What is the point of Labour ?

[SandyCromarty]

The "new" face of Labour has more than likely been determined, obviously the far left failed as it was viewed as a past ideology of a 60's/70's Labour party.

As Blair's Labour was the last acceptable face of the party to the general public I can see them adopting similar policies to win another election, however this will again create  animosity and be viewed as a sell out by the left.

[Fullerene]

I am not sure it is all about policy.  I can remember when Tony Blair became leader of the Labour Party.  Even if you did not know what his policies were, he did come across as a credible leader and it was not surprising when they won in 1997.  You could argue that it went downhill once he was elected but that is a different matter.

As well as Blair, there were several Labour MPs around him that gave the impression they knew what the job entailed.  Again whether they did a good job or not was another matter.

By contrast Jeremy Corbyn never played the role of Prime Minister in waiting.  He was never expected to win the election except by some fluke.

I was always willing to give him the benefit of the doubt but time and again his performance was underwhelming.

[John Lambies Doos]

I am not sure it is all about policy.  I can remember when Tony Blair became leader of the Labour Party.  Even if you did not know what his policies were, he did come across as a credible leader and it was not surprising when they won in 1997.  You could argue that it went downhill once he was elected but that is a different matter.
As well as Blair, there were several Labour MPs around him that gave the impression they knew what the job entailed.  Again whether they did a good job or not was another matter.
By contrast Jeremy Corbyn never played the role of Prime Minister in waiting.  He was never expected to win the election except by some fluke.
I was always willing to give him the benefit of the doubt but time and again his performance was underwhelming.

I agree with this. Labour once got my vote and I'm embarrassed to say it was in1997. I got carried away by the Blair tide.

[BawWatchin]

4 hours ago, Fullerene said:

Except that people are already fed up of the Tories.  They saw the last government as one of the worst ever.  Plus Boris Johnson is widely regarded as a liar, a buffoon and a clown.

Yet he was seen as more credible than Corbyn.

Labour should have strolled into power at this election but instead they suffered their worst defeat.

Mmmhmm...... and why do you think people hated Corbyn so much?

[Granny Danger]

I wonder how long it will take before people can get over Corbyn?

He was a shit leader and his position on Brexit, the key issue of the last three years, was indefensible.  But he’ll soon be away.

The new leader needs to be far stronger when dealing with the PLP, anyone not willing to fall into line should have the whip withdrawn.  

Corbyn would never have done that (let’s face it he couldn’t have given his past record) but had he done so he would not have had to fight the last election on two fronts.

 

[Granny Danger]

I see Tom Watson is bumping his gums to the MSM looking for sympathy.

Nobody cares you no mark.

[O'Kelly Isley III]

There they go again....Mary Creagh writing in today's press claims that Labour's 'weak commitment to the union' cost them dearly in Scotland. Hmmm.

Someone should point out to Mary that Labour's pitiful commitment to Scotland over decades, reaching its nadir in 2014, has seen them reduced to one Britnat poodle MP.

[topcat(The most tip top)]

She's sort of right but in that 'English politician discovers the dynamic of a decade ago' sort of way.

There's certainly no votes to be had now in trying to be more unionist than the Tories, now that they've firmly planted their fleg. People who are unpersuadable unionists know who their team is now and won't vote for a party they see as being less committed.

What Creagh says also plays nicely into the HQ and branch office narrative, given some high profile Scottish Labour folk have begun to publicly waver/equivocate (delete according to cynicism) on independence.

But not everyone is “unpersuadeable”. The middle ground between British and Scottish nationalism is up for grabs and a party offering serious further devolution would at least be listened to.

[Granny Danger]

Clive Lewis might not have sufficient support in the PLP to get on the ballot paper, that would be a shame.

The number of potential candidates means it will be more difficult to secure the 21 endorsements needed.

[Fullerene]

On 27/12/2019 at 12:44, BawWatchin said:

Mmmhmm...... and why do you think people hated Corbyn so much?

I guess he was perceived as hating them.  Not too keen on the national anthem, the flag, the monarchy, the military.  Britain should apologise for its role in history. America and Israel too. Everybody else is not so bad.  That sort of thing.

Of course he has a point on some of it but he alienated a lot of people who might otherwise have voted Labour.

[Arsenal till I die]

On 29/12/2019 at 09:57, O'Kelly Isley III said:

There they go again....Mary Creagh writing in today's press claims that Labour's 'weak commitment to the union' cost them dearly in Scotland. Hmmm.

Someone should point out to Mary that Labour's pitiful commitment to Scotland over decades, reaching its nadir in 2014, has seen them reduced to one Britnat poodle MP.

She was the Labour leader in Islington when the Lib Dems got in, 2 terms in a row. Blair and Creagh made Labour unelectable in Islington. Had Corbyn towed the line, he'd have probably lost his seat.

[BawWatchin]

9 hours ago, Fullerene said:

I guess he was perceived as hating them.  Not too keen on the national anthem, the flag, the monarchy, the military.  Britain should apologise for its role in history. America and Israel too. Everybody else is not so bad.  That sort of thing.

Of course he has a point on some of it but he alienated a lot of people who might otherwise have voted Labour.

In other words, he called them c***s and he was right.

[Sir Tarmo Kink]

What is the point in Labour? Nothing. They are an undemocratic, vile, anti-semitic party for the upper class morons like Jezza C. Disgusting.

[BawWatchin]

10 hours ago, Sir Tarmo Kink said:

What is the point in Labour? Nothing. They are an undemocratic, vile, anti-semitic party for the upper class morons like Jezza C. Disgusting.

Indeed.....

The BBC calls it a "count error". 

Edited January 1, 2020 by BawWatchin

[welshbairn]

31 minutes ago, BawWatchin said:

Indeed.....The BBC calls it a "count error". 

What would you call it? The other parties got more votes than number of voters too, hardly something that would go unnoticed if it was deliberate.

https://www.swindonadvertiser.co.uk/news/17718264.highworth-election-error-the-story-so-far/

[SandyCromarty]

On 30/12/2019 at 12:00, Fullerene said:

I guess he was perceived as hating them.  Not too keen on the national anthem, the flag, the monarchy, the military.  Britain should apologise for its role in history. America and Israel too. Everybody else is not so bad.  That sort of thing.

Of course he has a point on some of it but he alienated a lot of people who might otherwise have voted Labour.

Basically he was ineffective in all political areas and better suited to protests which has been his forte over the years.

That was obvious from Day1 when he became Labour Leader.

[DrewDon]

Starmer beats Long-Bailey 61% to 39% in the final round of voting. 

[ICTChris]

It's a YouGov poll of Labour members.

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2020/jan/01/poll-of-labour-members-suggests-keir-starmer-is-first-choice#maincontent

[Granny Danger]

1 hour ago, ICTChris said:

It's a YouGov poll of Labour members.

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2020/jan/01/poll-of-labour-members-suggests-keir-starmer-is-first-choice#maincontent

I’m astounded by that and maybe a little sceptical.

Starmer would be the guy most likely to win a GE and whose government would be Tory Lite.

[Highlandmagyar 2nd Tier]

1 hour ago, Granny Danger said:

I’m astounded by that and maybe a little sceptical.

Starmer would be the guy most likely to win a GE and whose government would be Tory Lite.

A new Blair