love* in the time of plague (and by love* i mean brexit* and other dreary matters of uk politics)

which begs the question why bother? obv the govt can't be talking about exit strategies when people need to stay locked down while there is probably *1000+ people dying every day.

* someone yesterday quoted the ONS saying the figures are at least 8% short

Framing whatever he is asking as 'exit strategy' is really weak when Key workers are dying rn xps

yep and Starmer should be pressing them on matters which affect the poorest and most vulnerable as well

he's fucking useless

bearing in mind some of our key workers are amongst the poorest.

I was gonna mock it earlier, it's worse than saying nothing. I hear very little of the daily press briefs, but I caught a bit last night and it seems clear to me the gov are trying to avoid the question of when lockdown might end, partly I think because to answer honestly is likely to freak a lot of people out.

He needs to be much more robust on a lot of the details, including key workers.

Asking what the government to set out what they actually want to achieve is important though. Are they banking on antibody tests? When the cases get to a managable level, are they going to start aggressively contact tracing? There is no clear public strategy - which leads to speculation that there's no strategy to begin with or that they've effectively settled on the herd immunity policy and are just soft-pedaling it so it doesn't all hit at once.

clear to me the gov are trying to avoid the question of when lockdown might end, partly I think because to answer honestly is likely to freak a lot of people out.

From the leaks, it sounds like there is likely a split between people who want to end it more or less immediately and those who are prepared to wait.

xp Sure, but that isn't what Kiermit asked them

I feel almost certain Corbyn would have been asking the pertinent questions that needed asking in a more timely manner. This fucker is a waste of skin. I honestly feel if you just replaced him with a sandbag with Twat printed on it there would be a more effective LOTO.

I agree he's basically rambling.

It's the right question asked fairly incompetently.

"Asking what the government to set out what they actually want to achieve is important though. Are they banking on antibody tests? When the cases get to a managable level, are they going to start aggressively contact tracing?"

I get that but I feel like they should step back from 'strategy' type language to actually hammer at the lack of testing on any level and PPE. They should keep calling it the disaster that it is.

My optimistic take is that it's a long 5 years til the next election, and perhaps a placeholder avatar is what's needed while the proper movement is built up slightly out of the spotlight. Not that he is even very good at being that. The fear of course is that he's another fucking kinnock, not quite shit enough to be jettisoned, but shit enough to make everyone give up hope of real change.

we got corbyn a couple of years too early is basically how i break it down to an extent

Not sure Corbyn would've asked about strategy but he would've at least got to people's safety on the job.

Starmer is doing neither.

that's what by timely fashion, now isn't the time to be even asking about exit strategies imo

Ashworth and Thomas-Symonds have been reasonably good on the PPE / testing stuff.

I'd prefer a much stronger response but i can understand why, in the current national climate, they'd all be wary of going in two-footed.

as i say, a kind of feeb mithering is actually worse than saying nothing/supporting the gov during the crisis. agree that there'll be a better time later to put the boot in.

Corbyn was pretty ropey at asking the right questions for quite a long time and tended to ask them in a way that was easily batted away. It tended to be explained away as 'he's still learning'.

I'm not really sure what the point of the Starmer line of questioning even is except to get him on camera and remind people he exists.

‘hey, remember this guy? he sucks!’

I disagree with you there, Matt. I've run out of times when I was thanking god Corbz was the LOTO and not some cunt like Starmer. And here we are!

I haven't seen his actual questions, but asking about exit strategy seems valid – not least because they'll have to start doing prep for whatever they come up with, which they manifestly are not

"I haven't seen his actual questions"

it's straight from the fucking Keirmit the melt twitter account. So don't give me that crap!

oops sorry i thought you meant you his blatherings were taken out of context!

if they want to go back to Herd Immunity then the main prep they'll need is allocating extra morgue space and more crematoria staff.

or some reduced lock down "to protect the economy"

If you keep asking them what the plan is it might pressure them into coming up with one

GUESS WHO'S BACK GUESS WHO'S BACK GUESS WHO'S BACK

https://labourlist.org/2020/04/shadow-ministers-appointed-as-starmer-completes-frontbench/

Wes Streeting (Exchequer Secretary)

Stephen Kinnock (Asia and Pacific)

Jess Phillips (Domestic Violence and Safeguarding)

I admit I’m slightly blindsided

OMG! big wes streeting!

what a power trio

lol fuck labour

I admit I’m slightly blindsided

Or people who KS doesn’t want running to media and now can’t because: collective responsibility.

wtf

tbf those are all basically made-up joke positions right? right??

Wes Streeting (Exchequer Secretary)
Stephen Kinnock (Asia and Pacific)
Jess Phillips (Domestic Violence and Safeguarding)

oh_no_cartoon_punchline.jpg

not to demean the need to combat domestic violence. oh god

Chi Onwurah (Science, Research & Digital – joint with DCMS)

I’m not at all blindsided I was just making fun of lj’s comments re initial shadcab picks

Fully believe they waited to ruin my bday tho

hb wins!

Suzy is probably right about the need to keep the most vocally disloyal and troublesome MPs at least theoretically onside but in places where they can't do any real damage.

Unfortunately it also puts them in a position where they can also throw their toys out of the pram and prominently resign when they aren't being paid sufficient attention.

🎣 finally

my man Matthew Pennycook is gonna save the environment #proud

🎣 finally

obv those ne'erdowells are a scourge but the way it was put upthread it was like they were the only appointees. obviously not true. but where's Butler still?

sad lol that it's virtually a 50/50 split between frontbench and backbench

the mcshitter in the shadow cab. very good

whatever happened to that dan carden alex buzzfeed story