starmer & co have led the LP into is completely inept. I would love to hear a coherent justification for their current strategy (if one can use the word).
Re your previous post about Starmer, whilst one would always hope against hope that a Labour victory at the 2024 election (however tainted) would usher in real change, all the evidence of the previous 5 years indicated that there was no sympathy for socialists or socialist policies. The ruthlessness shown was all in pursuit of achieving power and the re establishment of the “continuity party”.
Perhaps they realise that: damned if they do, damned if they don’t. Electoral wipe out beckons – on current form I doubt if there will be 20 LINOs after the 2029 election. The party is finished, ditto the tories. Doubtless this year will see an early Pantomime called “elect a new leader of his maj’s opposition” from amongst assorted village-idiots, has-beens & never-were’s – with the least crap winning. Jesus, how did the Uk get to this? Not a single half way competent poltico. Not one.
I can’t think of a good politician in a position of leadership anywhere in the world today. Happy to be proved wrong.
Of course there are still good people in the Labour Party like Clive Lewis, Nadia Whittome and others but the vast majority of the 2024 intake of Labour MPs are ‘Yes’ people who won’t rock the boat. They wouldn’t have been selected otherwise.
Spain seems to do quite well.
‘Not one’, Mike?
Harsh!
First there are those no longer receiving the Labour whip because they are principled.
Then there’s Clive Lewis campaigning to get Thames Water renationalised – intelligent, exhibiting courage as much as he dare at present – and there must be many like him who think it wisest to lie low and wait until they have the opportunity to be effective – and it’s not easy for them.
And, 2 days ago, Labour MP Vicky Foxcroft resigned as a whip over the government’s plans to cut disability benefits.
I know nothing more about her but I respect her for standing down from the government on this principle.
They value their careers more.. politics is about compromise not falling on your sword on principle
So being on holiday and suffering sunstroke I popped on to see what I missed….
Anyways… A year ago, there was all the clamour that Labour might get a supermajority. A cobblers turn in relation to UK politics.
However – what we really didnt want was so many Lab getting in, specially when in the lead up to the election, they were deadly silent on many harmful issues – they were complicit, basically.
So here we are we inexplicable circumstances. Inhuman disability cuts that shouldnt even be on the table that clearly those not with an insane streak in them oppose.
I noticed a labour MP stood down on Thursday, and the summary I have read of the resignation letter implied that ‘we cant afford it’ (i cant get full access where I am staying so apologies for not quoting their name.)
Based on everything I have read on your blog, thats pure misdirection isn’t? Without looking at the forensics of course.
Dr Jay Watts is leading a fightback to all the lies and misinformation that is being spread. She needs all the help she can get.
Starmer qualifies as the archetypal Manchurian candidate. He appeared from nowhere and became a Labour MP. He joined the Trilateral Commission . Kept that secret. That organisation believes in government by the “better sort of people”. They openly state that there is too much democracy. Ordinary citizens must vote every few years for candidates chosen by the wealthy. No other participation allowed. Perhaps we have been looking at Starmers record the wrong way. Is it just incompetence that makes LINO act so destructively or is it deliberate. Could it be the objective is to permanently destroy socialism. His fellow members in the Trilateral Commission could have educated him on how to do it. Allegiance to Zionism has helped. Our country is ruled by foreign states. That is obvious. The infiltration of the Labour Party has shattered the UK. Maybe that was the plan all along. Labour MPs don’t care about re election. They have other objectives. Just wondering
Might the factors facilitating our recent and current parade of poor leadership in and around the “Westminster Black Hole” include the following factors:
1) Neoliberal exclusion of those who ask grounded questions
2) Main stream media practice/fashion/ Deep State instruction to present any politician and the like as morally or mentally deficient if/when they disagree with a leadership policy etc.
3) American deep state involvement in British politics as explained by Michael Hudson
https://michael-hudson.com/
There is no deep state
There are shared sentiments
There are anti-democratic forces
But they are all in the open
There is no need for a deep state
The problem with any conspiracy theory is that it assumes the conspirators can work together on an agreed plan for a long-term reward. Do any of these conspirators seem that bright? that capable? that co-operative?
Those 150 Labour backbenchers could break away and form a real Labour Party- if only.
This week there was a false report that JC had formed a new party called Arise- a good name- interesting to note how pleased I was and ready to join it.
All those corbynistas are still out here waiting for another chance for socialist policies and a new party.
The “Arise” thing was a purely local rather than a national initiative, from a senior Peace & Justice person standing as a local candidate (probably to avoid anyone thinking that she was a “P & J” candidate).
Just because 150 Starmeroid MPs signed a letter, doesn’t mean that they’ll vote against Liebore. They’ll probably just abstain from voting which is as bad as voting to support the cuts.
Honestly with how vile the labour party have become, I will never support then again! With the popularity ratings as low as they are, I’m surprised the leadership still has a job, hate to say this but at least Conservatives had it right when they voted no confidence in th multiple pms at the time…… at least we would have had a new pm by now….. and no not a supporter of labour Conservatives or reform.