Jeremy Corbyn - Not Not Labour Party(?), not a Communist (BBC)

Its a bit much when even the Daily Mail are slagging off Smiths attempts and declaring him worse than Corbyn. To think all these terribly electable and qualified Labour MPs who care so much about the party stood aside and let Eagle and Smith challenge.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/debate/a...tent-Owen-Smith-s-house-cards-collapsing.html

Remember when we were being told that Eagle/Smith were just the initial challengers and someone more viable would emerge long-term?:lol:
 
Very Kenobi-ish vibe from this photo

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Help me Jeremy Kenobi, you're my only hope.
 
Remember when we were being told that Eagle/Smith were just the initial challengers and someone more viable would emerge long-term?:lol:

I think that it is clear that Eagle/Smith were stalking horses once the disparate unhappy parties thought things were desperate enough that Corbyn needed to be challenged. There are plenty of viable candidates in one sense.

The political logic dictated that after the vote of confidence Corbyn would resign and figures like Cooper, Jarvis and Starmer (basically the big names who have remained silent throughout the crisis) would enter the fray. Of course, that didn't happen, so it looks like the other candidates chose to keep their powder dry rather than face Corbyn and a selectorate which would probably not choose them.
 
I think that it is clear that Eagle/Smith were stalking horses once the disparate unhappy parties thought things were desperate enough that Corbyn needed to be challenged. There are plenty of viable candidates in one sense.

The political logic dictated that after the vote of confidence Corbyn would resign and figures like Cooper, Jarvis and Starmer (basically the big names who have remained silent throughout the crisis) would enter the fray. Of course, that didn't happen, so it looks like the other candidates chose to keep their powder dry rather than face Corbyn and a selectorate which would probably not choose them.
The hustings and Corbyn's rallies have no doubt increased membership's confidence in Corbyn. Ironic, that.
 
The hustings and Corbyn's rallies have no doubt increased membership's confidence in Corbyn. Ironic, that.

Perhaps yes. Corbyn has certainly had more energy and enthusiasm since the leadership contest has started then he showed leading the party in my view. Possibly because he was speaking to a friendly audience.

Post September, the two key issues remain unresolved for Labour. First, the fact that the party membership is unrepresentative of Labour voters nationwide, and even more unrepresentative of the electorate at large. Second, the conundrum of how the current policies can win a GE majority when it flies in the face of electoral history and, probably, electoral logic.
 
Surely this thing about Khan being booed at the Corbyn rally today is bullshit?
 
Surely this thing about Khan being booed at the Corbyn rally today is bullshit?

Could be true. Owen Jones was getting a lot of flak from Corbyn fans for merely suggesting that the whole thing might not work out and for minor criticisms and he's about as left as they come, so Khan getting booed considering he's been fairly vocal in the fact that Corbyn might not be a good choice seems like something that would happen.

Suppose some would argue that Khan's been cynical and pragmatic in his approach of nominating Corbyn in the leadership contest to either open the debate or look like a supportive leftie, before going in another direction now he's got the Mayor gig and may have longer term leadership ambitions. The truth's somewhere in the middle...but then reasoning hasn't been the strong point of either side of the debate in this Labour dispute.
 
Just saw a video of it, good grief. Can't wait for this month to be over.
 
Could be true. Owen Jones was getting a lot of flak from Corbyn fans for merely suggesting that the whole thing might not work out and for minor criticisms and he's about as left as they come, so Khan getting booed considering he's been fairly vocal in the fact that Corbyn might not be a good choice seems like something that would happen.

Suppose some would argue that Khan's been cynical and pragmatic in his approach of nominating Corbyn in the leadership contest to either open the debate or look like a supportive leftie, before going in another direction now he's got the Mayor gig and may have longer term leadership ambitions. The truth's somewhere in the middle...but then reasoning hasn't been the strong point of either side of the debate in this Labour dispute.
I image he's getting a slagging off from Corbyn supporters because of his comments today in The Guardian. Although not that I care much as Khan pretty much fits your second paragraph, the back down on train fairs was enough to loose my interest in him(Also I'm pretty sure he hasn't talked at all about deliveroo payment scandul)
 
I image he's getting a slagging off from Corbyn supporters because of his comments today in The Guardian. Although not that I care much as Khan pretty much fits your second paragraph, the back down on train fairs was enough to loose my interest in him(Also I'm pretty sure he hasn't talked at all about deliveroo payment scandul)

Yeah, admittedly I don't know too much about him and it's still very early in his mayoral tenure, but it'll be interesting to see whether or not he ends up being another polished figure who looks good but doesn't deliver all that much.
 
Could be true. Owen Jones was getting a lot of flak from Corbyn fans for merely suggesting that the whole thing might not work out and for minor criticisms and he's about as left as they come, so Khan getting booed considering he's been fairly vocal in the fact that Corbyn might not be a good choice seems like something that would happen.

Suppose some would argue that Khan's been cynical and pragmatic in his approach of nominating Corbyn in the leadership contest to either open the debate or look like a supportive leftie, before going in another direction now he's got the Mayor gig and may have longer term leadership ambitions. The truth's somewhere in the middle...but then reasoning hasn't been the strong point of either side of the debate in this Labour dispute.

I'll just leave these here...



http://www.newstatesman.com/politic...y-london-was-jeremy-corbyn-s-not-sadiq-khan-s




Anyone on this football fan's forum other than Ubik outraged at a bit of booing?
 
To be fair Ubik did rush to condemn Ian Austin shouting "Sit down and shut up, you're a disgrace" while Corbyn was talking about the Iraq War dead in the HoC.

Actually they didn't, I just made that up.

feck me I dont always agree with you but that was a good one :lol:
 
Anyone on this football fan's forum other than Ubik outraged at a bit of booing?

Not so much outraged as resigned at the way the Left eats its own young. It's like the Spanish Civil War and the trenches outside Barcelona all over again....

Also, not that it matters much now, but this welfare Bill vote has taken on almost mythical proportions for all involved.
 
I'll just leave these here...



Anyone on this football fan's forum other than Ubik outraged at a bit of booing?
Outraged is the wrong word, more dismayed that people in the party are booing the new Labour mayor of London. The one who a few months back was enduring a racist campaign from Goldsmith.

But then it's a personality cult now, so I can't be that surprised.
 
Hardly surprised by Khan, rode Corbyn's popularity to get him elected as Mayor and now stabbing him in the back to further via own career. Khan shouldn't be surprised to find himself booed by the same people who were invaluable in helping him achieve the nomination and consequent victory.

Sian Berry will probably be licking her lips.
 
Outraged is the wrong word, more dismayed that people in the party are booing the new Labour mayor of London. The one who a few months back was enduring a racist campaign from Goldsmith.

But then it's a personality cult now, so I can't be that surprised.
I didn't think much of Khan's campaign, either, to be honest. Him winning felt rather 'lesser evil' - which is a shame as I liked the bloke before.
 
Hardly surprised by Khan, rode Corbyn's popularity to get him elected as Mayor and now stabbing him in the back to further via own career. Khan shouldn't be surprised to find himself booed by the same people who were invaluable in helping him achieve the nomination and consequent victory.

Sian Berry will probably be licking her lips.

Yeah, I've got no problem with Khan not backing Corbyn per se, but more so with the fact he nominated the guy and promised to stay out of the race, but now has somehow judged it a good time to turn against Corbyn at the time where his opponent both looks like a terrible potential leader, and is also struggling to actually differentiate himself from Corbyn policy wise.

I mean...from what Smith's told us, what's he offering that's different? He's trying to pitch a fair left-wing rhetoric to everyone, but that's exactly what Corbyn's doing. There's been an argument that Corbyn was sort of weak on defence, but then that's kind of gone out the window when Smith made those daft comments about getting ISIS round the table. You thus can't really argue he's more competent image wise than Corbyn, cause he's been making constant gaffes. So, if it's taken for this point for someone not to really back Corbyn anymore, then what's the reasoning?
 
That quote of him "not getting involved" is from less than a week after the referendum, in response to Hasan repeatedly asking him whether Corbyn should step down.
 
Not so much outraged as resigned at the way the Left eats its own young. It's like the Spanish Civil War and the trenches outside Barcelona all over again....

Also, not that it matters much now, but this welfare Bill vote has taken on almost mythical proportions for all involved.
I don't think people quite understand that the Labour party's vote had no impact on the vote succeeding or failing.
 
Kezia and McTernan? Oh Corbyn is in trouble now, with the Scottish Labour election dream team against him.

Christ, I nearly forgot about McTernan. It's difficult to take any possibility of Labour becoming a more likable party seriously when that cretin still clings onto whatever dying relevance he has left.

I don't personally dislike Dugdale; she's an utterly hopeless politician, but she seems like a nice enough person.

So her main issue with Corbyn is she doesn't think he'll ever be prime minister. She on the other hand is well on track to being Scotland's first minister with her one MP :lol:

It's embarrassing. The decline of Scottish Labour quite genuinely has feck all to do with Corbyn; it happened before his election, has been happening since the mid 2000's, and while Corbyn did nothing to reverse it last year, that's barely his fault at all. The constant need for Labour to divert all of their problems and loss of support onto various scapegoats, which have ranged from the SNP to Miliband to Corbyn, is part of why they're in decline.

It's also worth noting that Smith's record on Scotland is terrible. Couldn't be arsed to turn up to, or voted against, most of our full fiscal measures last year...and that's despite him thinking the Barnett Formula is outdated. Dugdale should be holding him to account on this, but I don't expect she will.
 
I don't think people quite understand that the Labour party's vote had no impact on the vote succeeding or failing.

That isn't quite the point. Rather that it was seen as an indication of where Labour was heading.
 
So Dugdale believes Owen Smith can be PM because he has radical policies and a credible plan of getting back into goverment.

Anyone know what this credible plan is?
 
I don't think people quite understand that the Labour party's vote had no impact on the vote succeeding or failing.
It was also different from the tax credits cuts, which the Tories were implementing through a statutory instrument. It was also a second reading, not a final vote.
 
So Dugdale believes Owen Smith can be PM because he has radical policies and a credible plan of getting back into goverment.

Anyone know what this credible plan is?

Getting the SNP...errr, I mean ISIS, round the table.
 
Hardly surprised by Khan, rode Corbyn's popularity to get him elected as Mayor and now stabbing him in the back to further via own career. Khan shouldn't be surprised to find himself booed by the same people who were invaluable in helping him achieve the nomination and consequent victory.

Sian Berry will probably be licking her lips.

Thats pretty much my opinion. I really dont want to see such booing but neither do i want to see key figures running to the papers to slag off the leader. Khan isnt representing his voters with that action at all, i hope he at least tried to argue when they told him he had to publically slag off Corbyn.
 
Christ, I nearly forgot about McTernan. It's difficult to take any possibility of Labour becoming a more likable party seriously when that cretin still clings onto whatever dying relevance he has left.

I don't personally dislike Dugdale; she's an utterly hopeless politician, but she seems like a nice enough person.



It's embarrassing. The decline of Scottish Labour quite genuinely has feck all to do with Corbyn; it happened before his election, has been happening since the mid 2000's, and while Corbyn did nothing to reverse it last year, that's barely his fault at all. The constant need for Labour to divert all of their problems and loss of support onto various scapegoats, which have ranged from the SNP to Miliband to Corbyn, is part of why they're in decline.

It's also worth noting that Smith's record on Scotland is terrible. Couldn't be arsed to turn up to, or voted against, most of our full fiscal measures last year...and that's despite him thinking the Barnett Formula is outdated. Dugdale should be holding him to account on this, but I don't expect she will.
Scotland? Well, he's from Wales. Obviously he cares more about them, right? Wrong.

http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/politics/plaid-cymru-called-owen-smith-11780433
 
Getting the SNP...errr, I mean ISIS, round the table.

Seriously though what is it and why hasn't he told anyone but her? 'Credible plan' is such fecking political bingo i can only think of Blackadder whenever i hear it.

I seriously worry that they think he's electable just because he looks the part. The party is that shallow right now.
 
Seriously though what is it and why hasn't he told anyone but her? 'Credible plan' is such fecking political bingo i can only think of Blackadder whenever i hear it.

I seriously worry that they think he's electable just because he looks the part. The party is that shallow right now.

The Thick of It called it years ago. Remember Dan Miller? The main difference, of course, is that Smith is actually shit.
 
I hope this isnt true... I think a proper formal split is the best way to go

Labour MPs opposed to Jeremy Corbyn will reportedly establish a new rebel group in parliament if he wins the leadership election.
The Sunday Times reports the “party within a party” framework will be based on the Socialist Campaign Group of MPs, which counts Mr Corbyn as a member.

According to the paper, the rebels will look to sign up more than 100 MPs to join the Co-operative party, Labour’s sister party, and sit on the green benches as “double hatted” MPs.

The group will appoint their own whips in parliament to co-ordinate rebellions where they disagree with Mr Corbyn’s policy and look to change the rules to appoint an elected Shadow Cabinet, as previously called for by the party’s deputy leader Tom Watson.

It will draw up policies on areas including Brexit and national security, the Sunday Times reports.

The rebels apparently prefer the creation of a new group on Labour benches to forming a breakaway party.

They argue Mr Corbyn and Shadow Chancellor John McDonnell, both members of the Socialist Campaign Group of MPs, would struggle to criticise the move after they voted against the Labour leadership from the backbenches when in power.

“Corbyn voted against the leadership more than 500 times,” said one rebel leader.

“We’ve only done it a dozen times. We’re just getting started. There will be a new grouping within the PLP a lot like Corbyn and McDonnell had. We will stick together for mutual support. We will have our own approach on the economy and Brexit and national security.”

The Co-operative party has held an electoral agreement with Labour since 1927 that allows them to stand joint candidates in elections.

MPs Stella Creasy, Jonathan Ashworth, Gareth Thomas, John Woodcock and Louise Ellman are among the 25 Labour MPs also to be members of the Co-operative party.

“Some MPs for the sake of their own sanity want some formal way of organising,” a Labour source said. “The Co-op is established as an official entity and could be used as a means of doing that.”

The Co-operative party is recognised by the Electoral Commission.

Speaker John Bercow has said if he is to recognise a different official opposition, the party must be registered with the Electoral Commission.

The rebels believe that the move could help protect from threats of de-selection, as Co-Op-Labour MPs could apply to become the official opposition if they command more seats than Mr Corbyn.

Elsewhere Tory MP Andrew Bridgen claimed Labour MPs who expect Mr Corbyn to retain the leadership have been urging the Tories to call a general election.

“I’ve had very senior Labour MPs come to me and they have begged me to push for an early general election to finish Corbyn off. They say, ‘Put us out of our misery. It would be a mercy killing,’” he told the Sunday Times.

“The Conservative party should play politics like chess while Labour get on with their unending game of lots of snakes and no ladders.”
 
I hope this isnt true... I think a proper formal split is the best way to go

Labour MPs opposed to Jeremy Corbyn will reportedly establish a new rebel group in parliament if he wins the leadership election.
That could actually be a very interesting move, managing to combine a group both recognised by the electoral commission and with the Labour name.
 
Hardly surprised by Khan, rode Corbyn's popularity to get him elected as Mayor and now stabbing him in the back to further via own career. Khan shouldn't be surprised to find himself booed by the same people who were invaluable in helping him achieve the nomination and consequent victory.

Sian Berry will probably be licking her lips.

Khan didn't need Corbyn's "popularity" to win in London. London's been pro-Labour for years, and Khan did his best throughout the mayoral campaign to stay separate from Corbyn.

The only reason Boris was mayor so long, was that Ken Livingstone was somehow the best that Labour could put up against him.