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Friday, 20 September 2024

I’m still in control says caretaker



I’m still in control, insists Starmer, as civil war breaks out over Sue Gray pay

Sir Keir Starmer has denied he has lost control of Downing Street despite civil war breaking out at the centre of his government.

The Prime Minister was forced to defend his authority amid growing questions over Sue Gray’s salary, which at £170,000 exceeds his own and was leaked in an apparent deliberate attempt to damage her politically.


A hunt has been launched to find the source of the leak, which appeared to come from inside Whitehall.


One aspect of all this is how it spins a covert expectation or merely a hope that those behind the scenes will keep the show on the road. It quietly suggests that in the end, spats between the actors don't matter as long as the faceless ones in the wood-panelled offices are in control and life goes on.

It's almost like propaganda for the bureaucratic way of doing things, behind the scenes, away from media clamour. Almost like propaganda for the Machine in which Starmer appears to believe and wishes to be part of. But not the bit that fell off.

3 comments:

DiscoveredJoys said...

I've always argued that Starmer was a 'nightwatchman' (a lower order player) put in place to make Labour electable again, ready for a new leader.

It seems he knows no other way. His 'authority' is based on his ability to keep the tensions in the Labour party from public view, but (as I also argued) the taste of power has let loose the factional infighting.

Sam Vega said...

I would imagine that there is an agreement that they keep the "office politics" separate from the "national politics". When the office politics turns to hatred, though, those concerned will attempt to remove or harm their enemy by making them the story. It proves that charisma-bypass and corrupt grifter 2TK is also useless at managing a team of administrators, which - as we all remember - was pretty much his only selling point before July.

A K Haart said...

DJ - yes, and the size of the Labour majority doesn't help Starmer at all as the factional infighting is seen to have fewer Parliamentary consequences. Of course any other leader will probably have the same problem soon enough.

Sam - yes, 2TK is useless at his only selling point. A comparison with Corbyn ought to be acutely embarrassing, because whatever else he may be, Corbyn isn't a grifter in the 2TK sense.