Labour Party (UK) Leadership Election, 2016

[Phony Moderate]

Corbyn 61.8%
Smith 38.2%

313,209 to 193,229

[Phony Moderate]

YouGov continues its impressive record in party leadership elections.

[Phony Moderate]

59% of members, 60% of affiliates and 70% of registered supporters for Corbyn, so the biggest 'swing' against him came in the third category.

[Phony Moderate]

It's a bit of a surprise that Smith didn't wait for the provisional ballots to be counted.

[Phony Moderate]

Corbyn 61.8%
Smith 38.2%

313,209 to 193,229

Actually, given a lot of the rumours, that's a *narrower* margin  than I was led to expect...

I suspect most of those rumours were coming from non-Corbynites, in an attempt to lower expectations for their side.

[Phony Moderate]

Er, she isn't known as Chairman May for nothing...

[Phony Moderate]

*If* those who say that Corbyn's low energy campaign lost Remain the referendum are right and *if* he secretly wanted/voted for Brexit, then he's arguably the most successful and impactful Labour leader ever, with the possible exception of Attlee.

[Phony Moderate]

What I don't think the Corbynistas fully realise is even if the Tories do screw up Brexit Labour has an Achilles heel that it is almost impossible to overcome, that is Corbyn's past. Corbyn, McDonnell and the people around them have some very unpleasant skeletons in their closet

The last Prime Minister was once a prick in a tuxedo with his dick inside a dead pig's mouth. I think skeletons in the closet can come and go...

Weren't Alec Douglas-Home and Rab Butler both supporters of appeasement? I suppose the argument would be that Labour and the media didn't make much of that whereas the Tories and the media would of Corbyn's past...but look at the recent Republican race (in which tens of millions of people voted rather than just half a million party members). Trump claiming to be a true conservative despite various donations to liberal politicians, past statements etc. His rivals and the media constantly brought those facts up, but to no avail. If Corbyn does lead the party to a big defeat (which is possible) then I would suggest that his past would not be a big factor.