The next Labour Leader

[horizon]

Do we think that a Labour leadership contender TV debate would be interesting and entertaining? I'd certainly watch it.

Given what I wrote above, I would rather not be infantilised by the process. Entertainment it might be, of value, very little.

[Spinners]

Do we think that a Labour leadership contender TV debate would be interesting and entertaining? I'd certainly watch it.

Given what I wrote above, I would rather not be infantilised by the process. Entertainment it might be, of value, very little.

I'll take that as a maybe then.

[horizon]

Do we think that a Labour leadership contender TV debate would be interesting and entertaining? I'd certainly watch it.

Given what I wrote above, I would rather not be infantilised by the process. Entertainment it might be, of value, very little.

I'll take that as a maybe then.

The problem is the "X Factor" concept. As children we do believe in fairy godmothers and knights in shining armour. As adults we want to relax and believe in Strictly Come Dancing. But if we allow the management of our public life to be turned into a reality TV show then we will only get what we deserve. I did suggest Bob Monkhouse for leader and I stand by that.

[Oldjohnw]

Since I'm not a member of the Labour Party and don't, therefore, have a vote, at one level I'm not overly interested in a televised beauty concert. I was interested in some of the Tory leadership contest because this was about the PM. The next Labour leader might or might not be PM. And almost certainly not for 5 years.

[Ben@Forest]

The problem is the "X Factor" concept. As children we do believe in fairy godmothers and knights in shining armour. As adults we want to relax and believe in Strictly Come Dancing. But if we allow the management of our public life to be turned into a reality TV show then we will only get what we deserve. I did suggest Bob Monkhouse for leader and I stand by that.

Ed Balls was on R5 Live this morning, mainly to talk about stammering (and how such issues affect people) and a TV programme he's about to start hosting.

He was of course asked about both his wife's likelihood of standing for the Labour leadership and whether he'd ever go back into politics. He barely intimated the faintest suggestion of 'never say never' before the radio host was all over it, like a hyena finding day-old meat. But he has your entertainment back story now!

[PH]

It looks like Keir Starmer is going to walk it in the race for the Leadership. Personally, I would have had him overany Labour leader in the past ten years. He's got the grit and the gravitas to take on Boris and the party opposite. The problem now though is perennial: the unions and the power they wield.

As I may have said upthread, I believe the party is making a mistake if it decides on the new leader before it decides on the key policies, in particular it's stand on Brexit. From the same yougov poll of party members that puts Keir Starmer in a winning position:

Long-Bailey is rated first choice by 19% of Labour members who voted Remain, but scores 31% of those who voted Leave.
Sir Keir is backed as first choice by 34% of Remainers in the survey, but only supported by 17% of Leavers.

I don't know who I'll be voting for, I'm open to being swayed by their campaigns, though some are ruled out by their previous actions.

The problem now though is perennial: the unions and the power they wield.

What power is this? The leader is selected by the membership, one member one vote, the days of the union block votes is long gone.

[al_yrpal]

The new Labour Leader will be someone from the hard left promising the same sort of agenda as Corbyn. The 250,000+ new members, many from the extreme left such as the Militant Tendency and SWP that were previously thrown out will probably ensure that. This will ensure that Labour remains unelectable for the immediate future. I wonder if at some point Labour moderates will split off and form a new party of the moderate left?

Al

[PH]

The new Labour Leader will be someone from the hard left Al

I hope so, well that's your definition of hard left, it's what most of us call the Labour Party.

I wonder if at some point Labour moderates will split off and form a new party of the moderate left?

No need to split off, a party already exists for those who want to follow a monetarist agenda with a bit of feeling, those MP's who left in the last parliament fitted straight in, why wouldn't a disaffected member?

[horizon]

The new Labour Leader will be someone from the hard left promising the same sort of agenda as Corbyn.

Al

Strangely reassuring to hear Corbyn's response to the American Iraq murders on Radio 4 this morning. I hope he sticks around a bit longer.

[NATURAL ANKLING]

Hi,
Yes about three months his own words.
But that's going to be a long three months and probably extended to, bad news for labour

Al has got it right, A new party for sure, any mould based on old party will only bring more of the same.

[Oldjohnw]

I didn't hear Corbyn today but in the past he has been called an extremist when he expresses a reluctance for war whilst those who would press the nuclear button first (a new doctrine: it was never first strike) are called moderates.

[Whippet]

What do the collective think of Jess Phillips? From the perspective of re-gaining the lost Labour voters, I think she may be a good choice. Despite being remain, I think she could communicate well with the northern leave areas that have abandoned Labour. Sadly, I suspect that the party membership won’t back her in sufficient numbers though.

[Mike Sales]

I didn't hear Corbyn today but in the past he has been called an extremist when he expresses a reluctance for war whilst those who would press the nuclear button first (a new doctrine: it was never first strike) are called moderates.

He would have to ask permission from the Yanks before pressing the button anyway.

[al_yrpal]

What do the collective think of Jess Phillips? From the perspective of re-gaining the lost Labour voters, I think she may be a good choice. Despite being remain, I think she could communicate well with the northern leave areas that have abandoned Labour. Sadly, I suspect that the party membership won’t back her in sufficient numbers though.

There are many good choices for a new Labour leader. Problem is they aint going to get elected by the massive hard left wing rump that now controls the Party unless something radically changes

Al

[PH]

There are many good choices for a new Labour leader. Problem is they aint going to get elected by the massive hard left wing rump that now controls the Party unless something radically changes
Al

I don't know if it's simple political agitation or ignorance, but your much repeated catchphrases lack any sort of analysis. Rather than the name calling, why not discuss policy? You choose, any policy you want, lets see how radically left wing it is.
Did you hear Keir Starmer unofficially launch his leadership campaign at a community centre a day or so ago? Sorry I can't find the vid, he listed one after the other the things there'd be no going back on, so many of them I wondered why we were changing leader. He's also repeated several times that he's no Corbynite but he is a socialist, I find him a bit wet, what do you think of him? Which policies do you think you'll approve/disapprove of? let's have some discussion rather than the drip, drip. drip of meaningless sound bites.
Militant, one of your favourites, do you know what it was? It defined Kinnock’s leadership years and you're still chuntering on about it, do you want to go find out how many militants the witch hunts found and expelled? Or even have a guess at it?