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What now for Labour Party ?

(600 Posts)
Anniebach Sat 14-Dec-19 10:26:15

Corbyn isn’t going to stand down for some time because he
‘Needs to reflect’. !

MP’s want him to leave now .

Who for the new leader ?

Dinahmo Sat 14-Dec-19 10:34:38

Jess Phillips or Keir Starmer. Definitely not Rebecca Long Bailey or the other young woman with long hair (Forget her name)

Jess Phillips appears to be passionate about her work and her constituents and hasn't toed the party line.

jo1book Sat 14-Dec-19 10:41:22

He is probably hanging on to promote a Momentum candidate who would lead the Party into another defeat.
But, hey, what does winning have to do with it for some idealogues?
Carry On Labour; dig your own grave.

trisher Sat 14-Dec-19 11:11:39

Interesting question.I actually like the young woman with long hair who I think may be Angela Rayner. But let's face facts no leader is going to cut it anymore without a substantial media profile, judging by Boris and Trump. So instead of starting with an MP and making them a media sensation I think they could do it the other way. Choose a media star and make them an MP. It has to be someone with leftist-leaning views of course. So I'm going to start with Eddie Izzard.

Chewbacca Sat 14-Dec-19 11:13:14

Keir Starker would have my vote.

GagaJo Sat 14-Dec-19 11:39:12

Ooooo leftie-celeb? I'm going to cogitate on that!

I'd have LOVED Glenda Jackson to be leader.
Hugh Grant? I'm not that keen on him TBH but he's very establishment. Got all the posh boy creds.

kittylester Sat 14-Dec-19 11:42:33

I think Keir Starmer is too old (I know I know) Angela Rayner, Camilla Long Bailey, Angela Rayner and Laura Pidcock are too involved in this debacle. Jess Phillip's isnt, I think, leader material and needs to be a pain in the bum to whoever is leader - I love her.

I worry that Corbyn will not let Labour move to the centre (which is what might win them an election) and is hanging on to make sure.

If we are lucky, a new centrist party will emerge - like the SDP but with more support.

Otherwise, what about Lisa Nandy, Lucy Powell or Stephen Kinnock?

sarahellenwhitney Sat 14-Dec-19 11:56:04

I understand from Corbyn's own comments that he will remain until a new leader is chosen.No doubt at the same time reflecting on where he went wrong ????

Anniebach Sat 14-Dec-19 12:01:31

John MacDonald said recently the next leader must be a woman.

Rebecca Long Bailey is being tipped as the choice of Corbyn and MacDonald, she will continue with their hopes of keeping the far left in control.

Surely someone who has only been an MP for 4 years doesn’t have the experience to lead the party, same with Angela Rayner .

Only women with experience on the front bench are Emily
Thornberry and Diane Abbott. Abbott is a no no, Thornberry
will be remembered for mocking ‘white van man’ and saying of her choice of private education for her children ‘I want the best for my children’.

The women MP’s on the back benches have been kept silent .

Be interesting to see who comes forward , they will have to have the backing of 15% of fellow MP’s. Then comes party member votes , which now will include members of momentum, and the union vote.

Please not Long Bailey or Rayner.

SirChenjin Sat 14-Dec-19 12:01:38

Keir Starmer or Jess Philips, without a doubt. Starmer looks good in front of the camera and that seems to matter these days, but Philips is a fighter.

Either way, Corbyn needs to go ASAP and we need a more moderate left to emerge and to take over when the Tories go belly up, as they will.

sunseeker Sat 14-Dec-19 12:03:58

I don't understand the statement that the next leader has to be a woman. Surely it should be whoever is the best person for the job. Gender, ethnicity, religion or anything else is totally irrelevant.

trisher Sat 14-Dec-19 12:06:10

GagaJo Oh if only someone had anticipated this media over policies and principles debacle and proposed Glenda Jackson how different things might be. As it is if there is another woman with the right media profile I'm struggling to think of one. I 'm sure Sandi Toksvig could but she founded the Women's Equality Party.

Anniebach Sat 14-Dec-19 12:06:31

I agree sunseeker but it’s what McDonald and Corbyn want which means someone from the shadow front bench, all Corbynites.

maddyone Sat 14-Dec-19 12:13:14

I would propose Harriet Harman, she’s well educated, has been in Parliament a long time so knows the ropes, and served in Tony Blair’s cabinet if I remember correctly. She has the experience and standing to do a good job. I would be unlikely to vote Labour, although I have done in the past, but I do think we need a credible opposition, and as long as Corbyn and McDonell are at the helm, we won’t have that.

trisher Sat 14-Dec-19 12:13:19

People are still posting about left and right and centrist policies. It really doesn't matter anymore. You can have far right views, minimum policies and little manifesto, you don't have to answer questions or do interviews. You simply have to be well known and a bit funny.

maddyone Sat 14-Dec-19 12:18:17

I also like Lisa Nandy very much. She works hard for her constituents, she respected the referendum result, and she comes across as very genuine. Yes, I like her, though she may be considered to be too young possibly.

SirChenjin Sat 14-Dec-19 12:24:23

Good post trisher

Anniebach Sat 14-Dec-19 12:36:34

Corbyn wasn’t well know and certainly not funny

Doodledog Sat 14-Dec-19 12:37:25

I think that the LP needs to start again and relaunch. The 'old guard' has to go, and that means McDonnell, Starmer, Thornberry, Lavery, and others. It's unfortunate for some of them, but the trend for blaming a cabinet from 10+ years ago for Tory failure will haunt them if they keep anyone who isn't new, and the media have ensured that links with Corbyn are the death knell for anyone in his inner circle.

It will be 5 years until we get another chance, so there is time for new people to get experience and get their faces known before then.

I think that Jess Phillips would be really good, and I've heard that David Lammy might be considering standing for leader -he would be good too, but there is scope for someone much less well-known to step up if they do it quickly.

Either way, they need someone who is a lot more media savvy than Corbyn, and they need a Comms Director who can take on Cummings and his ilk. It's a shame, as this sort of thing is counter to the old grassroots Labour way, but I think that way has had its day, and fire has to be fought with fire.

oldgimmer1 Sat 14-Dec-19 12:42:02

I wish McDonnell would shut up now. Has to be a woman, does it? Why?

My bet is Keir Starmer (yup, my phone autocorrected to Starker too)..Harriet Harperson is too preachy, overbearing and hypocritical (some of us have long memories) and lacking in humour; the others aren't well known/ tested/ and surely HAVE to be as far removed from Corbyn/McDonnell-like as possible?

jo1book Sat 14-Dec-19 12:55:05

I like Jess Phillips but think she is a bit emotional to be a leader. She is taking a lot of evil crap online and the strain on her family would be great. I can't see her wanting the job.
Whoever they choose will be interim, so what about Diane Abbott - the best lost leader.

GagaJo Sat 14-Dec-19 12:56:28

I'm a HUGE Diane Abbott fan. She takes SO much s**t and just lets it roll off her.

However, I'm not sure her health is so great now.

Great politician though. Strong. Determined. Shagged Corbyn (lucky gal).

JenniferEccles Sat 14-Dec-19 13:12:04

I never thought I would read the words “I am a huge Diane Abbot fan “ but here they are!

I think you are alone though.

Nico97 Sat 14-Dec-19 13:28:14

I never thought I'd read the words "shagged Corbyn, lucky gal"
Takes all sorts I suppose wink

GrannyGravy13 Sat 14-Dec-19 13:31:30

grin