We sometimes choose absolute nonsense

Starmer insists Labour 'kept to our manifesto' despite record-breaking tax rises

He said it was "not true" his government has misled the public after promising not to raise taxes again after last year's budget.

And he refused multiple times to say he had broken his manifesto promise not to raise income tax, national insurance or VAT "on working people".

"We kept to our manifesto in terms of what we've promised," he said.

"But I accept the challenge that we've asked everybody to contribute. I want to be really clear on why we've done that," Sir Keir continued.

"That is because we need to protect our NHS, to make sure that it's there for people when they need it and their families when they need it.

"Secondly, to make sure we've got the money to put into our schools. So every single child can go as far as their talent will take them," the prime minister added.


He knows it's nonsense, but having painted himself into a corner he is willing to make use of nonsense as a simple enough way to deny that he has any knowledge of corners or painting. 

Yet it leads directly to Starmer coming across as ever more foolish, both for painting himself into a corner and for denying it with ludicrously obvious dollops of nonsense. 

As a political tool, even nonsense has its limits, the point where no advantages are gained from using more of it. 

 

Our choice is usually mistaken from a false view of our advantage. We sometimes choose absolute nonsense because in our foolishness we see in that nonsense the easiest means for attaining a supposed advantage.

Fyodor Dostoevsky - Notes from Underground (1864)