Labour Leadership watch

Is GO using QE?

I have never been a great fan of Andy Burnham. He was impressive when he delivered an impassioned speech to NHS workers and supporters at the Manchester NHS march in 2013 which my husband and I travelled up for. However, he has swerved right, left, right and left again so many times and is unwilling to give straight answers to questions in case an honest response might alienate a particular section of the electorate. Unfortunately, it is not really possible to please everybody and I feel politicians should not always follow public opinion (which can be very fickle and much influenced by the latest media panics) but sometimes be brave enough to espouse ideas that are not always in line with the status quo.

Mark Steel, Marcus Brigstocke, Francesca Martinez, Jo Brand and Stewart Lee could, I think, be described as veering very much to the left on the political spectrum and, to my mind anyway, they all have a great sense of humour. The huge number of people, including my husband and I, who attended the Hammersmith Apollo's People's Assembly Comedy Benefit Gig in July last year and who laughed uproariously and clapped, whistled and cheered these comedians on will be surprised to hear that they lack a sense of humour.

It worked, Tegan.

twitter.com/MYSADCAT/status/635899631709343744/photo/1

My cat is sad because he is imagining a world where Donald Trump is President of the United States, just in case the caption does not come up.

www.graffeg.com/

Might find it on here, Tegan.
I do not do twitter, so cannot put the Trump one on.

Agreed, but should we object if we get what we want? That's a quandary, like the living wage which isn't a living wage but is better than the minimum wage for over 25s.

Bet GO pinches the idea under another name!!!!

www.taxresearch.org.uk/Blog/2015/08/24/within-a-year-or-so-peoples-quantitative-easing-will-be-the-new-norm/

Corbyn will not be seen as extreme if China carries on in freefall. PQE will be much more sensible than ordinary QE.

Wish I could post the 'my sad cat' picture with Donald Trump; one of the added captions being 'my cat is sad because she cannot vote in the American presidential election 2016 because she is British. And a cat.

My grandson wants the US to change their rules so Obama can be president for ever, just so we do not have to see Donald Trump any more, Tegan. I agree with him.

Burnham messed up by appearing to support austerity. That's why Corbyn is going to lead the Labour Party; he is the only one who stood up for the people.

Apologies ladies but, having read the title again I've now got a Springwatch comparison going on in my head and it won't go away, and am [what's the opposite of anthropomorphising?] the candidates. Sorry . Need to cheer myself up a bit as have been looking at references to Donald Trump being president of America and, suddenly our problems seem miniscule by comparison.

Why say JC is extreme, when he is simply arguing for a more democratic and fair society. I would say that far from extreme it is offering hope and a helping hand to the poorest, greater fairness to those in the middle for example, whose children are unable to attain the opportunities that those at the top are able to buy, and the chance for those at the top of our society to participate in helping to make a truly democratic fair society through a progressive tax system.

rosesarered, difficult question, at the last leadership election I so wished Evette had stood not Ed Balls. My local party went with Ed Milliband I voted for Andy , this time difficult because both very much the same , certainly not Liz Kendell, too right and has only been an MP for five years

I haven't the foggiest how to start a thread Soontobe , if I did I would , if you wish to I will certainly respond

Thomas Paine, one of the first exponents of social democracy (and founding father of that well known socialist country the USA) realised that capitalism has to be controlled by such measures as progressive taxation, amongst other things, as well as state intervention in order to protect the poor from the worse excesses. of capitalism. Paine amongst others is someone who will help those in any doubt where we as Social Democrates stand. His philosophy has been built on, argued over and constructed, but the basics remain.
Socialism a term which is used in such a derogatory way, is used as shorthand for what social democratic believe, but make no mistake it has nothing to do with overturning the current economic system.

Although it looks like Corbyn will win, if he didn't, who would you like to be second choice?

It wasn't the same kind of voting ' contest' then, AB.

Why not rosesarered ? The Tories went far right with thatcher

The vote hasnt happened yet.
rosequartz mentined the silent voters at the end of the last thread.

When I say soon, I mean sooner rather than later.

Thatbags, winking now, falling over soon! put more tonic in it.

Anniebach. Post 12.23 pm

I wouldnt mind exploring that further, but probably a different thread would be apporpriate.

Would you like to start it?
Or I could sometime.

Seriously though, so many Labour supporters seem to have now abandoned Andy Burnham, who previously was seen as quite left wing, for the extremely left wing JC, and that is what really interests me. Why?
Why not support Burnham, who is more left leaning than Miliband ever was?
Why go to extremes all of a sudden?

No, I drank it all, roses. Can't you tell?

Absolutely, ww. Just that not all Labour supporters think JC is the best candidate to do that job. It would seem Betty Boothroyd might be one who doesn't think that, for instance, not to mention the other three leadership candidates. Doesn't mean BB or they aren't a Labour supporters any more.

I understand people's disgruntledness with Labour. I'm one of the disgruntled but JC does not appear to me to be on the right track to actually be useful. Time will tell.