Well, here we are. The day I never thought would come: Polly Toynbee, veteran Guardian columnist, saying Labour should learn a thing or two from Donald Trump. It’s like watching a cat snuggle up to a dog—confusing, slightly unnatural, and yet, oddly heartwarming!
Trump and Polly: The Odd Couple
Polly Toynbee has always been a steady presence in political commentary. Me? I admire her writing but occasionally find her full-throttle defence of Starmer tedious, like the political equivalent of drinking lukewarm tea because it’s polite. But one thing we’ve always agreed on: we hate Trump. We’d probably could form a club, we both live in Lewes after all. Except now, she’s out here suggesting Trump might have accidentally done something worth copying.
Her article title, “Here’s what Labour should learn from Donald Trump,” hit me like a rogue weather warning. My first thought? “Polly’s gone rogue.” My second? “Hang on, I was thinking the same thing yesterday!” Either we’ve both been radicalised, or we’re living in some bizarre political fever dream where Trump is an accidental muse for progress.
The Trump Playbook: Smash It Up
Let’s face it—Western politics has been stuck in a feedback loop of pontification and procrastination for decades. Politicians come in, promise radical change, and leave office having rearranged some deckchairs on the Titanic. Meanwhile, Trump stomped in, muttered something like “to hell with that,” and started booting down doors with executive orders. I don’t agree with many of those decisions, but let’s give credit where it’s due: he didn’t just talk about change. He bulldozed it into existence.
While most politicians are nervously clutching at focus group data, Trump went full chaos mode. Antiquated systems? Middle management? Declining services? He kicked them all into orbit. And as much as it pains me to say it, that kind of action orientated approach is desperately needed in Europe.
Polly’s Trump Lite Vision
Polly’s right. If Labour, or any political party in Europe, wants to be taken seriously, they need to think big, fast, and radical. The first country to shake off its inertia and adopt a “rip it up and start again” mentality will become Europe’s economic frontrunner.
That’s not to say we need to embrace every Trumpian tactic. His habit of governing by social mediam tantrums, for example, can stay firmly in the bin. But the essence of his strategy, cutting through bureaucracy, ignoring the dithering, and actually doing something, is undeniably compelling.
Trump’s Win Win Paradox
Here’s the kicker: Trump’s approach is so extreme that, if it works, everyone begrudgingly admits he’s onto something. If it fails, well, no one liked him anyway, so it’s a win win. Meanwhile, the rest of the world looks on, chewing its fingernails, and secretly hoping for a blueprint to shake off decades of managed decline.
The Polly-Toynbee-Donald-Trump Venn Diagram
Let’s be clear: Polly hasn’t been radicalised. She’s not about to start tweeting at 3 a.m. about rigged elections or the size of her rallies. But what she’s recognised is that sometimes, change requires tearing up the rulebook and booting the system up the backside. Trump did it. And whether we like it or not, the results, good or bad, are impossible to ignore.
In conclusion, Polly’s article is a bit like admitting your least favourite uncle gave decent life advice once. It’s awkward, but it doesn’t make it any less true.
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