Starmer to embrace ‘nanny state’ with plan for toothbrushing in schools
www.theguardian.com
Labour leader hits out at perceived criticism as he attacks Tory record on child health

Keir Starmer has said he is “up for the fight” of defending the “nanny state” as he announced plans to improve child health under a Labour government, including supervised toothbrushing in schools.

The Labour leader said that children were “probably the biggest casualty” of the Tories’ sticking-plaster approach to politics over the past 14 years, adding that, if the government were a parent, they could be charged with neglect.

“I know that we need to take on this question of the nanny state,” he told reporters. “The moment you do anything on child health, people say ‘you’re going down the road of the nanny state.’ We want to have that fight.”

Ahead of a visit to a children’s hospital, Starmer criticised the Tories’ record on child health. “They’re probably the biggest casualty of sticking-plaster politics in the last 14 years,” he said. “Frankly, if parents had treated children as badly as the UK government has, they would probably be charged with neglect. It’s that bad.”

  • Tenebris Nox@feddit.ukEnglish
    20·
    10 months ago

    I’m happy with having a “nanny state” if it means my sons can get dental treatment. The only NHS dentist in our area won’t take appointments (unless you go private) and say that if children are in pain to call 111. As a child I went for a check up every 6 months. That’s now not possible since Tory austerity.

    • floofloof@lemmy.caEnglish
      14·
      10 months ago

      It’s so depressing watching how Starmer’s main priority is to avoid doing or committing to any substantive change at all.

      • Big P@feddit.ukEnglish
        3·
        10 months ago

        And yet I also see people saying he’s doing too much, going too far in the wrong direction, and I bet if he committed to any change right now people would be saying that he’s going too far left and alienating the center-left voters, saying he’s a communist etc. The British public won’t vote for a hard left labour leader as we saw with Corbyn. Something palatable needs to be presented for labour to win

        • Daniel Quinn@lemmy.caEnglish
          2·
          8 months ago

          Corbyn has joined the South African contingent in defending Palestinian civilians against genocide. Starmer won’t even condemn Tory prosecution of Just Stop Oil protesters.

          People on the Left reward conviction and principles. We show up and fight for leaders who inspire us toward a better future. Maybe Starmer can still win without our support, but what indeed will any of us “win” if he does?

          • Big P@feddit.ukEnglish
            2·
            10 months ago

            Not having the tories. it’s a lot harder for them to get rid of labour again once they’re already in and a lot easier for them to get more leftist policies in

            • Daniel Quinn@lemmy.caEnglish
              1·
              10 months ago

              That’s a lot of faith to place in a leader and party who have shown zero evidence of principle or conviction.

              • Big P@feddit.ukEnglish
                2·
                10 months ago

                Well what’s the alternative? You require more faith to think green will get in, lib dems are tory lite and voting for the tories would just be stupid.

                • Daniel Quinn@lemmy.caEnglish
                  1·
                  10 months ago

                  Of course not. No, you vote for parties who want the same things you do, to remind Labour that your vote isn’t a forgone conclusion. So long as they can count on your vote by simply being “not Tory” that’s all you’ll ever get.

        • Twig@sopuli.xyzEnglish
          2·
          10 months ago

          Completely agree. Anything deemed too much and he’ll be dancing at the Cenotaph and supporting the IRA (or something).

      • Daniel Quinn@lemmy.caEnglish
        1·
        10 months ago

        You mean the guy advocating for changes this country desperately needed? You’re right, let’s only have leaders bent on doing nothing.

        • Twig@sopuli.xyzEnglish
          1·
          10 months ago

          I’d rather someone elected who can make small positive changes than someone who can’t get elected, but stands for huge changes.

          The last two attempts at the latter didn’t work, let’s try something pragmatic.

  • Borkingheck@lemmy.worldEnglish
    4·
    10 months ago

    Why do we have such teeth decay issues? It’s going to be too much access to sugar which is linked to obesity.

    Maybe get more dentists and dentist visits back in schools?

    • tal@lemmy.todayEnglish
      1·
      10 months ago

      Why do we have such teeth decay issues? It’s going to be too much access to sugar which is linked to obesity.

      I think that tooth decay has been around for a long time. It’s just that, go back a couple hundred years, people tended to have tooth problems relative to where they are today.