Lewis is one of the very few journalists who can jump between praise and criticism across the political spectrum.
Many others just play on your emotions and biases.
05.03.2026 09:52
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Lewis is one of the very few journalists who can jump between praise and criticism across the political spectrum.
Many others just play on your emotions and biases.
At the moment, not sure what Starmer has done wrong here.
Action is within international Law and we are responding to Iranian strikes.
Iran hit us - we hit back.
"Trying to compete with Reform not only feels inauthentic... but a betrayal of what Labour is supposed to represent. We must address the concerns and fears of voters, not play on them."
Damning stuff from Sadiq Khan
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
Reform's call to "restore Britain's Christian heritage" captures the contradictory essence of modern populist politics. It's a scramble to weaponise a religious identity that the British public themselves have left behind. 🧵
The 'lesser evil' strategy only works if voters agree you're actually lesser. In the social media age, the loudest and most confident voice usually wins — and that's not Starmer.
Labour isn't just losing votes to Reform — it risks losing sight of what makes it distinct. On many policies Labour is still Labour, but on immigration, voters on the left are starting to ask: what exactly is the difference?
Blair triangulated from strength, with a two-party system and public optimism behind him. Starmer is doing it in a fragmented 4-party landscape where TikTok clips of Farage's latest soundbite reach millions overnight.
Starmer is a former lawyer who speaks in careful, measured sentences. In a social media world where personality is the message, that gap matters enormously.
The problem? The strategy only works if you can sell it — and Blair was a once-in-a-generation communicator. Charismatic, quick, and built for the media age. He could take a difficult position and make it feel reasonable.
The logic: occupy the centre, neutralise Reform's strongest issues, and make Labour the 'sensible' option by comparison. Blair did it with crime and welfare. Starmer is doing it with immigration.
Starmer's shift right on immigration isn't random — it's a deliberate strategy borrowed from the Blair playbook.
🚨 EXCLUSIVE: Health officials are racing to contain a growing measles outbreak in London, which has struck down dozens of young children and affected 7 schools and a nursery.
UKHSA has warned an outbreak across London could see 40,000 - 160,000 cases:
www.thetimes.com/uk/healthcar...
"openly committed Zionist"? Do you realise that many Zionists are pro-peace?
"Donations from the Jewish lobby"? Perhaps you should investigate the backgrounds of the individuals who made these donations? None of them is pro-Netanyahu.
The bigger picture? There are people close to Starmer waiting for the local election results to land before making a move. McSweeney will be remembered as one of Labour's great liabilities. It may already be inevitable.
It gives the left fresh energy, gives Reform a talking point, and draws the government into political dynamics that are difficult to navigate. The only credible pivot now is back to Starmer's own values — but even that has a cost.
To be clear — I'm no supporter of Palestine Action. But proscribing them was always controversial and many questioned the legality — and the High Court has now confirmed it. The narrative writes itself — Starmer, the legal specialist, making a poor call in his own field. That's not a great look.
McSweeney's fingerprints are all over the Palestine Action court ruling. Starmer is once again paying the price for trying to please everyone — and pleasing no one.
Latest in the series of “literally every poll question you can think of shows how dumb and fatally flawed the strategy that the McSweeneyites have pursued is”.
"Moderna's CEO announced the company will no longer invest in new Phase 3 vaccine trials for infectious diseases: 'You cannot make a return on investment if you don't have access to the U.S. market. Vaccines for Epstein-Barr virus, herpes, and shingles have been shelved.” 9:12 AM Feb 12, 2026 604.8K Views
In terms of what cures are being lost:
- Epstein-Barr virus is perhaps the major trigger for multiple sclerosis
- herpes simplex virus causes cold sores, genital herpes, infections in babies, deadly meningitis
- shingles virus causes an intensely painful disease
Obviously zero reflection in any of this on how operating the largest empire in human history may have turned us into a multicultural nation. We are here because you were there. #Empireland
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
UK has lost its official status as a country that has achieved elimination of measles, as vaccination rates have fallen below the 95% required to achieve herd immunity. So sad, and likely due vaccine misinformation. If you haven't already, get your kids vaccinated ASAP. www.bbc.com/news/article...
Jim Ratcliffe's accusation that immigrants are colonising the UK is breathtaking ignorance.
Immigration policy is right-wing, and then we have some left-wing policies detailed below.
Part of this is that the public are confused to who Starmer is.
Starmer's best chance is to pivot towards making sound political choices and arguing for them effectively. That's incredibly difficult in a media landscape dominated by right-wing voices, and made harder if the narrative becomes that he's being pressured by his MPs.
The other major element affecting him is that he's not suited to the new social media dynamic. It's no coincidence that both Farage and Polanski are doing well - both excel in this environment. The only thing going viral about Starmer is the "Keir Starmer is a wanker" song.
For example: the Winter Fuel Payment cut, broken leadership campaign promises, and confused messaging on Israeli arms. It's the accumulation of these missteps creating huge problems with the electorate and Labour MPs.
Keir Starmer's narrative was a safe pair of hands that would make sensible decisions - maybe a bit boring, but look what preceded him. This was absolutely fine until he started undermining it himself.
The affair also raises hard questions about whether Starmer is capable of being Prime Minister. The question of Labour’s leadership is only just beginning.
The whole Mandelson affair is shocking and has serious consequences for both the current Labour government and Blair’s.
Starmer’s decision to appoint Morgan McSweeney as chief of staff has proved disastrous. He should be sacked, and the government urgently needs a change of strategy.
Any other party would have done similar.