Labour Party leadership election 2015

[Clyde1998]

Jim Murphy

I think Labour should choose someone who will take them back to the left - regardless who it is - as there seems to be too little of a difference between the two main parties.

[Clyde1998]

Oh come on, why would Ed Milliband need to step aside? It's not his fault Labour lost the election. It was all because of these SNP scumbags stealing a God-given Labour seats

The Conservatives won more than half of the seats - even if every Scottish seat had gone Labour, they would have still lose the election

[Clyde1998]

Our biggest concern was that poll that had us at 8% in the Scottish elections next year

What poll was that? I haven't seen Labour below 20%, tbh.

[Clyde1998]

Our biggest concern was that poll that had us at 8% in the Scottish elections next year

What poll was that? I haven't seen Labour below 20%, tbh.

The poll has disappeared, Ruth Davidson and several blairites re-tweeted it-basically laughing at the fact that we're doing worse than the tories for probably the first time since well ages

Probably a subsample from a UK-wide poll - wouldn't read too much into them.

[Clyde1998]

Natalie Bennett (‏@natalieben) "Congratulations @jeremycorbyn - the shift in British politics against austerity, against privatisation, against Trident, is gaining strength"

Nicola Sturgeon: "We congratulate Jeremy Corbyn on his victory and hope that we can work constructively with him in a progressive alliance against Tory austerity. We also call on him to give an early commitment that Labour MPs will join the SNP in voting against the £100 billion renewal of Trident. However, the reality today is that at a time when the country needs strong opposition to the Tories, Jeremy Corbyn leads a deeply, and very bitterly, divided party. Indeed, if Labour cannot quickly demonstrate that they have a credible chance of winning the next UK general election, many more people in Scotland are likely to conclude that independence is the only alternative to continued Tory government. In the meantime, it is clearer than ever that the only credible and united opposition to the Tories, north and south of the border, is the SNP"

Nigel Farage (@Nigel_Farage) "A Labour Leader who doesn't believe in any immigration controls. Clear that those who want strong border controls must vote UKIP."

Leanne Wood: "Plaid Cymru congratulates Jeremy Corbyn on his election. We hope that he will now deliver the votes of his MPs to join Plaid Cymru MPs in opposing those Tory policies that are causing great harm to people in Wales and beyond. However, his election cannot alter Labour's dismal record in government in Wales. Their legacy, especially since devolution is one of failure and managed decline. They have taken people for granted and they need replacing at next May's election. The Party of Wales is ready with a strong and progressive programme of government to provide that new competent leadership."

[Clyde1998]

The SNP are potential winners here. With the new Nationalist-Unionist spectrum a lot of 'anyone but SNP' voters might be more hesitant to tactically vote Labour, particularly when it comes to matters of the wallet. They won't necessarily vote SNP, but it helps blunt that appeal a little.

Possibly, but the SNP could lose voters to Labour in Scotland. However, I feel Labour could lose voters in England, leading to another Tory government, benefiting the independence movement that way. It would be interesting to see though...
@scottreid1980: "A few texts from centre-ground former Labour supporters saying they have no-one to vote for. #labourleadership"
@WingsScotland: "@scottreid1980 Sure they do. The Tories."

[Clyde1998]

Daily Mirror has got a bit overexcited...

[Clyde1998]

Nicola Sturgeon: "We congratulate Jeremy Corbyn on his victory and hope that we can work constructively with him in a progressive alliance against Tory austerity. We also call on him to give an early commitment that Labour MPs will join the SNP in voting against the £100 billion renewal of Trident. However, the reality today is that at a time when the country needs strong opposition to the Tories, Jeremy Corbyn leads a deeply, and very bitterly, divided party. Indeed, if Labour cannot quickly demonstrate that they have a credible chance of winning the next UK general election, many more people in Scotland are likely to conclude that independence is the only alternative to continued Tory government. In the meantime, it is clearer than ever that the only credible and united opposition to the Tories, north and south of the border, is the SNP"

Jesus Christ. She's so frank-- "if the rest of Britain dares hold different opinions from us and vote for the party we want, we'll break away". How absolutely childish!

No. She's saying that if the people of Scotland feel that another Conservative government is likely - the Scottish people will be more likely to want independence.

Don't forget the only 15% of voters in Scotland voted Tory in the UK election this year - compared to 40% in England and Wales (combined).

[Clyde1998]

Newsnight graphic showing voters needed to beat the Tories:

[Clyde1998]

@ProfTimBale: For the record: #JeremyCorbyn won 49.6% of #Labour members, 85.8% of (£3) registered supporters, & 57.6% of (union) affiliated supporters

[Clyde1998]

Newsnight graphic showing voters needed to beat the Tories:

This graphic is somewhat misleading, since it projects Labour's leadership voters furthest away from the Tory voters, which implies that they take most far-left position in the political spectrum. It is, of course, likely that Labour leadership voters are to the left of the average Labour voter, but I would never say that they constitute all of the far-left, which is a hidden meaning in this graphic.

It's just number of votes needed, not spectrum position - it's showing the amount of people Corbyn needs to get to vote for him, before he beats the Labour 2015 vote and Tories 2015 vote.

[Clyde1998]

It might be a good choice for Labour. Or it might keep the Tories in power for the next 20 years.

That's the worry I have. It could be 1983 all over again.

[Clyde1998]

I bet the tories wish they hadn't passed the fix term parliament act.

Could they not repeal it, now they have a majority? Wasn't it only a Lib Dem policy, not a Tory one?