I know Mark Drakeford, our First Minister here in Wales (our ‘Prine Minister’) and leader of Welsh Labour is the following:
*A Socialist
*Pro Unions
*Pro Trans rights
*Passionately anti-racist
*Is in Stop The War
*Was first to support & announce a Climate Emergency
*Very much pro Disabled people (WILG change example)
*Policy on refusing OUR money going to any companies based in tax havens
*Is anti-Imperialism & anti-Colonialism
*Very much against bullying
*Pro Women
*Very pro equality
*Has refused to pander to big business and UK government re lockdown easing
*Very pro migration
*Very defensive if refugees & asylum seekers
*Proudly pro Palestine & defending Palestinians
*Genuinely listens (24/7 access now where needed re specialist ‘stroke technology’)
*Very pro more member-led democracy
I genuinely have no idea if Keir Starmer is; and I am a very active, reasonably informed Labour Party member. In fact, I genuinely don’t know WHAT Keir Starmer stands for?! I have never seen a single passionate, ideas-driven speech, policy or idea from him yet. Nothing. Apart from the good video he did in his campaign where he has outright lied about, and/or backtracked on since winning.
I know what most of the members across the UK and what Welsh Labour & Mark Drakeford stand for. But not Keir Starmer or UK Labour currently. This does not mean I ever expect a leader to be perfect. Or that I don’t have criticisms of Welsh Labour or Mark Drakeford. Or that it is not possible to agree to disagree. But it does mean that if even I, as an active member, don’t know these things about UK Labour & Keir Starmer (based on the actions, words, PR and also lack of actions, words & PR), they/he must be communicating incredibly badly. Actually, maybe that is genuinely the plan: Look good in a suit so your gran would approve, be vague, change values with PR headlines, be massively hypocritical now media support is there and they won’t report it etc. Dangerous plan is that.
Adam Samuels
