The Daily Starmer.

From hero to zero in such a short time..Unbeleivable 2 Tier Kier must be running out of the materials for papering over cracks...

A healthy dose of cynicism would suffice to figure out part of the answer. Public sector workers are more likely to be Labour voters than private sector ones. They are also far more likely to be union members, unions affiliated to the Labour party and supporting it with their funding.  

Less cynically, the constant real terms pay cuts to public sector workers for 14 long years have created a recruitment and retention crisis in much of the public sector. But one of the benefits of public sector employment has been a better pensions deal. Undermining that would risk worsening the public sector retention and recruitment crisis  in the short term.

I think both the above factors - the cynical and less cynical - are in play.

I think the winter fuel  issue was handled badly and hit too many pensioners who are not well off, but is nevertheless a possible sign of their calculations. Ie hitting people who never vote for them anyway so a free hit and one where they might hope that the majority of the people would be  understanding. That they handled it so badly diminishes that latter possibility. Had only demonstrably well off pensioners been hit most people would have been understanding whilst those losing out would have included very few people who ever vote Labour anyway.

I remember from my time in the party that there were no bigger cynics than Labour centrists or Blairites so I can see what they are up to. Hitting people who never vote for them anyway in ways which might garner more support elsewhere. If I am right expect more of the same in the autumn budget. With most of the losers being from groups who rarely vote labour anyway and who can be portrayed as reasonably well off. Though there will be nods in other favoured lefty liberal directions too most likely, with smokers hammered as always but also quite likely substantial increases in fuel duty. This latter of course will hit all drivers, including many poor working ones who might otherwise be tempted by Labour so a dangerous move for them. But one they are more likely to do now than later.

Duh when did reading the DM online require any paper to be used?

They weren't our islands in the first place. We stole them from the people living there then forcibly evicted them.

No one is in charge, you'd think foreign NHS staff would be checked and double checked and treble checked before being allowed to pat the head of a NHS patient.

So might is right?

As a second rate military power we will carry more weight in the world by leading by example and doing the right thing than we ever can by military might.

What possible use to us as no longer a global power is some island in the middle of the Indian Ocean? With no British assets anywhere nearby?

I think doing the right thing will do us more good than trying to hang onto it. Though apparently this government has not even consulted the Chagossians who have never before been ruled by Mauritius, so they are failing to do the right thing properly even now.

Indeed they do. And Blair will forever be linked with the Iraq War of 2003