Is Jeremy Corbyn holding the Labour back?

There is a lot of criticism of Momentum on this forum, but that section on the Labour movement alone has more members now than the Conservative Party, and the Liberal Democrats put together.

The Trade Unions still have a total membership of over six and a half million despite all the Tory efforts to destroy them over the last thirty-five years.

The Labour party has a membership of over half a million making it the largest political party in Europe and still growing.

Some movement, and all due to the fact that it is offering to so many the prospect of something different and not more of the same policies that has dragged so many so low.

Just as the Labour Atlee led Government did in 1945, and many of its polices we are still benefiting from even today.

Need more than 13,000 to win an election

Well, with all the gnashing of teeth and outright right wing nationalism being pumped out in this thread, it sounds like the the Labour Party had a very successful conference.

Thirteen thousand in attendance something indeed to celebrate for the Labour movement.

Unfortunately I think CHILDREN is the operative word there gilly.

Corbyn is relying on the young and naive for votes, those students who so love a bit of 'revolution' (didn't we all when we were young - we were 'told' back then who to hate or distrust and we followed like sheep. I'd be part of a sit-in if the NUS president instructed it ) even though they haven't the years, wisdom or knowledge to appreciate the unfairness and chaos Corbyn's brand of socialism would wreak on the UK.

He is appealing to the young as though no other sector of society counts for much.

Oh he walked onto the stage to it Annie I listened to bits of it on my way home in the car . Not sure if I’m or

Gilly, surely they didn’t sing that ?

Aaah but that was then Annie .
“Children of the revolution” indeed ( he will be wearing Citizen Corbyn tee shirt next) how dare he hijack one of my favourite T-Rex songs ?

The day following the results of the referendum Corbyn was on tv saying article 50 must be triggered immediately.

I so agree Day6 .

Someome please tell me he didn’t say ‘go home and prepare for government ‘, I didn’t listen to his speech, need to take care of my ulcer, vomiting isn’t good for it.

True gillybob. And yes, Annie he is displaying his own political self-interest in blowing with the wind/or being manipulated.

It's about his power and retaining it, so any principles he once had he had ditched.

Give May her due, she was an outright Remainer, but she is determined to get us out of the EU and respect the referendum.

Labour's stance is shameful. If Corbyn were having to negotiate Brexit you get the feeling he'd be in bed with Barnier and Juncker by now and we'd have signed over everything to Brussels.

I think the new liberal hard left have absolutely no time for patriotism and fail to acknowledge any sort national pride, which most of us have. They see it as 'bad' when it is nothing of the sort, and want a borderless world - destruction of the status quo even. Corbyn and co, chaos by name, chaos by nature.

Corbyn stands with which ever will get him more votes.

I guess it depends what you mean by "now" Day6 ?

but not for the likes of McDonnell and quite a few of the shadow front bench

Exactly Lemon. There is a party within a party - the hard left who surround Corbyn, and those who never wanted Corbyn and co who have remained silent. The party is split so it's no wonder people have lost faith in Labour. If Corbyn went, you just know another of the 'reformers' would lead the party, with Momentum support.

Momentum, the hard left wing, will decide who leads Labour, should the utterly ineffective, wet, dithering Corbyn (who changes his mind more often than he changes his socks) be replaced.

Remember Corbyn was ferociously anti EU. For decades. Where does he stand now? Anyone know?

Corbyn and principles ?

I think he was knighted for being dpp!

I like Keir Starmer but don’t know why he’s a “sir”, and wonder how long he takes doing his hair ( sorry I know that is shallow before someone has a go)

Do you think that if you keep repeating that Annie it will somehow make up for the unholy mess that was Blair's legacy? Indeed that arguably is still breeding terrorism?
The ills that can be heaped at Blair's door are far greater than anything you can say against Corbyn. In supporting him what you are in fact saying is that winning is everything and doing so without any real principles, mostly for personal advancement is fine. Whereas committment and beliefs, in social justice, working to improve the lot of ordinary people and dedicating a life to public service is to be belittled and denigrated. Blair may have won elections but his legacy has been paid for by the Labour Party, by this country and by the deaths of millions world wide. And he cast a dark shadow over politics for a long time. Victory cost everyone dearly (apart from him of course).

I am on the final day of tutoring a Unite Union stage one workplace safety course. In out of session chat everybody on the course believes that it has been a very good conference far better than expected.

It's the Labour movement anniebach which the Labour Party an integral part of. Therefore, the trades union have every right to have their input and put their agenda forward for debate at the Labour Conference.

So I was correct , the unions are Labours paymasters .

Strange, when the unions had much power a labour government were brought down and a far left Labour Party suffered a humiliating defeat in 1983.

Blair won three consecutive elections, only labout leader to do do.

Names being mentioned for the next leader are - Emily Thornberry, Keir Starmer and heaven forbid Rebecca Long-Bailey. If Thornberry or Starmer there would be a shift from the far left, McCluskey and Landman will not allow that . Who ever it is will be chosen by Unions (known as labours paymasters) and Momentum

What many on here fail to realise or accept would be that without the trades unions there would be no Labour Party as they pay all the bills.

Had Blair and his cronies treated the grassroots trade union members with a little respect instead of just taking their affiliation money then things within the Labour Party and this country may have been very different.

So, no trade union money, no Labour party, as simple that.

Brexit has been discussed anyway, so why would he? As far as speeches go Corbyn is actually very good, it's one reason he pulls in so much support from the grassroots labour movement. He's believable and people have had enough of politicians who say all the right things which the spin doctors have written for them. And it's the beliefs he has held for years which come through, they are core Labour beliefs. Those who dislike him because of those beliefs whatever they may claim are not true Labour supporters. They want a return to Blairism. What is unacceptable is that those people should now seek to unseat an elected leader purely for their own ends.
Anyway it won't be Keir Starmer as next leader, interviewed and asked if he would stand as leader John McDonnell said he expected and hoped the next leader would be a woman. Which would be great. A lot of women involved in unions etc speaking at the conference.

There was a brilliant article in the Times yesterday which sums up JC and John McDonnell. I'll try to find a link.

I agree gangy5, he sits on the fence whilst others discuss matters of importance, Brexit is top of the list but he will avoid speaking of it in his speech today. He doesn’t lead, he is not articulate, he only talks of the beliefs he has held for years.