Labour Party (UK) Leadership Election, 2016

[Antonio the Sixth]

If Corbyn actually still has the support of Labour members, he has every right to stay. I hope Labour members know better than that, though.

[Antonio the Sixth]

Why would there be an influx of new members and why on Earth would they be expected to be anti-Corbyn?

Because there is one and because they seem to be.

Left-leaning Remain voters who were traumatized by the results and want to do something about it?

[Antonio the Sixth]

Can someone well-versed in Labour politics explain to me the difference between the Soft Right and the Soft Left? I think I understand the fault lines between the soft and hard left, and between the soft right and the Kendallesque Blair fanatics, but what's really the barrier between Labour left and right? Is it rooted in specific issues, or is it mostly cultural or identity-based?

[Antonio the Sixth]

Thanks Al and Crabcake, that's very interesting.

From that description, I'd be roughly equally fine with a Soft Left or and Old Right leader (which I guess explains why I was fond of Miliband and supported Burnham last year). I distrust technocracy too much to align with the Brown wing, but it's acceptable as well.

Honestly, at this point the British Labour might be one of the least awful left-wing parties left in Europe.

[Antonio the Sixth]

Things you shouldn't say if you're an under fire leader:


 "Our Jewish friends are no more responsible for the actions of Israel than our Muslim friends are for the self-styled Islamic State"

Oh for f**k's sake.

OK, now it's REALLY time to go.

[Antonio the Sixth]

Labour Members Would Back Corbyn in Ballot 50%-47%: YouGov Poll

Of course Corbyn only won around 50% of LAB members back in 2015.  It was Registered supporters   and Affiliated supporters he cleaned up on. This poll seems to indicate he is about where he was back in 2015 when it comes to LAB members.

Well sh*t.

[Antonio the Sixth]

At this point, is it fair to say that the Labour base is about as out of touch with the British public than the GOP base is to the American one?

[Antonio the Sixth]

Didn't most Labour MPs vote for the Iraq War? I thought party discipline was the rule on this kind of stuff.

[Antonio the Sixth]

It was a crime against humanity.

You're usually a right-wing Democrat, and yet this is the issue where you feel the need to embrace loony left rhetoric on? Weird.

[Antonio the Sixth]

I hear JC was going to call Blair a war criminal at a Rally afterwards, but Blair has briefed he'll sue people who say political leaders who say that.

I don't think Blair was a war criminal, but now I believe every Labour Left figure should come out and call him that, just to piss off that arrogant little prick.

[Antonio the Sixth]

It was a crime against humanity.

You're usually a right-wing Democrat, and yet this is the issue where you feel the need to embrace loony left rhetoric on? Weird.

this being the time the US and the UK invaded a country for no reason and needlessly killed tens of thousands of people, at least, and paved the way for the rise of ISIS.

Why in God's name is anyone on the left acting like opposing this is a fringe issue all of the sudden?

Again, if you don't think the Iraq War was a big deal, you are directly responsible for the rise of Jeremy Corbyn.

I oppose the Iraq War and think it's a pretty big deal, but for f**k's sake words like "crime against humanity" shouldn't be thrown out casually.

[Antonio the Sixth]

OK, I've accepted the fact that Labour is completely and utterly screwed.

[Antonio the Sixth]

Just a hunch but I feel that Owen Smith is getting played by Watson/Unite here.

Angela was suppose to declare last Thursday, then the old Brownite enforces (Bryant, and others) started briefing that Smith had enough nominations so Eagle pushed back her launch. Now Smith is taking advice from Watson, and pushing back the launch even further.

Tom Watson wants to be leader, and that could well be a condition of the Unite Agreement- JC steps down, Watson becomes leader with John Mcdonnell staying as Chancellor.

It's been to quiet for me to think that nothing is being planned by Unite

If the sane wing of Labour keeps playing these stupid little games, Corbyn is probably safe until 2025 at least.

[Antonio the Sixth]

Before even Corbyn, Labour already struck me as one of the most authentically left-wing (or to put it otherwise, maybe one of the most authentically pro-working class) parties left in Western Europe. Even Blair's brand of neoliberalism was tame in comparison of what Schröder was doing (and, yes, what Hollande is doing now). That might have been because there wasn't much "need" for neoliberalism after 18 years of Torie rule, but still. And Blair is now almost universally considered a despicable traitor by the Labour rank-and-file, from what I've seen.

That is to say that a leader somewhat to the right of Corbyn would still be reasonably left-wing by modern standards.

[Antonio the Sixth]

Smith is in, supposedly.

Fingers crossed.

[Antonio the Sixth]

Why, why oh why?

[Antonio the Sixth]

Silence for a while now. Does that mean that ITS HAPPENING or just that someone has confiscated the phones?

When Al is asking the questions and not providing the answer when it comes to British politics you know stuff are completely off the rails and upside down.   

Indeed. God help us.

[Antonio the Sixth]

It's going to last FOR EVER I think. Something that has emerged is that the General Secretary of the Party is only allowing one lawyer (a specialist in the laws of clubs and societies drafted in by those who want Corbyn gone) to present in person.

I think I've reached the point where I'm finding the divers shenanigans of both camps over the past 24hrs to be more amusing than depressing. This is psychologically healthy, probably.

What do you mean forever? Do you think it's going to go on well into the night/morning?

[Antonio the Sixth]

...oh.

[Antonio the Sixth]

Oh for f**k's sake. I think Corbyn should go but these tactics are ugly.

[Antonio the Sixth]

I cannot imagine a way in which this could possibly end well.

[Antonio the Sixth]

Hear there are going to be hustings between Eagle and Smith today in the PLP to see who faces Corbyn.

As I said before it all comes down to 'GBs v TB's' again. If Watson backs Smith then there's no way I can see Angela winning

What does GBs vs TBs mean?

Gordon Brown vs. Tony Blair, the silly civil war that's plagued Labour politics throughout the 1990s and 2000s in which ideology played a very limited role.

[Antonio the Sixth]

Owen Smith looks to be gaining steam- has already announced he'd want a ref on any new Brexit deal (much like DC did in 2005 about Lisbon) and has attacked Eagle for being supported by people on the far right of the party- for the 11th time with the new membership rules I see Smith having a chance

Good to know. He seems great from what I've heard.

[Antonio the Sixth]

(Bloomberg) -- Corbyn would beat rivals Angela Eagle and Owen Smith by margins of more than 20 percentage points, a YouGov poll of party members for The Times found.
54% of those surveyed said Corbyn is first choice for leader versus 21% for Eagle and 15% for Smith
55% said Corbyn doing good job, up 4 points in two weeks

...

[Antonio the Sixth]

Owen Smith does a Leadsom - http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/owen-smith-labour-leadership-election-angela-eagle-jeremy-corbyn-candidates-vote-a7143221.html

Urgh. I really hope that's not what he had in mind.