Labour Party leadership election 2015

[Leftbehind]

The other thing to consider is that the Shadow Cabinet are still elected by the PLP right?

No. But the SCG still has that silly self-denying ordinance from the 1980s in place which automatically removes membership from the SCG to MPs who accept frontbench posts. Not that the SCG is all that there is on the Left in the PLP (far from it), but that fact does complicate things.

Mind you, I suspect that Corbyn is intelligent enough to know that going with a factional ShadCab would be bloody stupid even if he'd presumably appoint one with an overall left lean.

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There would have to be considerable give and take on both sides. Firstly because Corbyn The Candidate is a little different to Corbyn The Backbencher (i.e. if he wins he could certainly claim an internal mandate for hard Left economic positions, but not for his other stances as he's barely mentioned them and when he has has played them down), and secondly because a serial rebel might find it hard to impose their will absolutely on the PLP.

To be fair, Corbyn was loyal 75% of the time to New Labour. If the PLP could muster up that loyalty to a SCG shadow cabinet (ie as isolated as the SCG have been in the New Labour years), then I'd be amazed.

I think he's made it plain that he's going to include the spectrum of Labour, a SCG shadow cabinet would only arise if the PLP are refusing participation...which I obviously want to see.

[ViaActiva]

God this leadership election is depressing. The mainstream of the party is completely bereft of any ideas - Yvette looks like she was forced into it by Balls losing and is so incredibly robotic and false, Burnham is just dim and brazen in his lack of beliefs and principle. I like Kendall but she jettisoned any chance of winning by running under the Blairite banner, which is a shame as she's a far cut above and more down to earth than the usual Progress fools. Which leaves a well intentioned Bennite who is likely to lead Labour down the path to an even worse defeat than 2015.

The terrible quality of candidates we have makes me wonder there could have been another option:

- Lisa Nandy: down to earth, intelligent and principled, would unite the Left and Right of the Party.
- Gavin Shuker: young but very impressive and as a Lutonian, understands Middle England.
- Rushanara Ali: probably not ready yet, but
- Alan Johnson or Hillary Benn: similar to Michael Howard, would be a 'safe pair of hands'.
- If Caroline Flint, Stella Creasy or Ben Bradshaw had run for the leadership proper, they could have given the others a run for their money.

Dan Jarvis would be ideal if he were available.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

Well if it makes you feel better, if Corbyn is elected then there will be - one way or another - another leadership election in this parliament, and maybe some of those people will run then...

[Phony Moderate]

Given that almost any candidate who is half a century or more old is labelled as "too old" or "past it" nowadays...

[Simfan34]

Given that almost any candidate who is half a century or more old is labelled as "too old" or "past it" nowadays...

Yes, why has this happened? Why has the age range for new leaders swung to the "early forties" lately? Chuka is 36!

[Phony Moderate]

Given that almost any candidate who is half a century or more old is labelled as "too old" or "past it" nowadays...

Yes, why has this happened? Why has the age range for new leaders swung to the "early forties" lately? Chuka is 36!

Yeah, I mean look the 1976 Labour slate and tell me that it isn't several worlds stronger than this one.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

Sure but the funny thing is... at the time that wasn't how that line up was viewed.

[ViaActiva]

I think there's a tendency to be nostalgic about 1976. I mean they're all far better than everyone today but even then Crosland was an academic who was not suited to parliamentary politics at all (think Jon Cruddas), Jenkins was completely out-of-touch with the party both socially and ideologically, Foot was unelectable, and Healey was intellectually brilliant but was terrible with people and would have torn the party apart. The victor Callaghan was the only truly great leader and is criminally underrated as a Prime Minister, without him the Labour government would have collapsed in 1976 over the IMF Crisis and it's unlikely that Labour would have ever been trusted to govern again.

[ViaActiva]

I also neglected to mention Benn, of course, who was nuts.

[Leftbehind]

I also neglected to mention Benn, of course, who was nuts.

Rates Ben Bradshaw but classes Benn as nuts.

Rates Ben Bradshaw.

Classes Benn as nuts.

...

[Leftbehind]

Speaking of which, if I did have to name one major disappointment from Corbyn for me is his support for FPTP.

In no sane, working electoral system, should ViaActiva and I be even thinking of voting for the same party.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

Here's the thing though: even were there PR the Labour Party would doubtless remain the massive heterogeneous thing that it is because almost every faction regards itself as the true guardians of its pure and noble tradition etc.

[Blair]

Well my MP told me that Corbyn would get kicked out by Christmas, and he'd struggle to find anyone worth while to serve in his cabinet-in all fairness my MP's an arch Blairite who supports Kendall but he says there's complete depression in the PLP.

The problem is that Corbyn has rebelled on something like 105 times, I mean I understand voting against Iraq/Tuition Fees/90 day detention but Corbyn rebelled so many times that he's digging himself in an even further ditch. Combined with the fact the PLP have become pretty factional since 1997 it's going to be a struggle.

The only issue, is that the PLP can't simply kick Corbyn out as they'd like to. Even as someone on the 'soft right' of the party such as myself sees that as awful now.

And yeah, I think Jarvis has been crowned as the next leader

[Хahar 🤔]

- Rushanara Ali: probably not ready yet, but

This would certainly be exciting.

[Blair]

The MP for Baghdad north is set to return

[🦀🎂🦀🎂]

The MP for Baghdad north is set to return

RIP Corbyn

[Phony Moderate]

The MP for Baghdad north is set to return

RIP Corbyn

Well the Katie Hopkins endorsement didn't get Cameron out did it?

Cooper, btw, has now almost caught up with Burnham for second place in CLP nominations - 107 to 110. Corbyn on 145, Kendall on 18.

[Hifly]

The deadline for submission of CLP supporting nominations is midday today. Last night would have therefore been the last night of CLP nomination meetings.
When HQ releases the official list of nominations, it will be interesting to see which CLPs we didn't take note of, or which CLPs forgot to offically submit their nominations!

[Leftbehind]

Here's the thing though: even were there PR the Labour Party would doubtless remain the massive heterogeneous thing that it is because almost every faction regards itself as the true guardians of its pure and noble tradition etc.

I don't think in the darkest days of New Labour, they've have been able to stop it. 2005 GE for instance, might not have seen defections from any sitting MPs but a sizeable exodus of Labour from voters disgusted with Blair by that point (likely those heading to Kennedy) towards a leftist party, enough to elect a number of MPs. I think that's one of the reasons why the Right in the party are conducting themselves the way they are presently - they've gotten used to the dominance and outraged now it's being challenged.

Well my MP told me that Corbyn would get kicked out by Christmas, and he'd struggle to find anyone worth while to serve in his cabinet-in all fairness my MP's an arch Blairite who supports Kendall but he says there's complete depression in the PLP.

The problem is that Corbyn has rebelled on something like 105 times, I mean I understand voting against Iraq/Tuition Fees/90 day detention but Corbyn rebelled so many times that he's digging himself in an even further ditch. Combined with the fact the PLP have become pretty factional since 1997 it's going to be a struggle.

The only issue, is that the PLP can't simply kick Corbyn out as they'd like to. Even as someone on the 'soft right' of the party such as myself sees that as awful now.

And yeah, I think Jarvis has been crowned as the next leader

As I said, he's afforded New Labour 75% loyalty, it'll be ridiculous - and deeply damaging - if the PLP are seen to be unable to muster the same loyalty as "the most rebellious MP", overriding the party memberships wishes.

[Hnv1]

Well my MP told me that Corbyn would get kicked out by Christmas, and he'd struggle to find anyone worth while to serve in his cabinet-in all fairness my MP's an arch Blairite who supports Kendall but he says there's complete depression in the PLP.

The problem is that Corbyn has rebelled on something like 105 times, I mean I understand voting against Iraq/Tuition Fees/90 day detention but Corbyn rebelled so many times that he's digging himself in an even further ditch. Combined with the fact the PLP have become pretty factional since 1997 it's going to be a struggle.

The only issue, is that the PLP can't simply kick Corbyn out as they'd like to. Even as someone on the 'soft right' of the party such as myself sees that as awful now.

And yeah, I think Jarvis has been crowned as the next leader

For those of us not familiar with Labour party constitution how can be dumped by boxing day? can the PLP declare an election by its own?

[🦀🎂🦀🎂]

Enough of this factional stuff. here's some of the more interesting pet policies of the leadership candidates:

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/the-most-interesting-new-policies-of-the-labour-leadership-election-so-far-10402242.html

I notice Burnham is endorsing the economists' favourite theoretical tax the LVT.

[Simfan34]

How can a land value tax possibly replace the income tax? How would this work? The rates needed to generate revenue on the scale of income tax would presumably have to be so high that I imagine that land ownership would become a dicey proposition financially very quickly. Is there not a property tax in the UK at the moment?

Or does he think it's 1915, and wants to break up the estates?

[DavidB.]

Meanwhile, George Galloway has promised to return to Labour if Corbyn becomes the new party leader. That will surely help Corbyn get elected...

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3181156/George-Galloway-vows-rejoin-Labour-party-pretty-damn-quick-Jeremy-Corbyn-leader.html

[Phony Moderate]

He didn't voluntarily leave though.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

Yes, he was expelled. Given that even most people on the Labour Left now regard him as scum (a feeling enhanced by his vile behavior in the General Election earlier this year) his chances of readmittance would have to be counted as rather low. In any case it isn't the leader who decides who gets to be a member or not. The Labour Party is a lot of things, but one thing it isn't is a dictatorship.