Cable Forum - Starmer’s chronicles

Just imagine if all the HS2 money & materials spent to shave 5 minutes off a train journey was instead ploughed into social housing, NHS, dentists (lol) . . in fact anything that would help (rather than decimate) communities

This is silly, though. Investment in infrastructure can help further growth, which in turn would help pay for more day-to-day spending. Housing would also be a good target for such spending. There is a difference between one-off large expenditures in things like HS2 and the yearly spending commitment you make when putting more money into the NHS.

Also, HS2 was about increasing capacity as well as speed. Taking pressure off regional services by having an additional direct intercity train line. It would have made journeys between cities shorter and increased local services and train capacity.

We should have funded such things when interest rates were at rock bottom. More jobs, more spending in the economy and eventually more modern infrastructure. Instead, we just cut everything and wonder why the country is slowly dying. We don't want infrastructure built, we want to make it more difficult to trade with other nations, we want to make it more difficult for even very qualified people to move here and work, and we also don't want to make it easy to start new businesses.

nomadking

21-06-2026 09:24

Re: Starmer’s chronicles

Quote:

Originally Posted by jfman (Post 36217853)

Is it?

How is it not an orchestrated coup?

jfman

21-06-2026 09:25

Re: Starmer’s chronicles

Quote:

Originally Posted by nomadking (Post 36217855)

How is it not an orchestrated coup?

Oh I’m with you on the orchestrated coup. It”s the belief his policies will be any different.

Sephiroth

21-06-2026 09:55

Re: Starmer’s chronicles

Quote:

Originally Posted by 1andrew1 (Post 36217848)

Who needs a holiday in Europe these days? With temperatures in the 30s, a football team playing very well* and a new PM every two years, England is becoming more European than ever! :D

* second half v Croatia

Then perhaps we should keep things as they are (forgetting Starmer for a moment).

1andrew1

21-06-2026 11:05

Re: Starmer’s chronicles

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sephiroth (Post 36217859)

Then perhaps we should keep things as they are (forgetting Starmer for a moment).

We need to get back to more stable times, economic growth, higher productivity and a stronger Pound that deters UK companies from being snapped up at cheap prices.

Sephiroth

21-06-2026 11:25

Re: Starmer’s chronicles

Quote:

Originally Posted by 1andrew1 (Post 36217864)

We need to get back to more stable times, economic growth, higher productivity and a stronger Pound that deters UK companies from being snapped up at cheap prices.

It’s all double edged stuff. Stornger poiund puts our exports up; weaker poud attracts investors. Presumably they want to buy our companies to make money and again, presumably, through employment here.

The “presumablies” are the potential worry. For example if they are raiding intellectual property rights in order to take them away, then we’re stuffed.

So, on balance, I think you’re right about a strong pound.

thenry

21-06-2026 16:01

Re: Starmer’s chronicles

Quote:

Trump claims Starmer 'will resign' as PM - and wishes him well

https://news.sky.com/story/politics-...#liveblog-body

Is he his best friend or something :shrug:

Carth

21-06-2026 16:15

Re: Starmer’s chronicles

Quote:

Originally Posted by thenry (Post 36217875)

Is he his best friend or something :shrug:

Trump just noticed something going on that he wasn't named in. If Starmer doesn't resign Trump will claim he never said it, then spitefully declare war on the Isle of Wight and start intercepting ferries between Liverpool & Dublin

Sephiroth

21-06-2026 16:23

Re: Starmer’s chronicles

Best friend or not, I’m rather embarrassed to say that Starmer was right not to join in on the Iran war.

But ‘join in’ has flexible boundaries. In one interpretation, it ‘not joining in’ means keeping totally clear of any political or tangible assistance; in another interpretation, it could mean not physically engaging but allowing our closest ally to use our sovereign bases for the USA’s purposes. I favoured the latter.

Starmer was right because Trump would have wanted to be the senior person who would call all the shots and would have got into the current mess whether or not we were in there with him.

Also, even Starmer must have realised that Trump is NOT a trusted partner. All deals/partnerships need a basis for trust. Trump only understands domination. One day, when he is ghone, a trusted alliance can be rebuilt.

In the meantime, may Starmer squirm and cry in his bed. May his whatsits turn square and fester at the corners.

1andrew1

21-06-2026 16:52

Re: Starmer’s chronicles

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sephiroth (Post 36217877)

Best friend or not, I’m rather embarrassed to say that Starmer was right not to join in on the Iran war.

Yes, to his credit Starmer had the courage to say no whereas Badenoch and Farage would have pandered to Trump and dumped us in it. History shows they're not to be trusted in positions of real power.

---------- Post added at 17:52 ---------- Previous post was at 17:49 ----------

Quote:

Originally Posted by Carth (Post 36217876)

Lol very true except you probably mean the Isle of Man?

Carth

21-06-2026 17:01

Re: Starmer’s chronicles

Quote:

Originally Posted by 1andrew1 (Post 36217878)

Nope definitely Isle of Wight, the Isle of Man is too near to Scotland, he doesn't want to start a golf war :D

jfman

21-06-2026 19:06

Re: Starmer’s chronicles

The more I think it is completely ridiculous a non-MP can stalk a PM out of office.

Sephiroth

21-06-2026 19:15

Re: Starmer’s chronicles

Quote:

Originally Posted by jfman (Post 36217889)

The more I think it is completely ridiculous a non-MP can stalk a PM out of office.

The PM should have done better. That's what it boils down to. The vegetables in Starmer's cabinet would not be up to the job.

That said, it'll be fun watching Burnham getting nowhere and a tragedy for us all as regards what he'll do to the nation.

I blame the Tories for screwing up so badly.

Carth

21-06-2026 19:34

Re: Starmer’s chronicles

Not defending the bloke, but surely he doesn't just 'do stuff' without guidance, research and expert advice from the people he's assigned to head up various departments. Funnily enough (once again) those who led him down the path are those with the knives out :D

papa smurf

21-06-2026 20:10

Re: Starmer’s chronicles

Quote:

Originally Posted by Carth (Post 36217892)

to be fair they are all incompetent,no one in the real world would entertain them.

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