Monday 16th March 2026
Re: Monday 16th March 2026
Morning !
Google tells me that I posted here the Len McCluskey quote on SKS " being a process person " on the 8th/9th of November last year ! From a Bastani youtube c2021.
More recently the Economist used the same expression -- " Sir Keir Starmer was a politician of process rather than conviction. Following the erratic Boris Johnson, this had some appeal. " (Haha!)
So this weekend's Pogrund Starmerology Times long read came as no surprise
Google tells me that I posted here the Len McCluskey quote on SKS " being a process person " on the 8th/9th of November last year ! From a Bastani youtube c2021.
More recently the Economist used the same expression -- " Sir Keir Starmer was a politician of process rather than conviction. Following the erratic Boris Johnson, this had some appeal. " (Haha!)
So this weekend's Pogrund Starmerology Times long read came as no surprise
Re: Monday 16th March 2026
‘Keir Starmer has no views’: the inside story of an absent PM
Silent in meetings, dithering over decisions — revelations from a book on the Labour government show how the prime minister let others steer his No 10 into disaster
https://archive.ph/oHqb4#selection-1691.0-1691.1028
Cabinet ministers and No 10 advisers strained for loyalty. But it proved too difficult for some. “He is,” said one influential aide upon their departure from Downing Street, “the least intellectually curious person I have ever met.” Said another politician upon whom Starmer relied heavily: “He can only prepare by reading briefing books for hours on end. He doesn’t brainstorm. He has no fixed views on anything. There’s no clarity because there’s no belief. There’s no belief because there’s no understanding. There’s no understanding because there’s no curiosity.” Said a senior civil servant who observed him closely: “He is not a compassionate man. He’s careless about people around him. It’s just not warm. He just doesn’t think very hard about other people.” A once-close adviser, witheringly: “I don’t think he has a theory of power. I don’t think he’s ever sat down and read any history, or has any idea of how power works. I just don’t think he would be attracted to the kind of historical figures who got stuff done.”
Silent in meetings, dithering over decisions — revelations from a book on the Labour government show how the prime minister let others steer his No 10 into disaster
https://archive.ph/oHqb4#selection-1691.0-1691.1028
Cabinet ministers and No 10 advisers strained for loyalty. But it proved too difficult for some. “He is,” said one influential aide upon their departure from Downing Street, “the least intellectually curious person I have ever met.” Said another politician upon whom Starmer relied heavily: “He can only prepare by reading briefing books for hours on end. He doesn’t brainstorm. He has no fixed views on anything. There’s no clarity because there’s no belief. There’s no belief because there’s no understanding. There’s no understanding because there’s no curiosity.” Said a senior civil servant who observed him closely: “He is not a compassionate man. He’s careless about people around him. It’s just not warm. He just doesn’t think very hard about other people.” A once-close adviser, witheringly: “I don’t think he has a theory of power. I don’t think he’s ever sat down and read any history, or has any idea of how power works. I just don’t think he would be attracted to the kind of historical figures who got stuff done.”
Re: Monday 16th March 2026
Back to Trump's Special Military Operation , it looks like the lawyerly approach can be useful --
Tho the RAF is being involved in the joint Qatari squadron, shooting down incoming drones (defensively!) .....
Tho the RAF is being involved in the joint Qatari squadron, shooting down incoming drones (defensively!) .....