I should add I am making no assumptions about his immigration status, whether he proscribes any religion or his political/social views.

I agree with your frustrations but worth considering that EVs are bigger as they need space for the batteries. So this would be (in part) a green vehicle tax

The there’s the generational divide over the meaning of “slut”. Having to explain to my Boomer mum that she shouldn’t call my messy sister one and why was a memorable conversation!

Is this the average a person would pay/recieve or the average society pays/receives? The latter suggesting weighting for size of population in each category - it will make a big difference as there aren’t many 90+ people.

Also possible to phrase as “lots of Reform backs don’t actually know Reform’s policies”?

I know, I know. But his defence and later claim was skin colour as a proxy for general uniformity: “We all want mixed communities”. The stats show he doesn’t see Indian, Pakistani, Caribbean, African, etc as mixed cultures. Ie only white/non white matters.

In case there is any doubt, Handsworth’s ethnic mix is 25% Pakistani, 23% Indian, 10% Bangladeshi, 9% white, 8% black Caribbean, 8% Black African (and some other groups) - ignoring skin colour that is incredibly diverse (culture, religion, etc). So he *must* be meaning non-white skin colour.

He says it’s not about skin colour but Handsworth’s ethnic mix is 25% Pakistani, 23% Indian, 10% Bangladeshi, 9% white, 8% black Caribbean, 8% Black African (and some other groups) - ignoring skin colour that is incredibly diverse (culture, religion, etc). So he *must* be meaning skin colour.

I believe this makes sense if you see it as a route to cancelling the mid-terms - can’t hold elections if you are “at war”. And that fine to your base because you also have convinced them you would have won, if they were held…

I think he’s building up the rhetoric ready to cancel the mid-terms “because America is at war” - I believe that’s the long term strategy here.

I seem to have missed the “sharp leftward turn”!

I think these poll miss the strength of feeling. A lot of people a dissatisfied with Starmer for sure but the numbers who hated Johnson and Truss were unprecedented. (Though Farage may replicate them). I don’t know, but I think this is a more mild dislike.

His equivocal position is perfectly judged. His Trump-liking supporters/financiers see nothing to worry about while other Reform-leaning voters take comfort in the lack of explicit support. Surely the trick is to push him off the fence - having no view is not good enough. Then some get upset

It’s an own goal for Phillipson. Many Labour members are deeply upset with the leadership and this biased support makes it really, really clear how to send a protest vote.