@OliverNoble

I fear you are right there are many #shyTories - all the more reason to peel off those on the centre ground to vote #labour

You do not do that by pandering to those still wedded to the 1970s socialist policies of the previous leader

@chrisgerhard @rossbright

I can't see much reason for a surge in tory support - but I can see the danger of #shyTories - people unwilling to admit their support for the insupportable who will nevertheless vote for them if they are nervous of the alternative.

I suspect #starmer sees that danger too - there will be no grand promises to turn #brxitBritain into a #socialistUtopia

@filmcritic
Numbers from polls might suggest #labourLandslide - but who beleives that will happen? There are many #shyTories - embarrassed by recent performance from admitting their allegiance, but still vote Tory in large numbers

#starmer has an issue with both #farLeft - upset by centrist talk & treatment of #corbyn - & #EUdiehards - disappointed he is not promising the impossible

What might give a big majority would be if #Farage recharged #Reform / #UKIP & siphoned off #nativist votes

@blepharon

This is what I know

Labour are just over 20% ahead in the polls

There are a lot of #shyTories & the real gap is smaller. We have had years of kipperTories screwing up the UK for doctrinaire reasons whilst their fellows were on the take. The last #Labour leader extended the #cameronToryEra by at least 5 years to our cost

Were #Labour to come out with a commitment to FoM I think they would not get a majority.

I don't beleive in leadershop cults - they usually disappoint

@B__50000_

You confuse being left wing with being pro-rejoin, and being cautious about the political consequences of committing to that with being right-wing

Starmer has the numbers - he knows that the polls flatter Labour with a 20% lead that takes no account of #shyTories, who will return to #Sunak in the next #GeneralElection .

The #EU will not consider any attempt by the UK to rejoin for some years. Why risk victory by making empty promises?

@matticolley

Neither do I - advocate away!

But #Starmer has electoral calculations to make - that 20% poll lead shrinks a lot once you accept there are many #shyTories ... were he to advocate FoM as a Labour policy I honestly think it would reduce the Labour lead, not increase it.

To be clear, I am in favour of FoM & was always against #Brexit, in my view a massive act of self-harm.

@BobM

"his loyal supporters" do not post this sort of criticism.....his left-wing critics do (basically they hate him for not being #Corbyn)

The #1priority for any #LOTO is to achieve power, and #2priority to do so whilst avoiding as many hard commitments (s)he can be hit over the head with afterwards. I think #Starmer is doing OK, and critics are under-estimating the number of #shyTories there are to narrow the #pollLead from over 20% to something much closer.