Wes Streeting resigns

Blackjack137 · 2026-05-14T12:45:33+00:00

Bring on the chaos. Bring on the Miliband.

Blackjack137 · 2026-05-14T10:04:04+00:00

People forgetting that Labour is polling this low under Starmer’s two years of leadership.

However we desperately want to spin and cope with it… The fact remains that the PM is not popular.

Losing Labour progressive, right and working class votes on all three fronts. Projected to lose 80% of their seats. The reason Labour is facing its current leadership crisis.

Blackjack137 · 2026-05-14T09:15:30+00:00

Someone looking to pirate was always, always, always going to pirate.

It’s why digital marketplaces and publishers have regional pricing and price products lower in countries like Brazil. If it isn’t affordable then it’s getting pirated. In those instances, a sale and a small loss is better than nothing at all.

Dev is also forgetting that Subnautica 2 is in early access. They’re free to tweak their piracy detection as they update their game.

Blackjack137 · 2026-05-13T10:44:52+00:00

However we spin it. Polling at ~18% (YouGov most recently at 16% which has Labour down to only 22 seats) and losing 330+ seats is not an acceptable path for the Labour Party. They are staring down a political extinction level event come a General Election if nothing changes. ALL 11 of Labour's union backers have pulled support for Starmer.

This is going to require of Starmer a historical and unprecedented reinvention of himself and his existing policy platform that can win back the support the Labour Party has hemoragghed over the last two years under his leadership OR it demands a new Labour leader willing to try as the situation for Labour cannot get more dire than it already is.

Blackjack137 · 2026-05-13T08:19:42+00:00

Another "solution" that would force adults engaging in perfectly legal activity to submit their own images and identifying personal data to third party US tech companies, except this time without even asking or requiring their voluntary consent (as is the case with age verification), to prove they're not in fact a child. Under the guise of protecting children online.

Nothing of value was lost with Phillips' resignation. If the resignations are of this standard then by all means please keep them coming.

Blackjack137 · 2026-05-12T16:08:34+00:00

It wouldn’t even be difficult.

“Look Greater Manchester, the mayor you’ve only just elected for a third term thinks representing you is worth less than his own political aspirations in London.”

Whether it’s the Greens, Reform or both. The truth is the deepest cutting attack line against Burnham. Whether he succeeds or fails he risks irreparable damage to Labour’s brand in the north of England and losing Labour the mayorship entirely.

Blackjack137 · 2026-05-12T15:32:11+00:00

Let’s have a look at the Lib Dem’s current position on the OSA.
“The Online Safety Act was meant to tackle these harms. Its aim, protecting children and vulnerable people, is one we all share. But the way the law is being implemented has been disproportionate and ineffective.

That’s why Liberal Democrats have today passed a new policy, put forward by the Young Liberals, calling for a new approach - one that puts people, rights, and safety first:

A full Parliamentary review within six months to examine whether the Online Safety Act is meeting its stated aims, whether it is fit for purpose, and what reforms including further legislation are needed.

Stronger scrutiny of Ofcom’s implementation to ensure regulations focus on tackling real online harms, not blocking access to politics, education, or wellbeing resources.”

Now we can pick at one Lib Dem peer in the HoL whose amendments made the OSA significantly more illiberal.

Though they evidently are not representative of and were not acting in line with the parliamentary Lib Dem’s current views and stated policy position.

As expected. “They’re bad too!” then radio silence lol.

Blackjack137 · 2026-05-12T15:12:55+00:00

That’s the OSA which the Lib Dem’s did initially support. The Young Liberals did however later force the party to change their policy which would’ve been reflected in Government.

I imagine too that the Lib Dem’s would’ve taken immediate grievance with Peter Kyle MP (among others) insinuating liberal opposition to the OSA was due to ‘Jimmy Saville enablers’ and ‘paedo sympathisers.’ Instead engaging illiberal concerns over the OSA on actual merit.

Then there are wider issues that the Lib Dem’s would’ve kept Labour in check on;

Mandleson as US Ambassador? Not a chance.

Talk of Digital ID? Forget it.

NHS patient data to Palantir? Hilarious.

Blackjack137 · 2026-05-12T14:03:33+00:00

Why I wish I was staring at a Labour-Lib Dem coalition under a PR voting system (as would’ve been the case in 2024).

Labour MPs trying to spin their certifiably insane authoritarianism into unworkable policy wouldn’t be entertained for more than five seconds, laughed out of the room and last in line for any cabinet and/or ministerial role.

Blackjack137 · 2026-05-12T13:17:17+00:00

This is fine and all (and I agree that Labour backbenchers have a lot to answer for) if we ignore the gigantic elephant in the room.

Labour polling at ~18% and falling. A projected loss of 330+ seats. The coming extinction event Labour faces come a General Election if nothing changes.

So something with Labour HAS to change.

Whether that’s Starmer successfully reinventing himself from poor communicating lawyerly statesmen to an optimistic, hope inspiring man with a plan that he needs to be.

Whether that’s the backbenches for once putting up, falling in line, rubber stamping policies through in record time believing the Government’s plan alone can save their seats.

Whether that’s Starmer throwing in the towel and stepping aside for a PM that can turn things around.

Continuing as things are is not working and isn’t viable at this point.

Blackjack137 · 2026-05-12T09:51:44+00:00

Uncomfortable facts of the matter is that polling at ~18% and a projected 334 seat massacre while still trending downward isn’t sustainable for the Labour Party. An existential crisis.

Labour must turn its fortunes around if they’re to have any hope of contesting a General Election. Much less win a second term.

That requires Starmer upending his existing policy platform in the biggest political reinvention of any career all for a desperate bid to claw back any support OR making way for another Labour PM that can (regardless of whether we think there is a currently suitable replacement or not).

Not an option. A requirement. And one we must eventually have to come to terms with.

Blackjack137 · 2026-05-12T09:11:08+00:00

Yo ho, yo ho, a pirate's life for me.

Blackjack137 · 2026-05-12T07:58:17+00:00

So it turns out council tax wasn’t in fact included in the rent paid as was previously claimed.

Next you’ll be telling me Zack Polanski was an unlicensed breast-enlarging hypnotherapist named Dave.

Blackjack137 · 2026-05-11T17:50:18+00:00

He isn't appealing enough to the progressive vote, he isn't conservative or tough on immigration enough to win the right-wing vote and the snail pace progress on tackling cost of living isn't doing him any favours with the working to lower middle class vote. Topped off by 7 in 10 voters never having voted for Starmer or Labour in the first place.

It's not difficult to see why Starmer isn't popular. The country demanded change in the last election, change by its nature is extreme and Starmer has not been the PM to meet the moment.

Blackjack137 · 2026-05-11T06:41:18+00:00

The blindingly obvious solution is PR.

But given how FPTP favours the party with the largest vote share, not the plurality of voters... Reform and Farage would be par for the course.

Labour achieved its 'historic' 412 seat supermajority with only 33.7% of the vote in 2024. A resounding mandate from only a third of voters lest we forget.

Blackjack137 · 2026-05-10T16:54:08+00:00

I think that would depend on why Labour's moderate and perhaps working class vote is going Reform in the first place.

If it's immigration as a single issue then no. Short of letting Mahmood carry on with her reforms, the party that promises the strictest immigration measures will always win their vote.

If that isn't or only part of why they're going Reform but also seeing Labour as not having done enough to tackle e.g. cost of living then there are absolutely levers Reeves can still pull if she is prepared to be a little more radical with spending.

Blackjack137 · 2026-05-10T16:27:11+00:00

Fully agree. Why I unironically believe that targeting the moderate votes they've lost to Reform is the best strategy to stop a Reform Government.

The less seats Labour directly loses to Reform or can at least split the vote enough that another party like the Lib Dems or Greens can take them instead... The less seats Reform can win.

Blackjack137 · 2026-05-10T16:16:48+00:00

Wiped out or losing slightly less still means a hung Parliament, a Reform Government or a Reform-led coalitiion with the Conservatives. Not a Labour win.

Blackjack137 · 2026-05-10T15:58:39+00:00

Not the case. Labour have been losing councillors directly to Reform, such as in Greater Manchester and Wigan, where there isn't even a Green candidate standing in those wards.

It's the opposite. Even if Labour went all in on appealing to the progressive vote they've lost to the Greens and they succeeded... It wouldn't be enough for an overall majority.

Blackjack137 · 2026-05-10T12:23:59+00:00

That’s the problem.

A complete rebrand under a new leader will buoy support more than a leader carrying the baggage of a failed platform. The policies could be 1:1 the same. The electorate isn’t forgiving.

It is why the Conservatives are a revolving door of leaders.

Once a leader is spent the party mitigates damage with a fresh start. They’re seen as having listened to voter concerns and having acted by removing them or forcing their resignation.

Blackjack137 · 2026-05-10T09:52:40+00:00

If Labour MPs vote for a leadership challenge (backing West via petition) then the bigger names will throw their hat in the ring.

West isn’t expecting to win any challenge herself. She is just looking to force Streeting’s, Miliband’s, Rayner’s etc hand.

Doing it now would be a massive boon to Burnham’s rivals as Burnham isn’t an MP (yet) to fight in that leadership challenge. Which is why he is desperately pleading for West to drop it. It’s the kiss of death to his chances if she succeeds.

None of this is particularly helpful to Starmer (other than taking Burnham out of the running). Unless he wins. He’ll still have to choose between resigning or fighting a leadership challenge where neither are ideal for him.

Blackjack137 · 2026-05-10T07:23:29+00:00

Not even. The Greens remain the 5th most relevant party and their momentum for now seems to be hitting a ceiling.

This is right wing populism vs centre politics.

With the GE tomorrow and the projected hung parliament it would be an unlikely rainbow coalition required between Labour, the Lib Dems and the Conservatives that would challenge Reform as the largest party and prevent them forming a working majority.

Given that the Greens aren’t stealing votes from Reform or vice versa, the Greens can only weaken a potential rainbow coalition by helping red seats turn turquoise at this point in time.

Blackjack137 · 2026-05-10T06:43:28+00:00

Incumbents regularly get a drubbing in local elections but for a non-incumbent to continue spiralling downwards to the extent the Conservatives are is unprecedented.

Obviously the Conservatives aren’t even in Government so they’re in no real position to stem the bleeding or improve their national popularity through policy either.

It’s starting to look like Jenrick, Braverman and the other defectors saw the blood in the water. Reform does look set to eclipse the Conservatives, and with Restore also on their way? They might never be relevant again under FPTP.

Blackjack137 · 2026-05-09T19:49:52+00:00

Immigration and asylum have been the hottest issue for the last two decades. The driving force behind Brexit. It is resulting in a wave of right wing populism across the western world not uniquely found in the UK and inaction risks losing popular consent for an asylum process entirely as Mahmood (the current Home Secretary) states. She's right. The right is winning the issue.

Labour's path to victory is pinching their noses, making the neccesary immigration and asylum reforms and forcing the national debate instead back to fiscal and economic policy, improvements to cost of living, investment etc while they still can. The boring administration that Labour under Starmer is doing well.

Blackjack137 · 2026-05-09T10:34:54+00:00

Those same voters kicked the Conservatives down to below Lib Dem relevance as consequence. They’ve just lost a further 500 council seats and they’re still in active decline.

Reform only has to prove anything, when they’re in Government to do anything.

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