Anas Sarwar

[Afro]

 
As I say, I could write a dissertation on the reason I'm not voting for him.

You seem a decent poster in this section NTP, IIRC you're pro-independence (correct me if I'm wrong) - given the complete Jim Hunt SLab have made of it in recent years, why are you a member?

FWIW, I'm not a fan of SLab but Leonard is obviously the outstanding candidate compared to a c**t like Sarwar. Would be good for the SP if Leonard was SLab leader, too.

[NotThePars]

 

You seem a decent poster in this section NTP, IIRC you're pro-independence (correct me if I'm wrong) - given the complete Jim Hunt SLab have made of it in recent years, why are you a member?

 

FWIW, I'm not a fan of SLab but Leonard is obviously the outstanding candidate compared to a c**t like Sarwar. Would be good for the SP if Leonard was SLab leader, too.

 

 

Have this likely mad belief that Scottish Labour can be reformed and a force for good in the Scottish parliament. Leonard has good politics and a good background and I know people actively involved in running his campaign and they're all good socialists. I think it'll be good for the SNP as well as it'll drag them leftwards and hopefully will be good for Scotland. I did vote for independence and would probably vote for it again but I'm uncertain whether the country would atm.

 

It might be a false dawn but I think Leonard is the first good candidate Slab have had in years and the increasing entitled tone of Sarwar supporters on the right such as Murray over their gradual sidelining hopefully means a beginning of getting rid of them out the party. More young left leaning members and mandatory reselection and by 2021/2022 they'll be looking for new jobs. Or Sarwar will win and i'll be politically homeless again.

[Afro]

 
 
Have this likely mad belief that Scottish Labour can be reformed and a force for good in the Scottish parliament. Leonard has good politics and a good background and I know people actively involved in running his campaign and they're all good socialists. I think it'll be good for the SNP as well as it'll drag them leftwards and hopefully will be good for Scotland. I did vote for independence and would probably vote for it again but I'm uncertain whether the country would atm.
 
It might be a false dawn but I think Leonard is the first good candidate Slab have had in years and the increasing entitled tone of Sarwar supporters on the right such as Murray over their gradual sidelining hopefully means a beginning of getting rid of them out the party. More young left leaning members and mandatory reselection and by 2021/2022 they'll be looking for new jobs. Or Sarwar will win and i'll be politically homeless again.

Fair play mate. Agree with you broadly that SLab need more folk like Leonard and less chancers like Sarwar and Murray. Anything that pulls the SNP to the left should be applauded; even if it's SLab.

[Antlion]

7 hours ago, NotThePars said:

 

 

Have this likely mad belief that Scottish Labour can be reformed and a force for good in the Scottish parliament. Leonard has good politics and a good background and I know people actively involved in running his campaign and they're all good socialists. I think it'll be good for the SNP as well as it'll drag them leftwards and hopefully will be good for Scotland. I did vote for independence and would probably vote for it again but I'm uncertain whether the country would atm.

 

It might be a false dawn but I think Leonard is the first good candidate Slab have had in years and the increasing entitled tone of Sarwar supporters on the right such as Murray over their gradual sidelining hopefully means a beginning of getting rid of them out the party. More young left leaning members and mandatory reselection and by 2021/2022 they'll be looking for new jobs. Or Sarwar will win and i'll be politically homeless again.

I knew nothing about Leonard prior to the STV debate. He came across as a fucking moron, whilst Sarwar came across as a shit, wannabe Tony Blair (but even creepier and less sincere). Given all I'd read, I was hoping for better from Leonard.

[renton]

7 hours ago, Afro said:

 

 

Fair play mate. Agree with you broadly that SLab need more folk like Leonard and less chancers like Sarwar and Murray. Anything that pulls the SNP to the left should be applauded; even if it's SLab.

 

Is Leonard less of a chancer than Sarwar? It's not like he's some heavy hitting left winger, with a history of speaking his mind on the issues of the day is it? He's not some prince over the water type figure, leader of an alternative left wing cabal within Labour building it's time against the Blairite incumbents.  There is no track record of intervention (significant or otherwise), just some timid arsehole list MSP who thinks his time has come because he's literally the only c**t in the branch office with any links to Comrade Corbyn. Toom Tabard indeed.

[Chester Desmond]

5 hours ago, renton said:

Is Leonard less of a chancer than Sarwar? It's not like he's some heavy hitting left winger, with a history of speaking his mind on the issues of the day is it? He's not some prince over the water type figure, leader of an alternative left wing cabal within Labour building it's time against the Blairite incumbents.  There is no track record of intervention (significant or otherwise), just some timid arsehole list MSP who thinks his time has come because he's literally the only c**t in the branch office with any links to Comrade Corbyn. Toom Tabard indeed.

You know literally nothing about the labour (with a small 'L') movement in Scotland in the last 20+ years, do you?

[bob the tank]

You know literally nothing about the labour (with a small 'L') movement in Scotland in the last 20+ years, do you?

Well tell us then, we're all waiting in anticipation

[Chester Desmond]

On 10/27/2017 at 18:26, bob the tank said:

 

Well tell us then, we're all waiting in anticipation

 

Sorry it took a while.

 

Richard Leonard's been heavily involved in trade unionism in Scotland for 20+ years, in both the GMB and STUC, and has been active in the wider movement.  So he's hardly the "timid arsehole list MSP" that renton believes him to be.

Edited November 15, 2017 by Chester Desmond

[Granny Danger]

21 minutes ago, Chester Desmond said:

Sorry it took a while.

 

Richard Leonard's been heavily involved in trade unionism in Scotland for 20+ years, in both the GMB and STUC, and has been active in the wider movement.  So he's hardly the "timid arsehole list MSP" that renton believes him to be.

You make these statements as if both the Labour Party and trade union movement are self evident bastions of progressive politics.

The actions of the Labour Party over the last two decades doesn’t suggest that, and the trade union movement is, as it has been for years, split amongst many factions that range from progressive to outright reactionary.

 

[ayrmad]

On 27/10/2017 at 01:34, NotThePars said:

 

 

Have this likely mad belief that Scottish Labour can be reformed and a force for good in the Scottish parliament. Leonard has good politics and a good background and I know people actively involved in running his campaign and they're all good socialists. I think it'll be good for the SNP as well as it'll drag them leftwards and hopefully will be good for Scotland. I did vote for independence and would probably vote for it again but I'm uncertain whether the country would atm.

 

It might be a false dawn but I think Leonard is the first good candidate Slab have had in years and the increasing entitled tone of Sarwar supporters on the right such as Murray over their gradual sidelining hopefully means a beginning of getting rid of them out the party. More young left leaning members and mandatory reselection and by 2021/2022 they'll be looking for new jobs. Or Sarwar will win and i'll be politically homeless again.

I'm not convinced SLAB could pull their own pudding never mind pull a a vastly superior political party in a desired direction, we've sharper people pushing the trolleys at my local supermarkets.

[Chester Desmond]

53 minutes ago, Granny Danger said:

You make these statements as if both the Labour Party and trade union movement are self evident bastions of progressive politics.

The actions of the Labour Party over the last two decades doesn’t suggest that, and the trade union movement is, as it has been for years, split amongst many factions that range from progressive to outright reactionary.

 

The point I was replying to was that Richard Leonard has appeared from nowhere with no track record.  Whatever your opinion of the Labour Party or trade unionism, that isn't the case.

[NotThePars]

I'm not convinced SLAB could pull their own pudding never mind pull a a vastly superior political party in a desired direction, we've sharper people pushing the trolleys at my local supermarkets.

Whoever wins this election will likely shine a light on which direction the party will go. All of the deadweight and notable figures of the banter years are conveniently starting their meltdowns over Corbynista vote rigging before the result's even been made known so maybe they'll piss off pronto.

[bob the tank]

Sorry it took a while.
 
Richard Leonard's been heavily involved in trade unionism in Scotland for 20+ years, in both the GMB and STUC, and has been active in the wider movement.  So he's hardly the "timid arsehole list MSP" that renton believes him to be.

I was a gmb member for 30 years, and hadn't heard of Richard Leonard until the "leadership contest" began. I do remember another of his predecessors who used the union to elevate himself though, is this the Leonard plan too? I have given my experience of union hierarchies on here before, and in my experience it is all for good of the full time officials, and not the people paying their union money every month.

[bob the tank]

Oh and I nearly forgot if folk dont know, a great exposé of labour in Scotland at work in the film " The Only Game In Town" on YouTube now, all about the PFI/PPP case in North Ayrshire when the lib/lab coalition were running Holyrood. If BBC werent the voice of the establishment they might have shown this, but we know that would never happen. It's an excellent watch, so don't let the slow start put anybody off, stick with it and get angry.

[Chester Desmond]

I was a gmb member for 30 years, and hadn't heard of Richard Leonard until the "leadership contest" began. I do remember another of his predecessors who used the union to elevate himself though, is this the Leonard plan too? I have given my experience of union hierarchies on here before, and in my experience it is all for good of the full time officials, and not the people paying their union money every month.

If it is his plan then it's been a very long term one!

I have similar concerns over full-time officials. The union I'm a member of claims to be a lay member lead democracy which sounds terrific, but is somewhat different in reality. I take the view that it's up to members to organise to change that.

[jacobsladder]

Richard Leonard is new leader - bye bye Anas !!!!!!

[Highlandmagyar 2nd String]

Richard Leonard is new leader - bye bye Anas !!!!!!

Thank Christ for that.

[jacobsladder]

Was listening to Richard Leonard’s speech - after two minutes I was nodding off - it was like listening to a university lecture on socialism for dummies

[Kejan]

Know nothing about Leonard, but its always happy to see Sarwar losing a seat, election or leadership contest!

Take it Leonard is a ''I've always been a socialist'' type riding on the coat tails of Corbyn?

 

Edited November 18, 2017 by Kejan

[ayrmad]

13 minutes ago, jacobsladder said:

Richard Leonard is new leader - bye bye Anas !!!!!!

ffs, YES just aren't getting the breaks these days.