Sir Keir Starmer has said he is “bitterly disappointed” and takes “full responsibility” for Labour’s defeat in the Hartlepool by-election.
“I’m bitterly disappointed in the results and I take full responsibility for the results. And I will I take full responsibility for fixing things,” the Labour leader said.
Labour suffered a “shattering” defeat in Thursday’s by-election in Hartlepool as they lost out to the Conservatives by 6,940 votes.
The seat has been held by Labour since its formation in 1974 – and the loss of the constituency has sparked recriminations about the direction of the party under Sir Keir’s leadership.
“Very often we have been talking to ourselves instead of to the country and we have lost the trust of working people, particularly in places like Hartlepool. I intend to do whatever is necessary to fix that,” Sir Keir said.
“This is not a question of left or right, it is a question of whether we’re facing the country.
“We have changed as a party. We have not made a strong enough case to the country.”
Keir Starmer went on to add:
- We will from this moment enact the following:
- We will end the fisting from Israel in our anti human approach to Palestine. We will now formally recognise the Palestinian’s right to their territory and we will end our weaseling up to the far right government in what is colloquially known as Israel.
- We will no longer blame Jeremy Corbyn for our own complicity and corruption. We now recognise that Jeremy Corbyn was the best person to lead the party and that if we had supported him and not fed false stories to the corporate billionaire media he would now be Prime Minister.
- We will actually have some policies. Amongst them will be loads of exciting ideas and projects that will wake the nation up instead of providing a cure for insomnia.
- Any future conspirators against the labour movement will have their heads spiked on Traitor’s Gate. So Margaret Hodge and John Mann amongst many watch out.
- We will no longer feed off of the rabid conspiracies proposed by the likes of Rachel Riley. We now realise that although she may be cool with numbers she offers nothing else to intellectual enquiry.
- I, Keir Starmer will no longer conspire with the Conservative government and I will promise to ensure that the Labour Party opposes as is our purpose as an Official Opposition.
- All corporate lobbyists will be told to do one. We will now represent the people not the dollar signs.
- We will endeavour to create a voting system that empowers the people. At present the First Past The Post system is about as democratic and empowering as waterboarding.
- No more flag shagging. It is a pitiful distraction technique for those who cannot cope with reality. We will now become the party that reveals what is occurring.
Many other exciting features to follow as soon as have thought of them.
The last word from Laura Pidcock
James Finlayson
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