Entitlement and a complete lack of empathy in society will cement the demise of the UK. This morning I listened to a podcast in my garden in the Sacred Valley, Cusco of a man berating NHS workers as freeloaders and spongers. To say i was in shock would be an understatement. After everything they did and to now be subjected to vile abuse from all quarters i just think is completely abhorrent. When you see politicians that just crave celebrity, you know everything is broken.
I've been in the NHS 20+ years now. I don't even know why I'm here anymore. The workload has tripled, the wages have stagnated, I have less workers rights, I was called a hero during covid, now right wingers think we're scum. What's the point?
In what other country did GPs go on holiday during the biggest pandemic in 100 years? And the conceit of Junior doctors since is extraordinary; they kill people all the time, where is the humility? Terrible attitude from people who took an oath. Vanity, vanity, everything is vanity.
In what other country did GPs go on holiday during the biggest pandemic in 100 years? And the conceit of Junior doctors since is extraordinary; they kill people all the time, where is the humility? Terrible attitude from people who took an oath. Vanity, vanity, everything is vanity.
In what other country did GPs go on holiday during the biggest pandemic in 100 years? And the conceit of Junior doctors since is extraordinary; they kill people all the time, where is the humility? Terrible attitude from people who took an oath. Vanity, vanity, everything is vanity.
What went wrong with the British Sewage system? Answer: it is privatized. What went wrong with the British Railway? Answer: it is privatized. What went wrong with the British Postal Service? Answer: it is privatized. What went wrong with the British Energy providers? Answer: it is privatized. What is going on with the failing NHS? It is being privatized. Were are the profits of the privatized British Oil and Gas? Answer: they are going into the pockets of wealthy businessmen (see how Norway did that). Why are the enormous leaks in the British drink water network not fixed and grew to 1 trillion liters of lost drinking water in England and Wales via leaky pipes? Answer: it is privatized. Someone with half a brain would almost recognize a trend here. How did the average British eligible voter not see that trend? The Tories were voted in in 2010, again in 2015, again in 2017 and again in 2019. What is going on with the cognitive capacity of the average voter?
@@eightiesmusic1984 Not quite. The UK population is, generally speaking, politically ignorant. Extremely intelligent people may well cleave to idiotic political ideas, long proven to have passed their sell by date. As an added problem we have a media that adds nothing to political debate. It doesn't hold to account, it doesn't challenge, it doesn't question. At best it just reports but more often it ignores facts, skews opinions and delivers an extremely bastardised version of political reality. The result is our population is at the mercy of whatever bullshit the political head offices have thought up. It's a very poor system and central to it is the incestuous relationship politics has with what passes for journalism in this country. That's unlikely to change as it offers both professions an easy life and money for nothing.
@@PortilloMoment I agree, I just read the James O’Brian book, How they Broke Britain. It reads like the Iliad with all the connections in the “great and good” who run the country and are influential in the media.
Full sympathy for Andrew and team. Everyone wants a General Election. The Frustration is Sunak’s not going to give one until he’s told to. Turning your focus on Labour around. It’s the Prime Minister and his Party that should be bigging Britain. He’s not bothered about Britain!
The UK economy isn't resiliant at all,its in dire straights. We are bumping along with virtually zero growth and todays figures of 0.3 growth are laughable when in fact the economy shrank.This is a stark reminder we are is deep trouble.How can entrepreneurs start a business when we have record high rents, record high energy costs, up to 86 % more than the EU ,its pure fantasy.We need a fresh approach ,a new approach to business and politicians who actually understand economics instead of these clowns who are running the country now.
@@funbegins2371 Really, well prior to 2010 Labour was delivering 2% pa growth, and if borrowing to invest in green tech is 'bad' I think for ever driving down public services to give tax breaks to the Tory donor class and the 1% who off shore wealth is far, far worse!! And do you think Labour would have allowed crony PPE contract corruption? Or lobbying corruption? Or test and trace incompetance?
Given what you have fed you are making the case for NOT voting Labour. Remember, Reeves copies and paste's other work and then presents has her idea...Sounds a bit like Alastair Campbell's sexed up Iraq document.
Optimism is certainly something that we all need more of at the moment, but Starmer I think will not make the mistake of assuming that a growing economy means all is well. The trickle down mentality of a rising tide lifts all boats is not going to cut it for so many people in the UK who are struggling, and for whom the permanently higher living costs are not going away. The many freelancers, including filmmakers you mention, were ignored during the Covid pandemic and received no help and have been struggling now for years, eating into their own savings if they have them. Therefore, optimism is absolutely needed but the messaging needs to be targetted carefully - memories are not a short as many politicians assume.
The economy has done marginally less bad than forecast, Andrew, but it's still really, really bad - "We only had to amputate three limbs" is technically a major improvement over expectation, but it's not exactly "good". Starmer is offering to roll up his sleeves and start taking practical steps to fix things without demanding that they clear a Brexiteer ideological hurdle, and that's a big deal. Brexiteers have sabotaged us for years in the name of Brexit purity, and the press often lets them get away with it. But hey, standards have fallen in a lot of public life - the Press have done better than politicians, but, well, you guys? You got to keep the left leg, mostly thanks to James O'Brian raising the average. But that's better than forecast, right?
@@NoellegableHe's had plenty of ideas as have his shadow cabinet ministers. Admittedly, they're not massively easy to access because by-and-large, the client media are not exactly giving them a lot of exposure. They've been short on promises because of the ever-deteriorating state of the economy (Marr's claims here notwithstanding) but they will be publishing a comprehensive manifesto come thr election date being set and if there's anything even vaguely dodgy on there, don't worry, you'll know all about it because it'll be all over the front pages of the Mail, Telegraph etc.
I think I've been hurt enough about the statement of sunak about the benefits refusing sick notes from general pracktishioners. I have waited a long time to be seen by a doctor and for my pip be reinstated back to normal . I'm a single mother which strangled to stay alive . Thank you for back up by Andrew Mars's to back up the news of the week . I used to follow him on his program at week end and now that my leg still hurt and foot too. Im tired to live under mental health institutions . Would like a bit of respect and considerations for my situation and wanted to go back to work after a long pause .
Britain is not where it was in 45, 79, or 97 for a " Generational" election; Britain is in the place where Poland, Hungary, Czechoslovakia etc were in 89 or 90. For the Moscow head office to send out fresh, better (arguably) commissars is wrong in so many ways. PR and a raft of other, deep, constitutional fixes are essential.
Yes we do not need to hear what went wrong from Labour, we need to hear what they're going to do about it. "Expectation setting" will not be well received, we need optimism and a grand vision. Unfortunately Kier Starmer wouldn't know grand if he walked into it.
For all the naysayers, Labour can change the country for the better and must do so. Even if you dislike what he's done, Keir has shown that he can enable radical change as he has in Labour. He can be a good PM and I hope he will.
Labour is now the Sue Gray Party - the Party of the Nomenklatura. It will give us government of the civil service, by the civil service, for the civil service.
Kier starmer is a tory. As someone who would like to own a home one day would also like to see an investment in green energy he offers me less than nothing. People say he’s a centrist but he’s economically right. I hope he crosses the road without looking.
I consider myself politically homeless due to the fact that there's no real representation on the left, without PR, the Greens will never gain enough seats. I can't vote for a centre right Labour Party that is sticking to the current economic model - it hasn't worked for the last 14 years, why would it work under Labour? The country needs bold, radical changes not more of the same. Both the general public and politicians need to really reconsider how we lead our lives; do we want to live in a society or exist in a dog-eat-dog economy? I believe coming out of the pandemic was an opportunity to do things differently, but it was easier to carry on as we were before. This will be an unpopular opinion and I expect the TH-cam comment section backlash.
Sir Keir Starmer played a nice coup on the Labour party and it seemed like the members couldn't be bothered. The Aljazeera documentary "The Labour Files: The Purge I" is interesting to watch on TH-cam.
Nah, these are TH-cam comments, where extremist opinions are rewarded with upvotes. The actually unpopular opinion here is the more sensible one: that Labour *can't* be an extremist party and expect to win office, and that you're demonstrating a pretty deep level of entitlement if you're expecting a political party to agree with you 100% all the time.
@@cinderball1135 I don't expect a political party to agree with me 100% of the time. But Starmer has backtracked on most of the issues he stood for when he was elected as leader, and these happened to be issues that I am quite passionate about. I also dislike how he purged the left leaning mayoral candidates from standing. I understand that anything left leaning in this country won't be popular in a generally Conservative country, but I do expect an effective opposition that has more than just a cigarette paper between itself and the one in government.
That's a very unfortunate phrase. Whenever the opposition have made credible criticism of the government, the accusation that comes flying back is that they're "talking the country down". No they're not: they're talking the government's performance down. Anyone who still believes in our country and cares about it will be dismayed and angered about the terrible state it's in thanks to the multiple flaws in Conservative government strategy.
Almost 3 Trillion in the red. Paying just the interest on that alone costs more than the education, infrastructure or defence budget. In fact only health costs more and the NHS is still absolutely dreadful.
Yep. all that austerity and we still have a way higher debt to GDP ratio than Germany...Except their public services are great while ours are in tatters...
As much as it shouldn't be, optimism can be sickening when you have no money, no hope, no light, no future. You'd probably be right if you said things will get better eventually, but it's dark right now. Optimism without reason is just kidding yourself. We just really, really need a reason right now. Rishi Sunak, Keir Starmer, Joe Biden or Donald Trump are not those reasons.
I've always found it odd that opposition parties focus on the negative rather than giving a positive vision for how the country could be better. Hopefully we see more optimism from Starmer in 2024.
Good for start ups? Well I guess it depends on the kind of business. The tax system for self employed and small business in the UK is painfully crippling.
There is no recognition that more of the same is going to get us more of the same. If we keep privatising the NHS and other oublic services they will keep getting worse. If we keep relying on private investment to fund housing we will only get unaffordable and inappropriate housing. We seem to think we can have our Attlee and Thatcher at the same time. We can't.
Didn't Marr talk about Keir Starmer having to be optimistic half a year ago? I don't think he's going to radically change until the immediate lead up to the election...
What would make me more optimistic for the next non-Tory government would be to see a repair of the social fabric of this country. What do I mean? A closing of the divisions that we see in most of the democratic world, between city and country, between generations, social class, between the university educated and non-university educated. The culture wars needs to be defused by compromise and pragmatism, I don't see any other way. We need more non-university educated members of Parliament, that part of the electorate is poorly represented.
But the left do nothing other than spitting bile and threatening people. Closing divisions. What a joke - all you lot want is total division so jezza can become your emperor
Wow! So many negative, downbeat comments. I agree with Andrew that some optimism and commitment to invest in our future is valid and long overdue or we will risk yet another divided conservative government.
I was shocked too but I think this is reflected in wider society. There doesn't seem to be anything to be upbeat about! And Labour are (perhaps rightly so) holding their cards to their chests offering few changes that any of us can get excited by. Waiting for an election in November compared to May feels excruciating, yet we're not likely to get a better deal, just a halt on it getting worse.
You've provoked a memory for me: of badges being sold in 1970s high streets saying, "I'm Backing Britain" It was as silly and insulting then as it is now.
If Labour wants to energise Britain then it needs to energise itself. I think people want to believe Starmer and Labour can change things but they don't really feel Labour believes it themselves. I think this is understandable, the issues they will face are daunting, but if the electorate thinks they've got what it takes they will win a landslide and if they don't they won't.
Private utilities work against society at large , hence the pessimistic attitude. People are not protected from the markets nor are there political avenues for this to change
During the 2008-10 GFC everyone was far too optimistic. So now economic predictions are too pessimistic in reaction. But let's face it, they are forecasts really, not predictions, they are never meant to be perfectly accurate, but to give a vague idea of what to expect.
Labour! Spend, spend, spend! £3 trillion pound in debt! Er... "We are a smaller economy, we are less powerful than we used to be." I'd love our politicians, all of them, to embrace this and start thinking about the UK from this stand point. We're still playing bully boys with America, we're still giving huge sums of money away, we still think we can 'save the world'. The only time now the world notices us is when America mentions us. We need to stop with all these hoity toity ideology games and start sorting out our finances. Oh, and the green idea? Starmer will plunge us more into debt building it, companies will make huge profits from it (which, I bet a pound to a penny will be lead by an American corporation) and the Tories will float it on the market just before selling it. Most probably back to the Americans. We need to marginalize ourselves from America and foreign affairs and try as best we can to: A) Get the EU to see that free movement of people has nothing to do with free trade agreements, B) The ECHR needs to be rewritten to stop illegal immigration, C) Stop this Biden rhetoric that Putin will continue after Ukraine (I mean, why would he sign a peace treaty back in March if he was pushing for world conquest?), and D) get the NORD2 pipeline back up and running and bolster ourselves from any future possible American stupidity.
You know what would make me feel optimistic? Seeing a return of morals and ethics, putting people first, standing up against Israeli genocide instead of prioritizing profits resulting from murder and war. Starmer refuses to give us these things and shows were his morals are. The best we can hope for is a slower decline and to force through electoral reform to see the back of him.
Come April, your rent will go up, your rates will go up,food is still going up ,bus,train fares are going up,gas,electric will go up ,there is sod all to look forward to, just larger and larger bills and the bigger they get ,the less you get for your money
Should be no tax cuts but money spent in modernisation. Once we have the modernation they can cut back but we do need to be generating rather than undermining.
What people want is for the government to provide a level playing field for all. A ladder that is available to anyone with talent and endeavour to climb and a social safety net to protect those that fall. Not the broken and rigged form of feudal capitalism we have at the moment that funnels evermore wealth to a corrupt oligarchy.
I think a very good place to start is with building loads and loads of council houses. Completely undo the incredible long-term damage Thatcher did with Right to Buy. Get our young people reliably, cheaply and comfortably housed and they will invest in small businesses and lift us up again. When our young people are again on their feet, they will probably feel much more able to buy a house but a house is not the be all and end all Conservatives pretend. It’s merely a necessary adjunct to living your life.
A year without miserablism? Which country do you live in? Most British people even have the middle name 'Miserablist' - as David Mitchell once said, 'Complaining? I'm British, I have a degree in complaining!' 😮
I tend to agree that we still have depth in our institutions, plenty of wealth, and very strong scientific and engineering. But it's stuck in the mud with zero focus on engaging those strengths. I dont have anything against starmer tbh, but he does sound pessimistic even when he is talking positively
That shot from the left crosses the line. Marr is looking right to left as he addresses the camera, then you cut to a profile shot of him looking left to right. That's why it looks weird and jarring.
If Labour want to create optimism. They should declare themselves embrace a Rejoin EU policy. The end of the xenophobic slightly-fascism of recent years would be a hopeful step forward.
And when they can't achieve a return to the EU; you jokers will accuse them of breaking a promise. They won't promise things they can't deliver, why is that so difficult to understand?
Economic swings are relatively small in the scheme of things, up 3% one year, down 3% the next etc. The best strategy for Labour is probably to focus competence and on how funds are spent and managed by government. If they can show voters that they'll do a better job they should hold their lead into the election, but if they make the argument too much about growth they'll give the Tories a chance to recover their lead as the Tory press will big up even the smallest amount of growth, and claim as they are already starting to do, that labour will squander this..
I want governments to focus only on raising GDP per capita, not total GDP. It's possible to raise GDP while reducing GDP per capita, and present this as some kind of success when it isn't. India has a much higher GDP than Switzerland, but Switzerland has a much higher GDP per capita.
While I despise populists, they offer at least a vision (despite being faulty) to the masses. I am so glad to see the back of Trump and Johnson politics, but at least Trump spoke to the rust belt in America and talked about their loss of jobs. He offered them hope and aspiration, despite having no interesting in doing so. It goes without saying someone that are correct intentions and actions are needed, but so are aspiring words, but people need to see hope. A country doesn't move if people only see despair. If Starmer gave people policies they want, that can also help then he'll win by a landslide. Nationalise rail and utilities, improve infrastructure in northern Cities like Sunderland and Sheffield. Tax the wealthiest people, who are the biggest gainers in society and should pay back a lof of that gain. Stronger and flexible laws to tackle media misinformation and bring a form of regionalised PR for General Elections People would feel government is working for them and their needs.
Britain is great at pulling its own weight under tremndous pressure and tight resources (caused by 14 years of useless conservatives). I want to see a optimistic vision for the Uk (investment, build up resources etc) where we can be proud. The ones insulting institutions (rhe workers) in the NHS ahould be very careful. Karma is cruel and it will come to hurt those who have disgusting views.
Come on Andrew. Stop speaking American and get back to English. Ask is a verb and not a noun. “An ask” doesn’t exist in English. Instead we have a request, a demand, an order, a tall order, Etc. We should be teaching others how to speak English better and not allowing others to teach us how to speak it poorer. Great article from you, as always. Really missing the Andrew Marr programme (BBC Sunday mornings). Ah well! I hope you are happier, healthier and perhaps less stressed - post BBC. All the very best to you Andrew, Éamonn
How many Prime Minister Changed since Economy gone too Down poverty increased in England, if New Prime Minister come bring Economy back on Line this not possible just you want change Prime Minister New Prime Minister do Majic
Need to keep starmer as far away from power as possible especially as hes no different than the torys bomb yemen yes he agrees genocide in gaza he agrees more nhs privatisation wes streeting is being paid by usa health insurance corporations so need to vote for anyone but starmer because if he fails labour might get someone who doesn't want to carry on neo liberalism forever
Up until 2020 I campaigned extensively for Labour and worked as an elected official, practically full time. Now with New Labour centrists back in charge and their attack on the left, they'll never get my vote again like many others.
well we lost that last election badly so going that far left did not work. We may loss people like you however we gain more people from the centre like me, labour will win this coming election.
Does anyone care ? Not really because for every one of you zealots who won’t vote Labour , you will be replaced by two who will. Remind me why Corbyn imposed a 3 line whip to support a minority Tory government get Article 50 through parliament BEFORE he knew what the Tories were planning. You’re poorer, you’ve lost rights and you’ve lost your freedom of movement, and you can blame Corbyn for his support for the Tories. It’s time you gave your brain a chance.
@@bendreczko9054 You don't think the dopey and disastrous second referendum had anything to do with the result as voters seemed to like Labour's 2017 program based on nationalisation and redistribution when they added 3.5 million extra votes?
@@PennyBloater and Corbyn was the leader therefore he was in charge of all of labour policy's . Still his fault. And he also lost the election before that, the only labour leader to loss 2 elections.
@@bendreczko9054 Right wing policies do not win votes for parties of the centre left- pay attention to reality. It is your friend in analysing issues. There is no far left in Britain- Labour under Corbyn was to the right of the part manifesto in 1945.
What is the future? Net zero policies which unfairly hammer the lower classes. Quite easy to draw parallels between the highly untested Post Office Horizon programme and the highly untested net zero programme. The only difference is Horizon screwed the sub postmasters, net zero will screw the lower classes!
The sensibility of Mr. Marr in this segment runs right into a brick wall once his outrage at drilling for oil & gas is revealed, & in the midst of an energy crises no less. It is very alarming that even when people in Britain recognize the necessity of an economic turn-around, still they remained shackled by this ridiculous bureaucratic mindset, dead-set on stopping economic activity in Britain from occurring.
A true patriot that wants their country to improve, had to be critical. That is not a mistake. The UK needs to be realistic, not falsely optimistic.
Entitlement and a complete lack of empathy in society will cement the demise of the UK. This morning I listened to a podcast in my garden in the Sacred Valley, Cusco of a man berating NHS workers as freeloaders and spongers. To say i was in shock would be an understatement. After everything they did and to now be subjected to vile abuse from all quarters i just think is completely abhorrent.
When you see politicians that just crave celebrity, you know everything is broken.
The next time he needs the nhs, he will be begging for them when he's in need
I've been in the NHS 20+ years now. I don't even know why I'm here anymore. The workload has tripled, the wages have stagnated, I have less workers rights, I was called a hero during covid, now right wingers think we're scum. What's the point?
In what other country did GPs go on holiday during the biggest pandemic in 100 years? And the conceit of Junior doctors since is extraordinary; they kill people all the time, where is the humility? Terrible attitude from people who took an oath. Vanity, vanity, everything is vanity.
In what other country did GPs go on holiday during the biggest pandemic in 100 years? And the conceit of Junior doctors since is extraordinary; they kill people all the time, where is the humility? Terrible attitude from people who took an oath. Vanity, vanity, everything is vanity.
In what other country did GPs go on holiday during the biggest pandemic in 100 years? And the conceit of Junior doctors since is extraordinary; they kill people all the time, where is the humility? Terrible attitude from people who took an oath. Vanity, vanity, everything is vanity.
What went wrong with the British Sewage system? Answer: it is privatized.
What went wrong with the British Railway? Answer: it is privatized.
What went wrong with the British Postal Service? Answer: it is privatized.
What went wrong with the British Energy providers? Answer: it is privatized.
What is going on with the failing NHS? It is being privatized.
Were are the profits of the privatized British Oil and Gas? Answer: they are going into the pockets of wealthy businessmen (see how Norway did that).
Why are the enormous leaks in the British drink water network not fixed and grew to 1 trillion liters of lost drinking water in England and Wales via leaky pipes? Answer: it is privatized.
Someone with half a brain would almost recognize a trend here.
How did the average British eligible voter not see that trend?
The Tories were voted in in 2010, again in 2015, again in 2017 and again in 2019.
What is going on with the cognitive capacity of the average voter?
Very well said 👍
@@eightiesmusic1984 Not quite. The UK population is, generally speaking, politically ignorant. Extremely intelligent people may well cleave to idiotic political ideas, long proven to have passed their sell by date.
As an added problem we have a media that adds nothing to political debate. It doesn't hold to account, it doesn't challenge, it doesn't question. At best it just reports but more often it ignores facts, skews opinions and delivers an extremely bastardised version of political reality. The result is our population is at the mercy of whatever bullshit the political head offices have thought up.
It's a very poor system and central to it is the incestuous relationship politics has with what passes for journalism in this country. That's unlikely to change as it offers both professions an easy life and money for nothing.
100%
@@PortilloMoment I agree, I just read the James O’Brian book, How they Broke Britain. It reads like the Iliad with all the connections in the “great and good” who run the country and are influential in the media.
@@PortilloMoment your last paragraph sums up BoJo to a T
Full sympathy for Andrew and team.
Everyone wants a General Election.
The Frustration is Sunak’s not going to give one until he’s told to.
Turning your focus on Labour around.
It’s the Prime Minister and his Party that should be bigging Britain.
He’s not bothered about Britain!
The UK economy isn't resiliant at all,its in dire straights. We are bumping along with virtually zero growth and todays figures of 0.3 growth are laughable when in fact the economy shrank.This is a stark reminder we are is deep trouble.How can entrepreneurs start a business when we have record high rents, record high energy costs, up to 86 % more than the EU ,its pure fantasy.We need a fresh approach ,a new approach to business and politicians who actually understand economics instead of these clowns who are running the country now.
Hear hear
We need to reverse Brexit!
it will be far worse under labour
@@funbegins2371 Really, well prior to 2010 Labour was delivering 2% pa growth, and if borrowing to invest in green tech is 'bad' I think for ever driving down public services to give tax breaks to the Tory donor class and the 1% who off shore wealth is far, far worse!! And do you think Labour would have allowed crony PPE contract corruption? Or lobbying corruption? Or test and trace incompetance?
Given what you have fed you are making the case for NOT voting Labour. Remember, Reeves copies and paste's other work and then presents has her idea...Sounds a bit like Alastair Campbell's sexed up Iraq document.
Optimism is certainly something that we all need more of at the moment, but Starmer I think will not make the mistake of assuming that a growing economy means all is well. The trickle down mentality of a rising tide lifts all boats is not going to cut it for so many people in the UK who are struggling, and for whom the permanently higher living costs are not going away. The many freelancers, including filmmakers you mention, were ignored during the Covid pandemic and received no help and have been struggling now for years, eating into their own savings if they have them. Therefore, optimism is absolutely needed but the messaging needs to be targetted carefully - memories are not a short as many politicians assume.
The economy has done marginally less bad than forecast, Andrew, but it's still really, really bad - "We only had to amputate three limbs" is technically a major improvement over expectation, but it's not exactly "good". Starmer is offering to roll up his sleeves and start taking practical steps to fix things without demanding that they clear a Brexiteer ideological hurdle, and that's a big deal. Brexiteers have sabotaged us for years in the name of Brexit purity, and the press often lets them get away with it. But hey, standards have fallen in a lot of public life - the Press have done better than politicians, but, well, you guys? You got to keep the left leg, mostly thanks to James O'Brian raising the average. But that's better than forecast, right?
If keir has any ideas, it would be super were he to tell us what they are. We are only the stupid electorate but even so….
@@Noellegable i love how people imagine all this stuff matters you all know what will happen and yet act surprised?
@@NoellegableHe's had plenty of ideas as have his shadow cabinet ministers. Admittedly, they're not massively easy to access because by-and-large, the client media are not exactly giving them a lot of exposure. They've been short on promises because of the ever-deteriorating state of the economy (Marr's claims here notwithstanding) but they will be publishing a comprehensive manifesto come thr election date being set and if there's anything even vaguely dodgy on there, don't worry, you'll know all about it because it'll be all over the front pages of the Mail, Telegraph etc.
Unlike the EU, that is in recession.
@@Maltloaflegrandewhy is there something wrong with the papers pointing out untruths, or bullshit policies, the labour party are good at those.
I think I've been hurt enough about the statement of sunak about the benefits refusing sick notes from general pracktishioners.
I have waited a long time to be seen by a doctor and for my pip be reinstated back to normal .
I'm a single mother which strangled to stay alive .
Thank you for back up by Andrew Mars's to back up the news of the week . I used to follow him on his program at week end and now that my leg still hurt and foot too. Im tired to live under mental health institutions .
Would like a bit of respect and considerations for my situation and wanted to go back to work after a long pause .
Thanks for this, we do all need cheering up and I admire the optimism.
Are you serious?
@@eightiesmusic1984 I certainly am. Being pessimistic is just so 2023.
Britain is not where it was in 45, 79, or 97 for a " Generational" election; Britain is in the place where Poland, Hungary, Czechoslovakia etc were in 89 or 90. For the Moscow head office to send out fresh, better (arguably) commissars is wrong in so many ways. PR and a raft of other, deep, constitutional fixes are essential.
Yes we do not need to hear what went wrong from Labour, we need to hear what they're going to do about it. "Expectation setting" will not be well received, we need optimism and a grand vision. Unfortunately Kier Starmer wouldn't know grand if he walked into it.
What a sensible, thought-provoking talk!
For all the naysayers, Labour can change the country for the better and must do so.
Even if you dislike what he's done, Keir has shown that he can enable radical change as he has in Labour.
He can be a good PM and I hope he will.
If he had any ideas he could describe them
Labour is now the Sue Gray Party - the Party of the Nomenklatura. It will give us government of the civil service, by the civil service, for the civil service.
I just spent a month in the UK. And erm, no.
sorry to hear that
Honest appraisal beats delusional pipe dreams every time.... Time to remove the rose coloured specs.
Kier starmer is a tory. As someone who would like to own a home one day would also like to see an investment in green energy he offers me less than nothing. People say he’s a centrist but he’s economically right. I hope he crosses the road without looking.
I consider myself politically homeless due to the fact that there's no real representation on the left, without PR, the Greens will never gain enough seats. I can't vote for a centre right Labour Party that is sticking to the current economic model - it hasn't worked for the last 14 years, why would it work under Labour? The country needs bold, radical changes not more of the same. Both the general public and politicians need to really reconsider how we lead our lives; do we want to live in a society or exist in a dog-eat-dog economy? I believe coming out of the pandemic was an opportunity to do things differently, but it was easier to carry on as we were before. This will be an unpopular opinion and I expect the TH-cam comment section backlash.
Sir Keir Starmer played a nice coup on the Labour party and it seemed like the members couldn't be bothered.
The Aljazeera documentary "The Labour Files: The Purge I" is interesting to watch on TH-cam.
Totally understand your position, but Starmers Labour has got to be worth at least a one off punt surely?
Nah, these are TH-cam comments, where extremist opinions are rewarded with upvotes. The actually unpopular opinion here is the more sensible one: that Labour *can't* be an extremist party and expect to win office, and that you're demonstrating a pretty deep level of entitlement if you're expecting a political party to agree with you 100% all the time.
@@cinderball1135 I don't expect a political party to agree with me 100% of the time. But Starmer has backtracked on most of the issues he stood for when he was elected as leader, and these happened to be issues that I am quite passionate about. I also dislike how he purged the left leaning mayoral candidates from standing. I understand that anything left leaning in this country won't be popular in a generally Conservative country, but I do expect an effective opposition that has more than just a cigarette paper between itself and the one in government.
Just get the Tories out then worry about the rest after it's as simple as that to me 🤷
That's a very unfortunate phrase. Whenever the opposition have made credible criticism of the government, the accusation that comes flying back is that they're "talking the country down". No they're not: they're talking the government's performance down. Anyone who still believes in our country and cares about it will be dismayed and angered about the terrible state it's in thanks to the multiple flaws in Conservative government strategy.
Excellent stuff, and pitched just right!
Talking reality is not talking something down; it's being realistic; it seems it's something the UK media can no longer do.
Almost 3 Trillion in the red. Paying just the interest on that alone costs more than the education, infrastructure or defence budget. In fact only health costs more and the NHS is still absolutely dreadful.
Yep. all that austerity and we still have a way higher debt to GDP ratio than Germany...Except their public services are great while ours are in tatters...
As much as it shouldn't be, optimism can be sickening when you have no money, no hope, no light, no future. You'd probably be right if you said things will get better eventually, but it's dark right now. Optimism without reason is just kidding yourself. We just really, really need a reason right now. Rishi Sunak, Keir Starmer, Joe Biden or Donald Trump are not those reasons.
I've always found it odd that opposition parties focus on the negative rather than giving a positive vision for how the country could be better. Hopefully we see more optimism from Starmer in 2024.
Spot on about selfish, childish Britain, Andrew. But what is the answer? Compulsory civics in the school curriculum?
LEAVE BRITAIN ALONE!! 😭😭😭
Such a shame you’re not our PM. ❤
Good for start ups? Well I guess it depends on the kind of business. The tax system for self employed and small business in the UK is painfully crippling.
Drastic changes needed vote REFORM party spread the word 👍
There is no recognition that more of the same is going to get us more of the same. If we keep privatising the NHS and other oublic services they will keep getting worse. If we keep relying on private investment to fund housing we will only get unaffordable and inappropriate housing. We seem to think we can have our Attlee and Thatcher at the same time. We can't.
Didn't Marr talk about Keir Starmer having to be optimistic half a year ago? I don't think he's going to radically change until the immediate lead up to the election...
What would make me more optimistic for the next non-Tory government would be to see a repair of the social fabric of this country. What do I mean? A closing of the divisions that we see in most of the democratic world, between city and country, between generations, social class, between the university educated and non-university educated. The culture wars needs to be defused by compromise and pragmatism, I don't see any other way. We need more non-university educated members of Parliament, that part of the electorate is poorly represented.
But the left do nothing other than spitting bile and threatening people. Closing divisions. What a joke - all you lot want is total division so jezza can become your emperor
Wow! So many negative, downbeat comments. I agree with Andrew that some optimism and commitment to invest in our future is valid and long overdue or we will risk yet another divided conservative government.
I was shocked too but I think this is reflected in wider society. There doesn't seem to be anything to be upbeat about! And Labour are (perhaps rightly so) holding their cards to their chests offering few changes that any of us can get excited by. Waiting for an election in November compared to May feels excruciating, yet we're not likely to get a better deal, just a halt on it getting worse.
Oh ffs. Don't talk Britain down. Daily Express 1970. You are talking to adults Andrew
You've provoked a memory for me: of badges being sold in 1970s high streets saying, "I'm Backing Britain" It was as silly and insulting then as it is now.
You think so?
If Labour wants to energise Britain then it needs to energise itself. I think people want to believe Starmer and Labour can change things but they don't really feel Labour believes it themselves. I think this is understandable, the issues they will face are daunting, but if the electorate thinks they've got what it takes they will win a landslide and if they don't they won't.
Private utilities work against society at large , hence the pessimistic attitude. People are not protected from the markets nor are there political avenues for this to change
During the 2008-10 GFC everyone was far too optimistic. So now economic predictions are too pessimistic in reaction. But let's face it, they are forecasts really, not predictions, they are never meant to be perfectly accurate, but to give a vague idea of what to expect.
Labour! Spend, spend, spend! £3 trillion pound in debt! Er... "We are a smaller economy, we are less powerful than we used to be." I'd love our politicians, all of them, to embrace this and start thinking about the UK from this stand point. We're still playing bully boys with America, we're still giving huge sums of money away, we still think we can 'save the world'. The only time now the world notices us is when America mentions us. We need to stop with all these hoity toity ideology games and start sorting out our finances. Oh, and the green idea? Starmer will plunge us more into debt building it, companies will make huge profits from it (which, I bet a pound to a penny will be lead by an American corporation) and the Tories will float it on the market just before selling it. Most probably back to the Americans. We need to marginalize ourselves from America and foreign affairs and try as best we can to: A) Get the EU to see that free movement of people has nothing to do with free trade agreements, B) The ECHR needs to be rewritten to stop illegal immigration, C) Stop this Biden rhetoric that Putin will continue after Ukraine (I mean, why would he sign a peace treaty back in March if he was pushing for world conquest?), and D) get the NORD2 pipeline back up and running and bolster ourselves from any future possible American stupidity.
Where can i find todays show??? Done an interview yesterday , id be keen to see it
They don't talk it down, they just drag it down
You know what would make me feel optimistic?
Seeing a return of morals and ethics, putting people first, standing up against Israeli genocide instead of prioritizing profits resulting from murder and war.
Starmer refuses to give us these things and shows were his morals are.
The best we can hope for is a slower decline and to force through electoral reform to see the back of him.
Come April, your rent will go up, your rates will go up,food is still going up ,bus,train fares are going up,gas,electric will go up ,there is sod all to look forward to, just larger and larger bills and the bigger they get ,the less you get for your money
Should be no tax cuts but money spent in modernisation. Once we have the modernation they can cut back but we do need to be generating rather than undermining.
If the US elect Trump…that’s who they want! Don’t knock it!
Why not? Its a moronic choice.
They can elect him in his prison cell😅
What people want is for the government to provide a level playing field for all. A ladder that is available to anyone with talent and endeavour to climb and a social safety net to protect those that fall. Not the broken and rigged form of feudal capitalism we have at the moment that funnels evermore wealth to a corrupt oligarchy.
There is no feudal capitalism going on here, that's a myth conjured up by unskilled and or unintelligent people who don't want to face reality.
I think a very good place to start is with building loads and loads of council houses. Completely undo the incredible long-term damage Thatcher did with Right to Buy. Get our young people reliably, cheaply and comfortably housed and they will invest in small businesses and lift us up again. When our young people are again on their feet, they will probably feel much more able to buy a house but a house is not the be all and end all Conservatives pretend. It’s merely a necessary adjunct to living your life.
Labour is not talking Britian down they are exposing the failure of the Tories.
voting green is my vote for optimism
A year without miserablism? Which country do you live in? Most British people even have the middle name 'Miserablist' - as David Mitchell once said, 'Complaining? I'm British, I have a degree in complaining!' 😮
Starmergeddon 👎👎👎👎👎👎👎
I tend to agree that we still have depth in our institutions, plenty of wealth, and very strong scientific and engineering. But it's stuck in the mud with zero focus on engaging those strengths.
I dont have anything against starmer tbh, but he does sound pessimistic even when he is talking positively
That shot from the left crosses the line. Marr is looking right to left as he addresses the camera, then you cut to a profile shot of him looking left to right. That's why it looks weird and jarring.
If Labour want to create optimism.
They should declare themselves embrace a Rejoin EU policy.
The end of the xenophobic slightly-fascism of recent years would be a hopeful step forward.
And when they can't achieve a return to the EU; you jokers will accuse them of breaking a promise. They won't promise things they can't deliver, why is that so difficult to understand?
Economic swings are relatively small in the scheme of things, up 3% one year, down 3% the next etc. The best strategy for Labour is probably to focus competence and on how funds are spent and managed by government. If they can show voters that they'll do a better job they should hold their lead into the election, but if they make the argument too much about growth they'll give the Tories a chance to recover their lead as the Tory press will big up even the smallest amount of growth, and claim as they are already starting to do, that labour will squander this..
I want governments to focus only on raising GDP per capita, not total GDP. It's possible to raise GDP while reducing GDP per capita, and present this as some kind of success when it isn't. India has a much higher GDP than Switzerland, but Switzerland has a much higher GDP per capita.
While I despise populists, they offer at least a vision (despite being faulty) to the masses. I am so glad to see the back of Trump and Johnson politics, but at least Trump spoke to the rust belt in America and talked about their loss of jobs. He offered them hope and aspiration, despite having no interesting in doing so.
It goes without saying someone that are correct intentions and actions are needed, but so are aspiring words, but people need to see hope. A country doesn't move if people only see despair. If Starmer gave people policies they want, that can also help then he'll win by a landslide.
Nationalise rail and utilities, improve infrastructure in northern Cities like Sunderland and Sheffield. Tax the wealthiest people, who are the biggest gainers in society and should pay back a lof of that gain. Stronger and flexible laws to tackle media misinformation and bring a form of regionalised PR for General Elections
People would feel government is working for them and their needs.
The economy is doing what now!!??? Sack this charlatan.
Way too sanctimonious.
Britain is great at pulling its own weight under tremndous pressure and tight resources (caused by 14 years of useless conservatives).
I want to see a optimistic vision for the Uk (investment, build up resources etc) where we can be proud. The ones insulting institutions (rhe workers) in the NHS ahould be very careful. Karma is cruel and it will come to hurt those who have disgusting views.
Come on Andrew. Stop speaking American and get back to English. Ask is a verb and not a noun. “An ask” doesn’t exist in English. Instead we have a request, a demand, an order, a tall order, Etc. We should be teaching others how to speak English better and not allowing others to teach us how to speak it poorer.
Great article from you, as always. Really missing the Andrew Marr programme (BBC Sunday mornings). Ah well! I hope you are happier, healthier and perhaps less stressed - post BBC.
All the very best to you Andrew,
Éamonn
Marr missed an important fact! Brexit!
Vote for Labour and you will be voting for Islam and Shariah law
Fucking Starmer's voice makes me want to scratch my heart out.
How many Prime Minister Changed since Economy gone too Down poverty increased in England, if New Prime Minister come bring Economy back on Line this not possible just you want change Prime Minister New Prime Minister do Majic
Haha so in the end you like him🤔🤔🤔
It's an easy win at the GE24. Dint even need to deliver leaflets..the other lot are killing themselves via in fighting. Cud be a repeat of 1997.
Need to keep starmer as far away from power as possible especially as hes no different than the torys bomb yemen yes he agrees genocide in gaza he agrees more nhs privatisation wes streeting is being paid by usa health insurance corporations so need to vote for anyone but starmer because if he fails labour might get someone who doesn't want to carry on neo liberalism forever
Unfortunately talking Britain down is in the DNA of many of the grassroots Labour party, especially amongst the youth.
I think this electional is going to surprise people in the same way that Trump surprised in 2016.
Up until 2020 I campaigned extensively for Labour and worked as an elected official, practically full time. Now with New Labour centrists back in charge and their attack on the left, they'll never get my vote again like many others.
well we lost that last election badly so going that far left did not work. We may loss people like you however we gain more people from the centre like me, labour will win this coming election.
Does anyone care ? Not really because for every one of you zealots who won’t vote Labour , you will be replaced by two who will.
Remind me why Corbyn imposed a 3 line whip to support a minority Tory government get Article 50 through parliament BEFORE he knew what the Tories were planning.
You’re poorer, you’ve lost rights and you’ve lost your freedom of movement, and you can blame Corbyn for his support for the Tories. It’s time you gave your brain a chance.
@@bendreczko9054 You don't think the dopey and disastrous second referendum had anything to do with the result as voters seemed to like Labour's 2017 program based on nationalisation and redistribution when they added 3.5 million extra votes?
@@PennyBloater and Corbyn was the leader therefore he was in charge of all of labour policy's . Still his fault. And he also lost the election before that, the only labour leader to loss 2 elections.
@@bendreczko9054 Right wing policies do not win votes for parties of the centre left- pay attention to reality. It is your friend in analysing issues. There is no far left in Britain- Labour under Corbyn was to the right of the part manifesto in 1945.
What is the future? Net zero policies which unfairly hammer the lower classes. Quite easy to draw parallels between the highly untested Post Office Horizon programme and the highly untested net zero programme. The only difference is Horizon screwed the sub postmasters, net zero will screw the lower classes!
trust the serving class will always be used and abused regardless of which method of transport they are being told to use.
The sensibility of Mr. Marr in this segment runs right into a brick wall once his outrage at drilling for oil & gas is revealed, & in the midst of an energy crises no less. It is very alarming that even when people in Britain recognize the necessity of an economic turn-around, still they remained shackled by this ridiculous bureaucratic mindset, dead-set on stopping economic activity in Britain from occurring.
My God you.lot really want the Tories in dont you?
Trying to look the Labour part, scruffy and daft
No that's Boris you're thinking of 🤡🤮
Andrew, you are way off track, uk unexpected resilience according to your intro is not based on anything other than flufff. We, jwe we...
Why is marr 2.miles up starmers arse
There was me thinking it was Starmer himself.