New Labour LEADER

I hope Starmer might be that, he's not what I would class as a Blairite, not that I would care if he was, he has a balancing act to do, but I would imagine he has the intellect and experience for that. Time will tell.

And I think I've said it previously- not all members of Trades Unions are far left.

Is there not a middle ground between New Labour and Momentum controlled Labour?

One that may regain lost popularity?

They need to win back seats in Scotland too.

I am not sure they actually care about those people. Many of those championing Corbyn did not need a labour party.

Not only have the last four elections been a disaster for Labour, but more importantly for the people whom Labour should be championing.

Exactly, Iam64.

I'm not claiming New Labour is the right solution, but the last four elections have been a disaster for Labour. Somehow or other, it needs to bring voters back and pick up some new ones on the way. I doubt very much whether the average voter gives a flying fig for union or NEC squabbles and meetings. That's why I asked what a Labour Party would promise to voters (not just union apparatchiks).

oh for pity's sake. I'm only repeating views I've expressed previously but -the LP let down its supporters in my town in a way that will take a long time to rebuild trust. Additionally it didn't appeal in any way to 'ordinary' people. That's why good MP's lost their seats in many places. Imagine, being a life long labour voter, from a family of life long labour voters and voting conservative. they preferred Boris Johnson as PM to Jeremy Corbyn
but, I keep forgetting, JC won the argument.....

Hetty58 exactly. New Labour tried to turn it's back on its roots and traditional funding and in that turned to such as Fred Godwin of RBS and others from the banking and financial world.

In doing that they sold the sole of the Labour Party and brought about the British end of the banking crisis for which we all paid for.

A Blair like party again, no thank you.

Surely it's impossible to have not learned the lesson? New Labour again? No thanks!

growstuff any attempt to move the parliamentary Labour Party back towards a "New Labour" stance would undoubtedly see many on the left of the party resigning the Labour whip but reaming in parliament as MPs.

That would be similar to how many on the right of the party acted throughout the years when Jeremy Corbyn was leader.....Remember?

‘Head for the door’ can only mean resign from the party,

So if these MPs head for the door, will they resign? I'm not sure who they are, but I can't actually see their constituencies voting against Labour in a by-election.

That sounds like blackmail Grandad. By my calculation, unions representing at least a third (probably more) of the total union membership supported Starmer. Nandy and Long-Bailey have both been given important cabinet roles and Rayner is supported by the left. What's the problem? Together they might actually come up with a shadow cabinet and future manifesto more than 14 million people would vote for.

granddad43 you know 121 labour mp’s would leave the party
if Starmer was to move to the centre ? surely you must work in
The House.

So 122 are far left , amazing

That’s true Anniebach - but I wouldn’t want it back.

Urmstongran, if Kier Starmer wishes a return to "New Labour" I would hope he has plenty of new people to fund the party lined up before he states anything.

Plus the fact that half his own MPs would be heading for the door before he came to the end of the sentence. ?

New Labour won 3 general elections,

Ha ha, yes, growstuff!
Let’s hope we have no more NewLabour!

Urmstongran The "new Labour leader" would be correct.

Without using apparatchik gobbledygook, what tangible effects do internal Labour Party squabbles have on the agenda which will be presented to the electorate at the next election?

In regard to how much power Kier Starmer will have in truly reshaping the face of the Parliamentary Labour Party will be decided in the coming weeks when fresh elections for the National Executive Committee (NEC) are held.

For the left to retain its strong influence on that governing committee there will have to be an agreement in regard to a "slate" of candidates between Momentum and the trade unions. Those candidates would go forward without opposition from any other sector on the left of the Labour movement in that ballot.

By example to the above, there are positions on the NEC held by Momentum by way of the Constituency Labour Parties. However, the trade unions also have their own delegates within those Constituency Labour Parties also which could stand against the Momentum candidates. Such a battle however would allow right wing candidates "through the middle" which would be a disaster for the left on the NEC.

There are several reasons why the leading trade unions may not agree to such a slate of candidates being drawn up and agreed for this NEC election. However, in whether such an agreement is struck may well decide how much freedom Starmer and his new shadow cabinet will have in reshaping the Parliamentary Labour Party in the coming months.

For what it is worth, I do not feel that such a slate will be agreed this time around.

NotSpaghetti I think you may well be right and my money is on Lisa Nandy. Considered too inexperienced by many now, but in 5 years time....

I think he’s there to “stabilise” things and in due course a true leader will emerge.

The far left didn’t give Kinnock backing after the 1983 election ,