A new SDP style party would struggle to get above 5% in an election, IMO. As the EU Referendum has just shown, the Blairites' mix of economic conservatism and cultural liberalism has never been more unpopular with the country, and it's not like they would have any leaders in the mould of David Owen or Shirley Williams who could win votes on personality alone.

Because 50% is more than enough to win a seat. And I'm under no illusion that we should be enthusiastically campaigning for the EU post-referendum. We're not the Lib Dems.

 

No, the handful of Libdems have a cohesive idea of what they will be campaigning on without desperately trying to work out how to appeal to the most people at any cost. Wouldn't want Labour or the Tories to have that would we....? Much better they split down the middle and annihilate each other. History shows the nasty Tories pretend to unite when their backs are against the wall, while Labour tend to implode in a strop and become unelectable.

 

Corbyn is right in many areas, except one: he thinks he can reason with ex-Labour supporters by errr, I'm not sure exactly how he thinks he is going to do it. Become UKIP? Promise house-building? Totally support it, just as I supported the last 4 governments all promising it. Oops.....OK I'm being flippant, he's suggesting Council Housing which is a top idea, but I'm not sure that would appeal across the board, or that he'll be convincing given he is just lacklustre by nature, and will be in his 70's soon and there is a HUGE fixing job needs doing to the country. I don't think we can understate how much energy and drive it's going to need. Pissing off to the allotment is not going to be an option.

 

If he leads the party into a devastating defeat then he will be as much to blame as all recent previous Labour leaders for the the state of the party (and in my opinion, the country), and as he already is for thinking a half-arsed mumble a couple of weeks before the referendum is in any way as effective than his shunning of the media to get his message across.

 

Toxic. And I'm not a Blairite fan, either, as everybody knows....

 

 

Corbyn's age will be less of an issue than it might have been. He is roughly the same age as the next US president.

Angela Eagle rumoured to be announcing her challenge to Corbyn's leadership tomorrow at 3pm, according to BBC News just now. Tom Watson announced earlier that he's trying to negotiate for Corbyn to stand down, but won't challenge the leader himself.

Personally I think she will make an equally weak leader but I guess they just want to move on.

Personally I think she will make an equally weak leader but I guess they just want to move on.

 

Her announcement could be the spark that encourages someone within Labour to put themself forward though.

Seemed nice almost in tears the other night. Not sure that gives an air of authority to the electorate, though.

 

Apart from 300,000 strong supporters who think forking out £3 makes them more important than the millions who didn't, back in the real world, talking to people of all voting persuasions, I have yet to find anyone who thinks Corbyn is anything but a loser. They might like some of his policies in some areas, but he's just a loser. That he seems intent to take down his own party with him, after voting against it consistently most of his political life, one can't help but think "arrogant hypocrite".

 

 

Angela Eagle would be worse than Corbyn!

Angela Eagle would be worse than Corbyn!

 

Quite. Once again, these people still don't seem to have learned that "Corbyn isn't doing as well as he should" is not the same as "there is someone else available who would do better than Corbyn".

 

Corbyn's results in the May local elections were unspectacular, but were better than the equivalent set the last time the Labour "moderates" were in charge in the last parliament, and were better than the "Remain" campaign last week which was based on the main priniciples of the Labour "moderates". Until they've got a convincing reason for why they would know how to win elections better than Corbyn does, they really need to shut up.

Edited June 29, 20168 yr by Danny

This is just bonkers. Nothing against Angela Eagle but how on earth does someone who came fourth in the DEPUTY leadership contest become the top dog months later?

 

From what I've read she did well in a Commons clash against Osborne but what else is spurring on this campaign to pit her against Corbyn?

 

What does the party do if he simply wins another leadership election?

 

Such an interesting time for us all. Well, those that are bothered anyway. I've had the BBC News live feed open in a tab at work since Friday!

Edited June 29, 20168 yr by FezVez

Exactly what Danny said the PLP are arrogant in the extreme - hope JC is on the leadership election automatically then we shall see who supports who - I assume there will be only one opposition candidate this time?

This is just bonkers. Nothing against Angela Eagle but how on earth does someone who came fourth in the DEPUTY leadership contest become the top dog months later?

 

From what I've read she did well in a Commons clash against Osborne but what else is spurring on this campaign to pit her against Corbyn?

 

What does the party do if he simply wins another leadership election?

 

Such an interesting time for us all. Well, those that are bothered anyway. I've had the BBC News live feed open in a tab at work since Friday!

 

Haha so have I although mines the guardian one

From what I've read she did well in a Commons clash against Osborne but what else is spurring on this campaign to pit her against Corbyn?

 

A few people from the London commentariat have told her that they think she would be a good leader. That literally seems to be about it.

 

You would've thought that the EU Referendum would've told the London commentariat that they don't understand how normal people think about politics, at all, but it would seem they still haven't got the message.

Edited June 29, 20168 yr by Danny

Did anyone else see Dennis Skinner flipping the bird at all the Labour MPs yesterday.

 

What a 'LEDGE.

 

I saw it - my hero!!!!!

 

I mean like what a guy and he's 84 now too!!

God I'm so depressed. WHY ANGELA BLOODY EAGLE?

 

It could literally only have been Tom Watson.

God I'm so depressed. WHY ANGELA BLOODY EAGLE?

 

It could literally only have been Tom Watson.

 

What is the thought process whereby a floating voter who doesn't want Corbyn to be PM, WOULD want Tom Watson to be PM? He's no more charismatic, has just as many image problems (shallow as it may be, I feel his weight would be just as big a problem as Corbyn's "scruffiness") and doesn't even seem like a nice and down-to-earth guy in the way Corbyn does.

Edited June 29, 20168 yr by Danny

What is the thought process whereby a floating voter who doesn't want Corbyn to be PM, WOULD want Tom Watson to be PM? He's no more charismatic, has just as many image problems (shallow as it may be, I feel his weight would be just as big a problem as Corbyn's "scruffiness") and doesn't even seem like a nice and down-to-earth guy in the way Corbyn does.

Tories and their chums would find it hard to criticise Watson's weight if they are led by the ever-ballooning Boris Johnson.

Corbyn was reported to be a "broken hearted man" last night with Chief Whip Rosie Winterton begging him to stand down but his family urging him to consider the wider membership and stay. He was said to be sleeping on it. Bet he goes by lunch-time.

Corbyn's results in the May local elections were unspectacular, but were better than the equivalent set the last time the Labour "moderates" were in charge in the last parliament

Minor point, but they weren't. We lost seats.

Tories and their chums would find it hard to criticise Watson's weight if they are led by the ever-ballooning Boris Johnson.

 

 

Neither Watson nor Eagle will get it as others will stand once the leadership election starts.