There is a lot to tear apart and sink your teeth into in this article so I'll take it point by point. Not necessarily going through the article in chronological order: https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2020/dec/09/tory-leigh-still-unconvinced-by-labour?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter

1) The retired nurse approving of cutting the foreign aid budget: this is indicative of one large thing primarily - Labour failing, totally and utterly, to shift the goalposts and change the frame of debate.

In 2017, it became clear that austerity was becoming politically toxic. So what was the messaging the Tories started to put out?

Repeated messaging of the Tories trying to distance themselves rhetorically, if not materially, from the policy of austerity

This was down to a large part because of Corbyn and the movement that sprang up around him. He was the only candidate in 2015 arguing ardently against austerity and he managed to very successfully shift the frame of debate...

...so much so the Tories are *still* tepid about announcing austerity measures.

Labour is not properly tackling this rhetoric by the Tories - making out that foreign aid is large or that cutting it will make any material difference to the people in Leigh.

You do not win until you shift the debate to the arena you want it in - the arena you are stronger in. If we are *constantly* working within the frame of debate the Tories set we will always lose. We need to reconfigure the national frame of debate and kick the Overton Window.

2) "Labour is fighting culture wars" which is the wrong battle: Hard disagree. Culture wars are real and you can win on them. Nowadays, you need to polarise in the right way and piss off the right people to win. There is no centre ground anymore - so stop chasing it.

Labour could so easily win the culture wars it's unbelievable. Labour could skewer them on things such as Prince Andrew, Tories eating subsidised dinners in Westminster whilst they take free school meals away, the Tories giving billions to their mates in public contracts, etc..

There is an absolute arsenal of populist ammunition to be firing at the Tories right now that could really resonate with voters like in Leigh. Labour wins when it is populist. Let the Liberal Democrats be the party of centrist, establishment, hand-wringing wets.

3) Starmer's PMQ performance: Yeah have to agree with the former copper there. The opposition should have such an easy job at PMQs; it's easy to attack, much harder to defend and the opposition has the luxury of constantly being on the attack.

People are struggling. They are angry. LOTO should be reflecting that. PMQs should not be treated as an order of business - it should be treated as a performance, even theatrics. It is the opportunity to ask both serious, hard-hitting questions and show passion that resonates.

Starmer isn't doing that. He's robotic. Cold. You can tell he's very removed from a lot of the issues he's discussing.

4) Corbyn: Yeah doesn't really tell us anything we don't already know - Corbyn was unpopular. The key differentiation is that the man was unpopular but his ideas have an incredible amount of staying power. People don't want centrism - they want Corbynism without Corbyn.

5) Should've Respected the Referendum: Yes.

6) Dominic Cummings Barnard Castle issue: I disagree with the bloke in this article. I think Starmer and Labour didn't focus on that enough. There were a lot of people that were pissed off by that and Labour didn't take enough advantage of it.