[stirlo]

The issue isn’t the Labour Party it’s the entire country. Brexit has been a disaster, energy costs are through the roof, housing is becoming more costly, and there’s been no real economic growth in a decade.

But no one wants suffer the temporary pain to make the reforms needed to change it. They just want to grumble and say the current leader isn’t any good before moving onto the next one, rather than admitting they might need to actually accept some change in the country.

[JumpCrisscross]

> no one wants suffer the temporary pain to make the reforms needed to change it

If you could get one bill through Parliament, what would it do?

[pjc50]

Most of the real power is in the budget, which is technically a bill, but I would 100% go for "change the voting system". Almost anything except D'Hondt is better than FPTP; for simplicity, we could just copy the Scottish Parliament's use of AMS.

I would also insert a trapdoor that future changes to the voting system would require the approval of >50% of eligible voters, including non-voters. Yes, I know Parliament cannot bind its successors and all that, but at least I can make it look bad to change it again.

Does this solve any of the immediate problems? No. Does it solve the dysfunctionality since 2008? I think so, especially given that polling these days looks like five parties getting 20% of the vote each. Labour themselves came to power on 38% of the vote.

[gaiagraphia]

Lots of the problems in the UK stem from a lack of strategic vision. More coalitions, infighting, compromises, etc aren't going to drive serious change home. Don't really care if it's Labour or Tory, tbh, just want national politics focus on bigger picture stuff and bulldoze through regs if it's a matter of strategic investment.

What would be nice for voting reform, is to add regional elections across the nation (replacing the old European ones). This would be a great layer of government to vote in coalitions, who deal with 'softer day to day areas of government' (care, benefits, roads, etc). Would be a great incubator for national talent, too. We should be able to see how future PMs deal with a region before trusting them with national affairs.

[rapsey]

The grand coalition governments of the EU are not in any way better. They just result in bickering and gridlock because parties that hate each other get stuck in the same room.

This is your pet issue, completely based on the grass looking greener on the other side.

[pjc50]

The gridlock is real whether it happens inside or outside the party. This is partly why we're here in the first place! Starmer is out because he couldn't do coalition management inside the Labour party.

[rapsey]

He is out because he is an insane ideologue that the vast majority of the country despises.

[pjc50]

> insane ideologue

Man doesn't have any ideas! Let alone insane ones. He's simply the dull thud of quiescent authoritarianism.

[dabeeeenster]

Rejoin the EU, single market, customs union, drop sterling and take the Euro. This would almost certainly start a civil war in the UK (I am not being dramatic) but its what is needed.

Brexit was -8% GDP, according to Bank of England.

[pjc50]

This wouldn't start a civil war. Many of the Brexit voters are already dead and most of the rest are retired.

[hn_throw2025]

Lovely comment thread. Ladies and Gentlemen, I give you the “democrats”…

[pjc50]

https://www.thelondoneconomic.com/politics/2016-leave-majori...

[ulfw]

Yea no will never happen.

Only way into the EU is way you described. Full on Schengen, EUR, no more special UK exceptions etc. Will never fly.

[asplake]

Michel Barnier (EU's Brexit negotiator and later PM of France) suggests otherwise.

Exclusive: Former chief Brexit negotiator says staying out of euro and Schengen area would be ‘perfectly possible’" https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2026/jun/18/uk-could-ke...

[pjc50]

EEA like Norway would be both a significant improvement, and does not require Euro. I do think we have to get to the point where we can say that actually Schengen was good and we should have been part of it before we get economically overtaken by Poland.

[PunchyHamster]

Oh, no, we don't want you, keep your mess to yourself instead of making it EU's

[barrkel]

Repeal Town and Country Planning Act 1947

[Y_Y]

Disband the UK

[roenxi]

There shouldn't be any temporary pain from bringing energy costs down or letting the economy grow (on a per-capita basis I suppose, politicians do tend to try and cheat with migration). It would be good for everyone, or at worst neutral with wildly rare exceptions who are worse off. Which does make it a bit of a mystery why the UK and a number of other Western polities put up such a determined struggle against the two.

[pjc50]

People are desperate for change! It's just that due to a misinformation fuelled online (and traditional media!) environment, nobody can agree what that is.

[rapsey]

Disagree. Every one of the issues you mentioned is a direct result of labour/tory uniparty ideology. Netzero, endless migrants, insane taxation and so on.