Jermy Corbyn elected

I think there will now be a reshuffle of the parties: Labour will be just that; true to its roots, smaller, leaner and clear about its objectives. And the Blairites will drift elsewhere to the Lib Dems or some sort of similar new party. May not be a bad thing and perhaps the Tories might find themselves a bit premature in their gleeful hand-rubbing.

Let's not forget Tom Watson who exposed the Murdoch empire with their phone hacking , links with the police and senior politicians . He brought the alleged sexual assaults by politicians to the public .

I wonder if he'll have Keir Starmer in his shadow cabinet. It would be interesting seeing him against Gove at the dispatch box.

Be careful what you wish for. Life is not all red or blue or even yellow there are many shades in between and that will be what the many non aligned to any party voters will vote for.

I think there will be some drift Luckygirl but, if my memory serves me well, it was unilateral disarmament and leaving Europe that caused the SDP split. I don't think the group around Jeremy Corbyn will worry about Europe as they did then particularly as quite a bit of Europe is moving to the left, but I would have thought more LP members are multilateralists rather than unilateralists these days. If they can square that circle those who move to the Lib Dems would be seeing themselves as more Liberal (I think - but I am not sure).

Can anyone tell me if I have got the reasons for the split right?

I agree Annie, I am really pleased with his election. Who know what will come out of the woodwork.

I wonder if the shadow cabinet will take a while to put together Jen It will certainly be interesting. Hopefully it will bring people we are not used to seeing on the news, etc., into play.

What will be interesting is his stance on the In/Out referendum.

I understand he's a Euro-sceptic although haven't heard his latest pronouncements.

That will put the cat amongst the political pigeons!

Jackthelad you probably have quite politically conscious people on this thread at the moment and you are right - not everyone is and some will be concerned by the current fervour. It will be up to those who want it to happen (a Labour government) to work at it but also - and I think this is so important - to listen. The reason this election went the way it did was because (in my opinion) the party dictated rather than listen so there was a lot of pent up left wing voters.

Interesting times indeed.

I'm glad he was elected with such a strong majority. I don't agree with all his policies, but that's all they are at this stage - his policies. The Labour Party policies will come from the Shadow Cabinet, not just its leader and I hope talented MPs from across the party will be chosen to serve in the Shadow Cabinet.

Personally my life has been adversely affected by the policies of the last and current Tory governments, and I am glad there is now a chance that voices of the millions of families like mine have someone to really speak up for them.

My hope for the future now is the Labour Party moves back to the left. Not the far left, just away from the centre where it is now. At the moment Corbyn is not going to form the next government, but you can still have influence from the Opposition Benches. He might not lead the Party into the next General Election, or even the one after that, but he can pave the way for someone else.

No matter what the media is saying, the result is a positive outcome for the UK.

I left the Labour party in disgust some years back, disillusioned and angry. I joined the Green party which was the only party whose values I share. Now I can re-join the Labour party again and I'm very happy to do so

I wonder how many did that, Rowantree, and what effect it will have on the Greens?
I did wonder on another thread what would happen if he won, whether some people would drift off to the Lib Dems.
I haven't heard any news as have been otherwise engaged, but it will certainly make for interesting times and a good shake-up of the political scene.

Light the blue touch paper and retire!

It's going to be Very Interesting

WilmaKnickersfit I think, rather than the Shadow Cabinet forming the policies, I got the idea that he is hoping to return to the members forming them - but that should be good.

Although the party should be aiming for power for me a really strong opposition that actually opposes would be good at this point.

Agree, Gracesgran.
Marches in York and Newcastle today to say refugees are welcome. He'd be pleased about that. Lots of cheerful people despite the rain.

Teetime, are you more hopeful yet?

Interesting comment - answering a question about the Blairites - someone said (sorry I loose track of whose who) that you win by understanding the period you are in. Subtle but true I feel.

I am not sure the Blairites will leave the party, they want power , I wish they would leave but they will be aware of the failure of Williams, Owens & co , they left , started a new party, it failed, they then joined with the Libs and are now forgotten . I fear there will be a group who have decided to stay and do what some did to Brown. They believe the only way forward for the party is to continue with Blairism, they see the Tories continuing with Thatcherism and think is the way to go.

Email has already arrive from Corbyn asking what questions do members want him to ask at PMQ, seems he will lead the party the way he said he would

Anya, I think you have it right!

www.politics.co.uk/blogs/2015/09/12/the-scale-of-jeremy-corbyn-s-victory-is-the-final-insult-to

"Blue" touch paper?

Tom Watson will be on Marr tomorrow.

I'm touched that dear Jeremy has found time today to e mail me (!)
The new-fangled voting system has given a voice to half a million new Labour supporters. I look forward to PM's Question Time being sane and sensible in future instead of the disgraceful braying performance it has been and Jeremy Corbyn's dignified principles showing up David Cameron for the shallow hypocrite he is.

The New Statesman's first take on today.

Interesting comments about Chuka Umunna towards the end.

Gracesgran I agree about his intentions towards the Party, although I am not sure how that will work in practice, but at the end of the day the public will look at what Corbyn and his Cabinet are saying or doing. He's the leader now and will have to find the balance between the Party members and the Cabinet.

Content to wait until the fuss dies down.