New Labour LEADER

grandad what is the issue with Starmer and the unions? I can’t honestly believe it is because he isn’t Corbyn.

It is worth noting that Starmer won in all sections including affiliate members. As I said upthread only 35% of affiliate members voted, but Starmer still won that vote.

What marvelous news!!
Hurrah!!!

Whitewavemark2 in regard to your post @13:06, as I have stated in my above post it is without doubt that many within the trade union movement felt that Corbyn was a labour leader very much on their side, and in being that he was completely undermined by those on the right of the Parliamentary Labour Party.

As evidence to the above, in the days immediately following the general election I attended a special meeting of my Unite trade union branch at which real anger was expressed that even during the election campaign MPs on the right of the Labour Party had made attempts to undermine Corbyn as leader.

In regard to how those MPs viewed trade union member activists was summed up by one very longstanding on-site union rep when he stated: "there are MPs within the Parliamentary Labour Party who look upon us in the trade union movement in the same light as they would look upon a lump of dog sh*t on their shoe".

That statement was clapped and cheered loudly for more than a minute following it being made. That very large trade union branch consists of employees and activist from the road haulage and distribution industry and they are not left-wing by any stretch of the imagination.

The above I feel sums up the task that will lay ahead of Kier Starmer in bringing about unity and confidence between the Parliamentary party and the broader Labour movement in the country.

Mamie in regard to your post @13:14 today, if the figure of 35% of affiliate members voting in this leadership election, then that number would be well up on the number that voted in the last election.

That figure the I believe was just over 18% for it is normally only activists who register to vote and then actually do carry that out.

It could well demonstrate how efficiently the trade union online registering of members wishing to vote and then vote recording was carried out to achieve such a number.

So Grandad1943 if you are saying that union activists supported Corbyn, why did they not vote for Rebecca Long Bailey, who was seen as the Corbyn continuity candidate? Why did affiliate members vote for Starmer with RLB in third place?

So if only 18% of affiliate members voted last time and 35% this time, it might be reasonable to conclude that there was more enthusiasm for Starmer than Corbyn.

mamie has said it for me

Corbyn was a disaster because he was so inept, it was very difficult for a government to lose to him. The danger with Starmer, is not that he can't win an election, it is he will win on a platform that is so Tory, he will achieve nothing in office. Just like New Labour.

What we need is a path between the two extremes of Labour. It is no good being a Corbynista but being a red tory is pretty much pointless as well.

Mamie, I believe that many such as myself believed that Rebeca Long-Bailey would tear the Parliamentary Labour Party to threads which may be a task that will eventually have to be done.

However, Kier Starmer has been stating throughout the campaign all that the activist wish to hear, and in that, I believe they are prepared to give him a chance.

However, I feel the above may well be carried out with little enthusiasm. A fresh political start is I feel what those activists would like to see.

urm what policies of Starmer are Tory?

I am going to whisper that, as a life-long passionate left-winger, I supported Jeremy Corbyn and I will miss him.

Now I am retiring to my bunker, as the bullets fly overhead.

I actually think talking about the next election is incredibly pointless at the moment. Who knows how the political, economic and social landscape may have changed by then? All that matters now is that there’s hope of an opposition and any one who cherishes democracy should be glad of that. Perhaps some right of centre people wanted RLB elected because they wanted the complete destruction of the Labour Party and they are now quite miffed. BTW annie are you pleased with the result or not?

He needs to get rid of the momentum thugs & anti sematism too if he is serious about changing the Labour Party,let’s wait & see.....Corbyn set the Labour Party back years.We don’t want socialism that’s why Boris won a landslide victory.

Suzie yes pleased with the result because I feared Long Bailey would win. As you said ‘pointless thinking of the next
election’, I too hope we will have a strong opposition now

Labour needed a new leader for a long time, but I don't think he's doing Labour any favours by having a go at Boris he should be helping in these unprecedented times,and showing how Labour are for the people.

I should state in addition to my above post, I do not believe that anyone is aware of how the affiliate membership voted, and in all probability will never be aware of how any individual or group of affiliate members voted in this leadership ballot.

Grandad43 The results are all on the website. If you follow the link from the email that members received yesterday from Jennie Formby you can see the detail.

labour.org.uk/people/leadership-elections-hub-2020/leadership-elections-2020-results/

lindyloo Starmer is attending Cobra as well as other meeting at No 10, and will undoubtedly prove a valuable asset to all, but he also acting as an opposition in a democracy should act and that is to point out where the government has gone wrong. He wouldn’t be doing any of us any favours if he chose to keep silent.

Many thanks for the above Mamie. That is the first time I believe that should figures have been published following a Labour movement ballot.

Seems the broader labour movement / the Unions are saying
give us what we want or you don’t get the ££££, sod what party members want

Starmer spoke well on Andrew Marr this morning, so far so good.

Bluecat Agreed. There are quite a few of us here but most have learnt that not to say much on this site.

I am so relieved that he has been elected. I have every respect for his integrity and honesty. He has no frills and was excellent as DPP. His speech was carefully worked with a measured approach to what we are dealing with as a nation. I hope that the media barons back off . I despise them anyway and do not trust them to speak the truth.
Starmer has a long haul ahead and he needs as many behind him as possible. I truly hope he can work alongside the Government to affect good decisions and allow common sense to prevail.