This is a strange argument. A candidate doesn’t need to be a household name in every GM borough before the campaign starts. Bev Craig leads Manchester City Council, sits on the GMCA and holds the Economy, Business and Inclusive Growth portfolio. For a Greater Manchester mayoral contest that is an impressive background. Saying some voters in Tameside won’t know her yet is an argument for campaigning, not proof she isn’t high profile locally, and that's just speculative anyway. And as someone who campaigns locally in East Devon, surely you know it’s normal for local politicians not to be household names until a campaign is actually underway. It just seems very strange to criticise her profile, considering her... profile.
@testosteroneHAV Could you imagine if Starmer accepted £5m before becoming PM and when asked responded with “what’s it got to do with you”. The double standards are insane… He got ripped apart over some football seats 😭
@DylanBurtoft@PolitlcsUK She has an OBE, she’s been a member of Manchester City Council for 15 years and has been the Leader of Manchester City Council for 5 years… It doesn’t get much higher profile than that Dylan.
@_JamesGtfo@PolitlcsUK He wouldn't be unelected? He would be an elected member of parliment which has the confidence of the majority of the house. No PM has ever been elected by the country, this is a parliamentry democracy. You elect your local representatives, and they back an MP to become PM.
I’m not saying the LBC answer was good. It wasn’t. He should have clearly said Israel had no right to cut off water, food, fuel or medicine to civilians. But you’re still overstating what it proves. That interview was 11 October 2023 only four days after the October 7 massacre while hostages had just been taken and before the Gaza war had developed into what we’ve seen since. That context matters when judging whether this was a bad answer or a settled policy position.
In the same answer he said everything had to be done within international law. Cutting off essentials to civilians is not within international law, so he is clearly not providing a green light to that. He then clarified that he was talking about Israel’s right to self defence, not a right to deny water, food, fuel or medicines. And on 23 October in the Commons he said basic services including water, electricity and fuel “cannot be denied”. So yes criticise the answer. I am. Call it evasive weak or wrong. But saying “he endorsed starving 2 million people” ignores the qualifier, the clarification, what he said afterwards, and turns one bad early interview answer into something stronger than the evidence supports. You need to be factual if you want your argument to land.
@SIaayeR_@PolitlcsUK If you don't stick to facts it makes it very easy for people who are Anti-Palestine and Pro-Israel to rip your arguemnts apart. You need to be factual.
@SIaayeR_@PolitlcsUK No I agreed those are valid criticisms. I don’t agree they equal a “green light”. A green light means approval or permission. Partial pressure, carve outs and abstentions can be called weak or inadequate, but that’s not the same as actively authorising starvation.
@SIaayeR_@PolitlcsUK The F-35 carve out is a fair criticism. But that’s “too little, too late”, not “he gave the green light to starve 2 million people”. The UK still suspended Gaza linked licences over IHL concerns, sanctioned Israeli ministers/settlers and paused trade talks. Lets stick to facts.
@SIaayeR_@PolitlcsUK If he "gave the green light", why did his government recognise Palestine, suspend arms export licences and sanction Israeli settlers? You can argue he didn't go far enough. That's very different from what you're claiming, you should stick to what actually happened.
@colone1flanders@PolitlcsUK Net migration fell by over 80%, NHS waiting lists came down, inflation fell, economic growth returned, defence spending increased, Armed Forces and resident doctor pay increased, renters’ rights were strengthened, and several major trade deals were signed.
@official_oscarz@TerryH78094@MikeTappTweets Their party would be a lot less inclined to pressure them and push them out if they’re not performing if it would then result in a general election
@MrReeceballa If he doesn’t he will damage the party. A leadership election is coming regardless, and it doesn’t look like he has a shot at winning. And all he will do is drag Andy down, and therefore drag Labour down.