23 Comments
User's avatar
Andy White's avatar

I saw Steve Richards speak recently and he was interesting on the enigma of Starmer. He worked on a radio series with him, lives in the same area, has mutual friends. For Richards, while he is friendly enough in person, he is a particularly ruthless type of pragmatist - *all* Starmer’s policy pronouncements are a means to an end - getting to the top, from where he can bestow his wisdom upon us. So when he does get to No 10 “all bets are off”. Starmer has a limited number of genuine interests, institutional reform being one - he is “a true believer in managerialism”. But he also has big gaps in his political knowledge- so he depends on his circle of advisers to a greater extent than any previous Labour leader, in Steve Richards’ view. He “still isn’t convinced that Starmer is really a politician”, either. The Labour Party is maybe taking a bigger gamble with Starmer than most of it knows!

Expand full comment
Patrick O'Flynn's avatar

Very well put. It is interesting that even the most sympathetic commentators are unsettled by him.

Expand full comment
Andy White's avatar

True... you’d think there would have been a meeting of Brownite minds but SR said that after they worked together on the R4 series he still didn’t have a clue what Starmer’s political stance actually was, or whether indeed he had one!

Expand full comment
Jeremy Poynton's avatar

Pabloist his dogma

Expand full comment
Jeremy Poynton's avatar

Any rational human being is repulsed by Starmer. Personality disordered? I think so

No empathy

Bristles when challenged

Cannot bear to be laughed at - viz the TV audience laughing at his Son of a Toolmaker twaddle. He has not used the phrase since

Pathological liar. Too many examples

We meet others through their eyes, that's where we see their souls. His are blank.

Were I young and not 73 with Grandkids I'd have left as soon as it was clear Labour would win. Hungary, since you asked

Expand full comment
Hilary's avatar

He has to wait for somebody to tell him what to say. He never answers any question at all, not even in PMQs

Expand full comment
RjC's avatar

I know who he is! He's a dude playing a dude disguised as another dude!

A socialist playing a social conservative disguised as a liberal(?) Or probably any other number of combinations.

Expand full comment
Richard North's avatar

Starmer appears to stand for nothing except whatever the latest focus group threw up. But he has found himself 20 points ahead simply by being not-the-Tories. So this particular attack advert seems like an unnecessary risk for him at this stage, 12 months out from the earliest likely election date.

Expand full comment
Patrick O'Flynn's avatar

Yes. And it's just a very odd point of attack given his own culpability on the very issue. Could have gone for lots of other law and order things instead as the Tories have certainly been very weak overall.

Expand full comment
Terry Lawes's avatar

There are clear signs of narcissistic sociopathy with Starmer. Although, lacking the usual above average intelligence of such people. The man is dead behind the eyes.

Expand full comment
Jeremy Poynton's avatar

Agreed. I write on this in another reply. Not right.

Expand full comment
Richard Casselle's avatar

Odd, isn’t it, how the intense desire for power by some politicians is of inverse proportion to their competence in office once it’s acquired. Step forward Messrs Brown, Johnson and Starmer.

Expand full comment
Bettina's avatar

I'm pretty sure that what you are describing is narcissistic personality disorder.

Expand full comment
Jeremy Poynton's avatar

I think a Sociopath. Having encountered and had to deal with a full on clinical Narcissist, I think not. Certainly personality disordered. Add to Blair and Brown. Johnson just a cowardly bloviating braggart.

God rot them all

Expand full comment
Brad TeN's avatar

Thank you for your review. So in summary your conclusion is that Starmer has a diagnosed mental illness described as Acute Narcissistic Disorder Syndrome , compounded by Compulsive Personality Disorder , which is evidenced by compulsive and irrational lies which many are compounded by lies , with no ability for compassion of others particularly those that are white , Christian’s or have values based upon truth and facts . Think that sums it up , so why has our system allowed this person to be in any position of power?

Expand full comment
sharon meijland's avatar

Fifth columnist. Beware.

Expand full comment
SovereignScribe's avatar

Is it Starmer or Stürmer?

Like the 3rd Reich publication “Der Stürmer” he fights for truth every day.

Expand full comment
Kevin's avatar

What Farmer Starmer tell fibs ! Christ this bloke should never be trusted ! Watch his lips when he speaks his tongue slithers around like a lizard !

Expand full comment
Paul's avatar

You mean the Marxist psycho?

Expand full comment
Anne's avatar

Always blame others of the crimes you commit yourself

Expand full comment
User's avatar
Comment deleted
Apr 10, 2023
Comment deleted
Expand full comment
Patrick O'Flynn's avatar

The choice between the leaders will be a major factor at the next general election. Sunak has many faults, but is on track to beat Starmer in any head-to-head comparison in my opinion.

Expand full comment
Jeremy Poynton's avatar

Sunak? Uh?

Expand full comment