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Labour Leadership watch

(627 Posts)
Gracesgran Mon 24-Aug-15 10:26:17

I thought, as the message says "start a new thread" that I should.

A quote from an article by Jeremy Corby to start this thread off.

"Ours is a democratic socialist party. Nearly 300,000 people now have that on the back of their Labour Party membership card. Our members and supporters have ideas, experience and knowledge that are a valuable resource - and none more so than our local councillors; often, the most innovative ideas are delivered in local government. Shadow minister and policy advisers do not have a monopoly on wisdom, so the must interact with party members and supporters. By making policy together, we make better policy"

and a little further on ...

"I stood in this campaign to open up a debate, to engage new people and to rebuild our party as the movement it needs to be. That is not just an approach for the leadership election but one to win in 2020."

rosesarered Tue 25-Aug-15 12:54:27

I liked that so much it was worth repeating.

thatbags Tue 25-Aug-15 12:55:55

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.

thatbags Tue 25-Aug-15 12:56:34

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

rosesarered Tue 25-Aug-15 12:59:45

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?

soontobe Tue 25-Aug-15 13:01:36

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.

rosesarered Tue 25-Aug-15 13:01:39

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

rosesarered Tue 25-Aug-15 13:02:26

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

soontobe Tue 25-Aug-15 13:03:16

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

Anniebach Tue 25-Aug-15 13:03:42

Why not rosesarered ? The Tories went far right with thatcher

rosesarered Tue 25-Aug-15 13:06:10

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

rosesarered Tue 25-Aug-15 13:07:32

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

whitewave Tue 25-Aug-15 13:10:27

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.

Anniebach Tue 25-Aug-15 13:11:14

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

Anniebach Tue 25-Aug-15 13:17:16

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

whitewave Tue 25-Aug-15 13:19:30

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.

Tegan Tue 25-Aug-15 13:21:29

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 blush. 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.

durhamjen Tue 25-Aug-15 13:27:29

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.

Tegan Tue 25-Aug-15 13:30:40

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.

durhamjen Tue 25-Aug-15 13:32:13

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.

whitewave Tue 25-Aug-15 13:45:46

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

durhamjen Tue 25-Aug-15 13:51:36

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.

durhamjen Tue 25-Aug-15 13:57:12

www.graffeg.com/

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

durhamjen Tue 25-Aug-15 14:00:28

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.

durhamjen Tue 25-Aug-15 14:00:57

It worked, Tegan.

Eloethan Tue 25-Aug-15 14:46:56

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.