"Britain's longest serving mayor ousted in favour of Momentum-backed candidate in flagship London borough Sir Robin Wales removed by party members as Labour's candidate for Newham mayor".
What’s wrong with the democratic process of selecting the mayoral candidates? Or should we have a system where once you’ve been the candidate you have an automatic right in perpetuity to always be the candidate even if the current membership of your local party don’t want you?
Corbyn is undoubtedly popular with Labour Members who 'returned' to Labour having once rejected Labour .
Corbyn is obviously popular with Labour Members who joined Labour because of the Jeremy for Leader / Momentum party.
A question I ask myself is if Corbyn was no longer Labour Leader would the 'returned/new' members still stay Labour members as they have become members for Corbyn the man not necessarily for the Labour Party?
Nothing wrong with democracy but the continual denials that Momentum was strong enough, had the power , the desire to install it's chosen candidates is now well and truly a busted argument.
Never known it Jalima , but untill Corbyn-Momentum took over the party we never had members attend training days , we just selected the person we thought best for the job, we didn't need to attend training days , we thought for ourselves, activists campaigned but didn't need training days instructing how to campaign.
What exactly is wrong with local LP members selecting local candidates? People are free to join their local party and if some of those who do are Momentum members, what exactly is wrong with that? In parliamentary constituencies that have already selected their candidates, I believe that in 6 out of 22 seats the candidates were backed by Momentum. And of course they want the candidate they support to be selected - why wouldn’t they?
POGS you’re assuming that only “new” or “returning” Labour members voted for Corbyn. That’s not the case. I know lifelong Labour Party members that support him.
Maybe just maybe ab the party has changed - all the main political parties have been ‘professionalised’ in terms of campaigning, training, selection etc. Change happens - I’m not saying all change is positive but it’s certsinly inevitable.
I know two Momentum members - both in their 60s - one rejoined the LP because of Corbyn - one had never left the party and had always been an activist but now does it with a more cheerful heart because of JC. I think my anecdote is as valid as others wild speculations about who is new/returning etc
I think that's an interesting point. I would guess that the way that Corbyn leaves would influence the number of people who remained in the LP 'because of Corbyn'.
The Labour Party is a broad church. Who knows what the future holds? Will there be a Tory party after Brexit? Who will be leading them? Prehistoric Mogg or laughing stock Boris? Time will tell. I think the Labour Party would survive losing Corbyn. It’s not (despite what some Gransnetters seem hysterically to claim) a cult.
I never mentioned existing members so I assumed nothing.
Of course there will be long standing Labour members who voted Corbyn for Leader. We know GN posters who voted Corbyn for Labour Leader. There may be an irony of where they stand to date on that matter however.
Was I incorrect in saying those who 'returned ' to Labour and those who joined Jeremy for Leader/ Momentum party did so because of Corbyn the man .
The LP would of course survive losing Corbyn, in fact it would strengthen it! For every radical joining the LP only for JC, a moderate Labour voter would come forth, all the radicals and revolutionaries, Communists etc may not exactly go back into the woodwork, but drop off slowly as they see a moderate LP emerging.One can but hope.
I think it will be interesting when Corbyn gives up leadership, as he inevitably will. I think the question is - are Corbin supporters there because of the policies he espouses?
If so, will these supporters remain members of the LP if the party continues with the same policies? I suspect the answer will be yes.
The irony is in voting for Corbyn to be leader, then finding out what he is really like.For lifetime LP members to throw in the towel, as they can’t now possibly vote for him. That same irony extends to the Labour MP’s who put his name forward for the leadership ballot.