The next Labour leader thread

Soldato
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With Leadsom pulling out of the Conservative leadership race and May being the defacto winner Labour really can't afford another leadership election of their own right now. The coup has failed, they'll have to find a way to make it work.
 
Soldato
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Provided Corbyn refuses to go we will see Angela Magpie be annihilated. The only vote she has is the woman's vote and those who aren't capable of looking at her past records or comments.

Can you really imagine a cry baby getting into opposition leadership? Corbyn has a mandate from 60% of the Labour voters and now because of this likely far higher.
 
Soldato
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With Leadsom pulling out of the Conservative leadership race and May being the defacto winner Labour really can't afford another leadership election of their own right now. The coup has failed, they'll have to find a way to make it work.

Agreed, but Leadsom timed it to perfection. Waited for Eagle to initiate the campaign and then left. Tories with a clear leader and message, plenty of time for the media to cover nothing but the Labour party's election and internal division. Labour's pretty much done for, May will try to own the arguments we've been using for the past year about unsustainable arbitrary deficit targets, bonuses and tax avoidance. And she will do it better than anyone, certainly than Eagle. At least if Corbyn stays on he'll show that the party is actually principled and can provide an alternative, other than the sort of wishy washy, appeal to everyone approach that the electorate has flat out rejected.
 
Soldato
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And yet she is still more electable than corbyn among the general electorate...

The Blairites think that, but they are mistaken. They don't realise that the country has changed significantly over the last 20 years and the formulae of old don't work and are not what people want. Whether Corbyn is the answer, I'm not sure, but Blairism is dead in my view.
 
Caporegime
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Is this really the best available?!


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Man of Honour
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The Blairites think that, but they are mistaken. They don't realise that the country has changed significantly over the last 20 years and the formulae of old don't work and are not what people want. Whether Corbyn is the answer, I'm not sure, but Blairism is dead in my view.

It's not been even 10 years since Blair left as PM.

There hasn't been a huge shift to the left, the GE results simply don't bear that out - and that's what JC is offering.
 
Soldato
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Angela Eagle faces the prospect of a 'No Confidence' motion from her own CLP. Potentially other MPs, too, amid frustration from CLPs and members that their desire for a fair contest isn't being acknowledged. It'll be interesting to see how that pans out. Could Corbyn get the necessary nominations yet?
 
Caporegime
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Angela Eagle faces the prospect of a 'No Confidence' motion from her own CLP. Potentially other MPs, too, amid frustration from CLPs and members that their desire for a fair contest isn't being acknowledged. It'll be interesting to see how that pans out. Could Corbyn get the necessary nominations yet?

... and her CLP has had an influx of some 300 new members in the last few months, taking their membership to 1200. Make of that what you will.
 
Soldato
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good grief Labour are doomed - I can appreciate the membership wanting Corbyn in as the leader but what he doesn't seem to get is that is he supposed to lead. Given most of his party just aren't interested and he doesn't seem to be providing any opposition to the Tories I don't know what the point is at the moment. Seems the status quo will continue
 
Soldato
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I saw a Corbyn interview on Andrew Marrs show and he came across quite well I thought.

Don't get me wrong - the blokes not an idiot and can talk a good talk but where is the opposition party that is holding the government to account - its not a one man show

If it all goes as expected in this leadership battle then I wonder what will happen the first vote that goes through parliament he asks for his MP's to support him with
 
Soldato
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When Labour was a party of Government or possible Government they were beyond the pale for a whole bunch of holier than thou lefties. As soon as the chance to elect a full on "I can't believe it's not the eighties" socialist lefty comes along they all return to the fold. The only problem this apparent "popularity" is illusory because they're appealing to the tendencies that made Labour unelectable for a decade and driving away the centrist wing that gave them power.

Corbyn is a gift to the conservatives, he has so much baggage real and false that can be used against him. He dooms the Labour Party. But because he's managed to use dog whistle politics to pull in the fringes of the party's unelectable side he thinks he has a mandate. And he does, a mandate to create policies and write a manifesto that leads to abject failure. No wonder his MP's are running scared. Political purity is no doubt far more important to him than electoral success. The irony is Labour forced this situation on themselves and now they have to take their medicine.
 
Soldato
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When Labour was a party of Government or possible Government they were beyond the pale for a whole bunch of holier than thou lefties. As soon as the chance to elect a full on "I can't believe it's not the eighties" socialist lefty comes along they all return to the fold. The only problem this apparent "popularity" is illusory because they're appealing to the tendencies that made Labour unelectable for a decade and driving away the centrist wing that gave them power.

Corbyn is a gift to the conservatives, he has so much baggage real and false that can be used against him. He dooms the Labour Party. But because he's managed to use dog whistle politics to pull in the fringes of the party's unelectable side he thinks he has a mandate. And he does, a mandate to create policies and write a manifesto that leads to abject failure. No wonder his MP's are running scared. Political purity is no doubt far more important to him than electoral success. The irony is Labour forced this situation on themselves and now they have to take their medicine.

That's a pretty simplistic interpretation. In a lot of ways we've come full circle - in the 80s people were sick of what they saw as indulgent radical policy and wanted someone statesmanlike who could be trusted not to rock the boat too much. Now, people are sick of that exact type of polished, pre-prepared statement politician who doesn't take a stance on anything for fear of alienating any section of the electorate.

Corbyn does have some slightly controversial history, but he can explain it and stand by it. In reality, he's actually probably the best candidate Labour has at the minute because of his innate likeability. Even his worst enemies within the party have said how kind, open and approachable he is. And that's a very valuable tool on the campaign trail and in debates when all the opponents are playing a very different game. A game which the PLP seem to want to play, but aren't anywhere near as good at as the tories.
 
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