Labour now

A mammoth task Annie. You're right of course, but the problem is how to achieve it. There has to be an intervention.

I have veered from being in the local LP office manning the phones, speaking to voters and standing on the high street in all weathers engaging with the public, to not even knowing whether I will vote. I know deep inside that I will, out of loyalty to those who, a century ago, fought for me to have the right. I feel no loyalty to the present LP.

Lang-Baily failed badly on Andrew Marr programme last Sunday and is a protege of McDonald. She was also involved in the row when the MP suffering from cancer had her office broken into by Corbyn aids.

Starmer no spark

It's not winning now it's saving the party from destruction, forming a strong oposition and saving labour seats come next election, also winning respect for the party

I voted for Yvette Cooper during the first of the two recent leadership contests. Keir Starmer, Rebecca Long Bailey, Jess Phillips and Chukka are all good potential candidates. I fear the press had 'something' that led to Chukka withdrawing from the contest and hope he'll feel more confident in future.

The next election is in the bag for Theresa May, unless something catastrophic happens. Even if the tory party goes into further meltdown that we're seeing currently, I fear it will still be more appealing to the general public than the LP.

Leadership contenders:
Yes, I like Yvette Cooper. She's sharp, can cut to the core of many issues and is thoughtful and measured in her responses.

Keir Starmer QC? Coming into politics quite late in his career as a barrister and many see him as leadership material. One might think he changed career for a purpose and maybe he's biding his time.

Rebecca Long-Bailey? I read somewhere she has been identified as a possible future leader. Also a lawyer, but only recently become MP for Salford. I know her and she's young, seriously committed to the LP, bright and ambitious, not enough experience at shadow cabinet level - yet, but watch her.

Errmmm...struggling here.

This is how Labour HQ treats its leader. Absolutely indefensible.

skwawkbox.org/2017/03/16/labour-hq-defunds-corbyns-staff-by-half-hes-paying-some-himself/

John McDonnell has said he would never stand. However, feel free to make up your own news.

wirralinittogether.blog/2017/02/13/the-wallasey-clp-allhomophobia-allegations-have-collapsed/

This is what poor Angela Eagle had to go through.
I am surprised you didn't know it was all false, Annie.

I have Chuka down as a general election winner but labour will not win the next election , I am taking this if Corbyn goes soon and May hangs on untill 2020, the party needs a steady hand to hold onto as many seats as possible after the damage of Corbyn come 2020 Unless Chuka is prepared to lead for eight years . Whoever , it needs to be someone who is not from the 2015 intake

Possible Labour Leader if not Corbyn?

I think Chuka Umuna knew he was going for Leader too soon and he could well be a candidate if Corbyn ever went back to the back benches.

John McDonnell fancies himself but he he only stands a chance if Corbyn's Momentum Party gets behind him and the Unions.

The up and coming Union election for Unite could well be pointer too . If Len Mc Clusky hangs on he could well back McDonnell but if Gerard Coyne wins who knows.

Coyne could well be a breath of fresh air for the Union Movement.

Ilovecheese

" I returned to supporting the labour party because of the policies put forward by Jeremy Corbyn. "

A lot of people have returned to Labour because of his policies. 2 favourites were his stance over Trident and all things Nuclear but he has towed the party line and back tracked his view it appears.

You may not be a member of Momentum but Momentum is a Party within a Party and either Corbyn/McDonnell and Momentum will win or the Parliamentary Labour Party will. It will be interesting to see who is the Leader at the next General Election and where the Labour voters, not the Labour Party Members, cast their vote.

I would settle for Yvette Cooper, experienced p, female, only 47 years of age,,has Certsintly showed her ability to question , she has thrown some great ones at PMQ and is strong as chair of the home affairs select committee

I agree, we need the Corbyns of this world, protesting and perhaps making people think about issues - but not leading!

Petra, I saud recently, his home is the back benches where he can continue to protest , I was not being unkind, he is not capable of leading a party, he doesn't even care about the party. This is the man who when the party lost so badly in 1983 protested against the expelling of the militants of the fsr left , the cause of the loss , he is not a person who can work with , he needs to work against.

Corbyn has done nothing but protest his whole adult life. if he gets power he's stuffed, isn't he, he will actually have to do something, I don't think he wants it.

I so agree Ginny, there are potential leaders in the party but they have to keep their heads down because of the way the idiotic leadership election is carried out. Think what poor Angela Eagles endured just by speaking out.

The Tory press critcise Corbyn, his followers become more protective , are determined he will not be driven out by the evil Tory press so fight to keep him as leader and ensuring a Tory win st the next election, they don't care as long as he remains leader

I'm with Blair on this one. I know that on GN, just as he knows that out there in the country, there will be those who will rage about his Iraq war legacy, but in my view he's talking sense.

I think he's absolutely right about the state of politics in the UK currently and the lack of effective leadership initiatives from Corbyn et al. Sadly Corbyn is failing to demonstrate the will or the dynamism to forge a winning team to secure by-election successes, which would set the wheels in motion for success at the next GE.

The only momentum which gives the LP a sniff of a chance of winning the next GE is one with a small 'm', with credible centrist policies and party members busy in the constituencies, getting out into the public domain encouraging people to believe in them once more.

Blair is aware there are people who will try to destroy any movement back towards a centre ground politics because they know, if it is successful, the Tories will not remain in power.

Corbyn and Momentum are not demonstrating the ability to defeat the Tories, but this movement could.

www.theguardian.com/politics/2017/mar/17/tony-blair-launches-pushback-against-frightening-populism

ginny42, and that's one of the saddest indictments of Labour right now.

And the comments some journalists make about him still amuse me. Gotta have some light relief from the complete pig's-ear that is the Labour opposition right now.

Perhaps it is a "blame game" but if it is, in my case and probably others, like anniebach, it's because we care about the success of Labour as a political party. Jeremy Corbyn is a useless leader but maybe his election was inevitable because of the sorry state Labour had got itself into.

Also, not all criticism is blame. I don't blame JC for being the way he is but I still think he's a useless leader.

I'm still thinking of who I see as leadership material. I could be some time!

Labour still held Copeland even when they lost the last two elections, Corbyn managed to lose it

True he didn't, and he will not win the next , he will do even more he will cost many good labour MP's their seats , death of Labour party, re birth of communist party

What will, then? Corbyn didn't lose the last two elections.

Will old fashioned socialism win a general election?

So still no idea, Annie.