As you say, Ian, the perfect is the enemy of the good and politics is about trying to do the best you can in power, not about achieving nothing by being in opposition.
Ah but the two children cap, cry the nay sayers. We told you so, they shout.
Am I personally disappointed about this? Yes. Ditto the winter fuel payment and not only for purely selfish reasons. But am I immediately going to say that I was wrong and they’ll be out within a year? (Both of which I have read recently). No, I recognise that I am not going to agree with everything they do or say, but it is the overall journey that matters, not the odd tiny cobble you might stumble over along the way.
As ever, perfect is the enemy of good. I find it sad how many people still don’t get that after all these years. They want a political purity that will never come. So they’d rather Labour lose as some kind of absurd proof that they’d have won had they taken the purity option. It’s the left-wing twin of the journey the Tories have been on.
Coupled with the points about rationality in policy, it was also interesting to see glimmers of something else recently. In the Commons, Streeting noted he had 72 pen pals regarding the NHS, and that he and Libs had worked together well in opposition – and would continue to do so.
I’m not naive enough to think we’ve seen the end of us vs them politics in this country. But that exchange felt like a crack in the dam.
"Liberalism and reason are entwined. Once you adopt the latter you often get the former"- I could not agree more. This is my mantra and approach to any obstacles I face in work, yes I am empathetic but in order to make holistic lastong change you have to be pragmatic and solution focused and do the hard work. I agree it is so bloody good to see a government at work with putting practical steps in that will make a fundamental and lasting change to people's lives rather than spread hate and otherism. Very sadly we have seen the effect of this demonstrated in the last few days across cities in the UK by moronic mobs. I do hope the govt investigate with Ofcom the conspiratorial lies that are being spewed out daily from GB News and other sources and take them off air. In happier news the reuniting Afghan families and providing sanctuary for the brave policy is wonderful, I have been following the campaign closely and donating towards grassroots causes that started this work to help support families after the deadly and disastrous mess caused by Raab during the evacuation - this reunion scheme is credit to all those who worked tiredly to recognise how morally indefensible it is not to give these brave people not only the right to be with their families but to be given refuge here in the UK. Labour have a lot to prove still but such measures show they are off to a very strong start.
It's what maddens me most about the hard left. They claim moral superiority, maximum compassion, but then behave in a way that would mean they would never actually be able to help those they purport to care about. I would rather have a flawed govt who did at least something to alleviate suffering. And I agree the change in language is an important start. It's the language that Tory party has been using in recent years to demonise immigrants/refugees/minorities that has led to the appalling scenes in Southport etc these last few days. I wish those who vote for the hard right could see that the vicious laws they think they want that make everyone less free & more frightened.
One delightful benefit of quitting Twitter is that you go months at a time where you just completely forget that a person called Owen Jones who writes terrible and predictable columns in the Guardian is a person who exists
Quit, I promise you that you won’t regret it, I have (much to my detriment) a VERY addictive personality and even though I was a hours a day doom scroller within days of quitting I felt so much better and at no point have I ever considered going back, you’ll be shocked at how much you don’t miss it
Following basic logic, human decency, and international law: the absolute bare minimum standard to meet. But the important thing is, we're now meeting it. The first few steps in what I hope will be the right direction.
I don't have words for the sheer relief I feel at what's happening, but your words here do that job for me perfectly. Have a good weekend, Ian!
“Following basic logic, human decency, and international law: the absolute bare minimum standard to meet.” And yet, somehow, something successive Tory governments seemed incapable of reaching. Very pleased that we are seeing this changed approach. Thanks to Ian for articulating it so well
I am new to reading yor substack Ian, and do enjoy your articles. Every one so far is an articulation of sound and reasoned thoughts and observation about the state our country is in, and why. You make it easy to formulate thoughts into something to share with others who continue to spout the language they have been "fed" for so long by the past tory "shit show". I am so relieved Labour did win, albeit by a much reduced majority of individual counts. I do agree with your thoughts about the "purists" so many seats nearly lost by other parties minimising labours overall vote, and to what end? Not to mention Reform, sorry just did! Ugh. Thank you for your articles, they add to the hope we now have going forward. Elizabeth
We're all so used to Ian rightly coming off his long run to complain about the latest government cruelty that there's a huge cognitive dissonance reading him being positive. I guess Ian felt the same writing it. Hopefully we'll have the chance over the next few years to get used to this positivity.
It feels so much healthier, without this sheet of political despair hanging over you. Over the next few years, there'll probably be all sorts of opportunities for critical appraisal, but even then it'll involve criticising people who have decent values and approach governance seriously.
There is a lot of truth in the old saying that the road to hell is paved with good intentions. Therefore, it helps that Labour have taken the revolutionary step of not just appointing decent people but appointing them to jobs in areas where they have experience and expertise, and in many cases are passionate about, and keeping them in these jobs for long enough to work out what they're doing.
Thank you so much for this; it's beautiful and gives me hope. I'm here in New York watching you guys fix things and get down to business and very much hoping that we can stay the course and do the same.
A very progressive friend of mine once said that if you want to show what you believe, get a T-shirt. When it comes to elections, pick the best of the realistic options you have. I have found this excellent advice.
Thanks for a great article. The Labour focus on getting the painful junk and meaningless culture war bullshit removed or circumvented is fantastic to see. The benefits to people are clear. I am not naive enough to think we will see this for the rest of my life, but it’s fantastic to live in a country where the government is not afraid to make the tough calls for the benefit of the many.
I can't remember where but I read somewhere recently someone say you become adult when you realise you can't have everything and that you almost always need to compromise to get some of the things you want. On that basis it does finally feel like the adults are now running the country. And as Ian so clearly points out this is already making a difference and showing up the dishonesty of all those on the left (and right) who said a vote for Labour was just a vote for more of the same.
I was also intrigued by your mention of liberty as something similar seems to be going on in the States where a vote for Harris is being sold not just as a vote to save democracy but a vote for freedom.
I so appreciate your articles and perspective and also feel such relief that the gov are tackling immigration, and prisons and other issues in this way. There should be no hostile environments-
Great thing about the hard left cul-de-sac’ers is that they can never see the positive in anything. Even if they would pretend to take credit for the achievements of this government (despite not voting for it out of principle), they’re incapable. Almost a doomsday cult
They’re also self-defeating, if they campaign for something and then even a government delivers on that issue, instead of both thanking the Govt in question and taking a victory lap for themselves, they instead complain that they either didn’t get enough or just immediately pivot to complaining about some other issue where the Govt hasn’t acted to their satisfaction, the Govt in question will just finally decide ‘well there’s no point spending political capital to deliver things for these people because we get no credit anyway’ and will instead use their political capital to deliver outcomes to groups and campaigners that will give them credit and benefits when they deliver for them
As you say, Ian, the perfect is the enemy of the good and politics is about trying to do the best you can in power, not about achieving nothing by being in opposition.
Ah but the two children cap, cry the nay sayers. We told you so, they shout.
Am I personally disappointed about this? Yes. Ditto the winter fuel payment and not only for purely selfish reasons. But am I immediately going to say that I was wrong and they’ll be out within a year? (Both of which I have read recently). No, I recognise that I am not going to agree with everything they do or say, but it is the overall journey that matters, not the odd tiny cobble you might stumble over along the way.
As ever, perfect is the enemy of good. I find it sad how many people still don’t get that after all these years. They want a political purity that will never come. So they’d rather Labour lose as some kind of absurd proof that they’d have won had they taken the purity option. It’s the left-wing twin of the journey the Tories have been on.
Coupled with the points about rationality in policy, it was also interesting to see glimmers of something else recently. In the Commons, Streeting noted he had 72 pen pals regarding the NHS, and that he and Libs had worked together well in opposition – and would continue to do so.
I’m not naive enough to think we’ve seen the end of us vs them politics in this country. But that exchange felt like a crack in the dam.
Good article Ian. I could hear the long exhale and hear you stretch back in your chair to release the tension in your shoulders as I got to the end.
I agree, it’s a pleasure to see the grownups in charge.
"Liberalism and reason are entwined. Once you adopt the latter you often get the former"- I could not agree more. This is my mantra and approach to any obstacles I face in work, yes I am empathetic but in order to make holistic lastong change you have to be pragmatic and solution focused and do the hard work. I agree it is so bloody good to see a government at work with putting practical steps in that will make a fundamental and lasting change to people's lives rather than spread hate and otherism. Very sadly we have seen the effect of this demonstrated in the last few days across cities in the UK by moronic mobs. I do hope the govt investigate with Ofcom the conspiratorial lies that are being spewed out daily from GB News and other sources and take them off air. In happier news the reuniting Afghan families and providing sanctuary for the brave policy is wonderful, I have been following the campaign closely and donating towards grassroots causes that started this work to help support families after the deadly and disastrous mess caused by Raab during the evacuation - this reunion scheme is credit to all those who worked tiredly to recognise how morally indefensible it is not to give these brave people not only the right to be with their families but to be given refuge here in the UK. Labour have a lot to prove still but such measures show they are off to a very strong start.
It's what maddens me most about the hard left. They claim moral superiority, maximum compassion, but then behave in a way that would mean they would never actually be able to help those they purport to care about. I would rather have a flawed govt who did at least something to alleviate suffering. And I agree the change in language is an important start. It's the language that Tory party has been using in recent years to demonise immigrants/refugees/minorities that has led to the appalling scenes in Southport etc these last few days. I wish those who vote for the hard right could see that the vicious laws they think they want that make everyone less free & more frightened.
The last section about moral purity is just about as perfect a bit of writing I’ve ever seen on that issue, thankyou
Particularly how it mentions no names (cough, Owen Jones, cough, ahem).
One delightful benefit of quitting Twitter is that you go months at a time where you just completely forget that a person called Owen Jones who writes terrible and predictable columns in the Guardian is a person who exists
An Owen Jones article would almost certainly conclude that Ian Dunt was all Keir Starmer’s fault.
I envy you, am still masochistically hanging on.
Quit, I promise you that you won’t regret it, I have (much to my detriment) a VERY addictive personality and even though I was a hours a day doom scroller within days of quitting I felt so much better and at no point have I ever considered going back, you’ll be shocked at how much you don’t miss it
Following basic logic, human decency, and international law: the absolute bare minimum standard to meet. But the important thing is, we're now meeting it. The first few steps in what I hope will be the right direction.
I don't have words for the sheer relief I feel at what's happening, but your words here do that job for me perfectly. Have a good weekend, Ian!
“Following basic logic, human decency, and international law: the absolute bare minimum standard to meet.” And yet, somehow, something successive Tory governments seemed incapable of reaching. Very pleased that we are seeing this changed approach. Thanks to Ian for articulating it so well
I am new to reading yor substack Ian, and do enjoy your articles. Every one so far is an articulation of sound and reasoned thoughts and observation about the state our country is in, and why. You make it easy to formulate thoughts into something to share with others who continue to spout the language they have been "fed" for so long by the past tory "shit show". I am so relieved Labour did win, albeit by a much reduced majority of individual counts. I do agree with your thoughts about the "purists" so many seats nearly lost by other parties minimising labours overall vote, and to what end? Not to mention Reform, sorry just did! Ugh. Thank you for your articles, they add to the hope we now have going forward. Elizabeth
This is brilliant - thank you.
This line made me want to stand up and cheer:
"Firstly: Fuck yeah. Seriously. Fucking yes."
A moi aussi moment Woz 👏👏👏
Ian, you exude a positivity that’s been absent so long. Thank you for bringing some joy to this Friday morning.
We're all so used to Ian rightly coming off his long run to complain about the latest government cruelty that there's a huge cognitive dissonance reading him being positive. I guess Ian felt the same writing it. Hopefully we'll have the chance over the next few years to get used to this positivity.
It feels so much healthier, without this sheet of political despair hanging over you. Over the next few years, there'll probably be all sorts of opportunities for critical appraisal, but even then it'll involve criticising people who have decent values and approach governance seriously.
There is a lot of truth in the old saying that the road to hell is paved with good intentions. Therefore, it helps that Labour have taken the revolutionary step of not just appointing decent people but appointing them to jobs in areas where they have experience and expertise, and in many cases are passionate about, and keeping them in these jobs for long enough to work out what they're doing.
Well said.
Thank you so much for this; it's beautiful and gives me hope. I'm here in New York watching you guys fix things and get down to business and very much hoping that we can stay the course and do the same.
A very progressive friend of mine once said that if you want to show what you believe, get a T-shirt. When it comes to elections, pick the best of the realistic options you have. I have found this excellent advice.
Thanks for a great article. The Labour focus on getting the painful junk and meaningless culture war bullshit removed or circumvented is fantastic to see. The benefits to people are clear. I am not naive enough to think we will see this for the rest of my life, but it’s fantastic to live in a country where the government is not afraid to make the tough calls for the benefit of the many.
I can't remember where but I read somewhere recently someone say you become adult when you realise you can't have everything and that you almost always need to compromise to get some of the things you want. On that basis it does finally feel like the adults are now running the country. And as Ian so clearly points out this is already making a difference and showing up the dishonesty of all those on the left (and right) who said a vote for Labour was just a vote for more of the same.
I was also intrigued by your mention of liberty as something similar seems to be going on in the States where a vote for Harris is being sold not just as a vote to save democracy but a vote for freedom.
I so appreciate your articles and perspective and also feel such relief that the gov are tackling immigration, and prisons and other issues in this way. There should be no hostile environments-
Great thing about the hard left cul-de-sac’ers is that they can never see the positive in anything. Even if they would pretend to take credit for the achievements of this government (despite not voting for it out of principle), they’re incapable. Almost a doomsday cult
I’ve just listened to Jonathan Ashworth on the Electoral Dysfunction podcast refer to them as “political eunuchs”.
Excellent term. All mouth but not able to take action.
They’re also self-defeating, if they campaign for something and then even a government delivers on that issue, instead of both thanking the Govt in question and taking a victory lap for themselves, they instead complain that they either didn’t get enough or just immediately pivot to complaining about some other issue where the Govt hasn’t acted to their satisfaction, the Govt in question will just finally decide ‘well there’s no point spending political capital to deliver things for these people because we get no credit anyway’ and will instead use their political capital to deliver outcomes to groups and campaigners that will give them credit and benefits when they deliver for them
Nice one, Ian. One of your very best, if I might add. Keep em coming.