(1) "That's not what I'm hearing on doorsteps up and down the country."
(2) "I make no apology for supporting/attacking/proposing...."
(3) "We think it's fair to ask the wealthiest to pay a little more." ASK?
(4) "Rachel Reeves has made clear".... something that she hasn't made clear.
(5) "Working people" and "hard-working people". Phrases that Wes Streeting was asked to define yesterday and couldn't.
"What's important...." - the classic way of trying to head off a difficult question.

My word, I'll be glad when this depressing circus is over.

How do you know a politician is lying?

Their lips are moving.

One more point

I'm struggling to think of politicians of real substance currently. Would almost be refreshing to hear people like Corbyn - he seems to actually have ideals if you agree with them or not. Plus, there's the odd comical policy from flamboyant politicians - which I guess the only one I can think of now is Galloway.
They're nearly all so boring and seem to toe the party line now - so you essentially just get no answer to any genuine, specific questions.
One solution I could think of would be legally binding manifestos - say something like if a promise is made in a manifesto then it has to be achieved or a new election is called. But I guess all that would mean is watered down manifestos - which is what we pretty much already have.
Basically seems to have a bunch of used car salesmen politicians currently but they make Arthur Daley look like a classical Shakespearian performance with their sheer lack of guile, common sense and, frankly, intelligence. Outside of party leaders and a couple of notable villains/ heroes I'd struggle to name any of the current cabinet - same for the shadow cabinet. They're all just so forgettable. They have scandals and are so lack lustre that we all forget by the next day. There's nothing even remotely interesting about any of them.
It makes it pretty obvious how people like Boris do well. Think about this: I bet you know the colour of Boris's eyes - do you know Starmer's - I would have to guess. Is there something in that? I suspect there is.

Red and Blue Army!

Does anyone need to be told that Keir Starmer's dad was a toolmaker?
I'd have though that it was obvious to anyone. His dad made a proper tool.

The whole Labour shadow cabinet are weirdos.

Fully costed... Fully costed... bleep bleep...

I think I just said that.

I cannot hear the phrases, Fully costed, smash the gangs, no plan, crashed the economy, Tory chaos, tax trap or stability with change again before the election. These muppets are doing my head in.

I just turn the TV down.

They have. And all come from a similar background. Usually teenage involvement with politics even before University followed by involvement at a local level.

Now in and of itself, not really a bad thing but I also think that what that does is effectively have a political system that spawns its own.

Plus, and this is not any of their fault, almost none of them have had the experience of war. Probably since about 1930 onwards until perhaps the late 80's, we had a political class almost all forged in their youths in two horrendous world-wars. And not only stress tested by the violence but also the struggle between competing forms of political ideology. Communism, Fascism, National Socialism etc all competing with the idea that Liberal Democracy was the best way for the (supra in the case of Communism) nation-state to be run. This was a political class who had witnessed, very often first-hand, the consequences of politics playing out in its most severe form.

Where as what we have now is essentially a managerial class. People who have emerged rather then been forged.

Now its possible to pull that last sentence apart and accuse it, with some justification, of being hyperbolic BUT I think does capture an essence of the wider problem we face.

We are led by people who have never truly had to face up to what it means to actually lead. People who have never faced up to any kind of meaningful sacrifice.

Hence why they have to be taught how to pretend.

Leaving us bereft of anybody who can truly inspire.

"The Party told you to reject the evidence of your eyes and ears. It was their final, most essential command." - 1984 - George Orwell.