The similarities between the progress of the English football team in the European soccer championship and that of the Labour party in the general election cannot be ignored.
England have won their opening group in those championships, guaranteeing them the best possible place in the next round. However, in doing so they have been uninspiring, unimaginative and plain dull, whilst giving absolutely no indication of the potential that they have.
It is, of course, entirely possible that England will progress through these championships, and even win them. They have more star players than most other teams. Their recent track record in tournaments has been good. In both these respects, they have much more to go on then do Labour. But, the doubts at this moment are based upon a realistic appraisal of what is actually being seen in this tournament, which does not inspire hope.
The same is true of Labour. Compared to the Conservatives (which is, admittedly, a very low bar), they have obviously more competent politicians in their ranks. They could at this moment be inspiring confidence, be promising real change, and be delivering hope for the next five years. But, as a consequence of what has been described as the Ming case strategy, they are burdened with fear, trepidation, and an obvious paranoia about undue expectations, which sentiments appear to be shared almost precisely by the English football team.
Maybe England will come out of themselves and flourish in this championship . At least they have the stated ambition to do so.
But will Labour flourish when its leadership appears to lack any ambition beyond winning, at all? That is not clear.
The consequence is that my expectations are low in both cases. I would love them to be exceeded. I am not sure that it would be wise to think that will happen. What I will most certainly not do is bet on it.
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Regarding the point about Labour & “they have obviously more competent politicians”.
I guess there are two aspects to all MPs. The ability to handle their constituency (complaints & requests etc) – I doubt if Labour are any more or less competent that other parties. The second aspect is running gov. They have zero experience, are being groomed at high speed by assorted lobbyists (ditto “donations”) and it is impossible to say at this point are they competent or not. Given the weight of lobbying they are being subjected to I’d suggest that the question is: will they govern in the interests of citizens or in the interest of vested interests. The latter seems much more likely & I doubt if the media will hold them to account – preferring access to exposing LINO’s shortcomings in gov – media having already admitted as much.
I don’t dissent from your main point but zero experience is not true according to this.
He points out that only four of Boris’s 2019 cabinet are still there.
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/article/2024/jun/24/keir-starmer-labour-shadow-cabinet-government-tony-blair-gordon-brown#comments
It is bizarre. I don’t recall Labour being quite so cautious and uninspiring in 1997. Here they are, on the brink of a massive majority, and it seems their leader can barely string a sentence together. And apart from Rachel Reeves and Wes Streeting, the rest of shadow cabinet seem struck dumb. Where is Yvette Cooper? David Lammy? Thangam Debbonaire? Hilary Benn? Emily Thornberry? Lisa Nandy?
There are no answers…..
They say that they represent change, but also that there is no money to change anything. Both are untrue.
All Labour can talk about on energy policy is GB Energy. Anas Sarwar floundered on BBC Radio Scotland answering a simple question from an Aberdeen pensioner, worried about paying her gas bill. Sarwar floundered because he knows very well that GB Energy doesn’t address the Aberdeen pensioner’s problem. The reason for that is the Labour Party is not even prepared to address the central domestic energy consumer’s major problem; a UK pricing structure based on a fake market, and on consumers paying world market prices, even for energy produced by renewables at a small fraction of world market prices; and without the protection they are entitled to expect from a Government energy policy designed to do the opposite of Labour policy; protect the public from the dangers of volatile and lethal market prices destroying living standards: as we have already seen. This is scandalous failure of political leadership. Labour is just putting some window dressing round Conservative, Neoliberal energy policy.
Labour is so blind, and greedy for power in this decayed and corrupt political system they cannot see that they are undermining not only their own credibility, but the credibility of Parliament itself. The consequences when they fail to deliver are entirely predictable.
Much to agree with
The problem with the Ming Vase strategy is there’s no clear evidence what the vase contains. Does it continue the ideological scam beliefs of the rich or their rejection? Why does any sane individual want to play Lucky Dip with such a vase? Are we now plumbing the depths of such dumbness in this country by allowing the greedy to turn it into a Scamland? I think we have!
How is it that we allow people with no experience of running anything and actually vote for them to run our country?! Has Rachel Reeves or Wes Streeting run anything? What did Wes Streeting do before entering politics? We must be stark raving mad. I despair, and worry for our future.
Here’s Wikipedia on Wes Streeting:-
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wes_Streeting
All the hallmarks of a grifter claiming working class sympathies but all in favour of student fees!