Labour Party leadership election 2015

[warandwar]

What exactly are the perks in being deputy leader? doesn't seem like a really influencing majordomo

I'm sure there's perks in running for it, even if the position doesn't hold much power.

[warandwar]

Let's hope the tories don't see this

I always thought he just wanted to talk to Hamas, but calling them a force for 'social justice' takes it a bit too far in my view

Though he actually tells a half-joke at one point in the video; one of the criticisms so far has been that he is humourless.

Not sure if he's calling Hamas itself a force for social justice or the group of parlimentarians present instead.

[warandwar]

If I disobeyed orders as often as Corbyn has, I'd be out of a job.

So? Why does that matter in this context?

[warandwar]

Let's hope the tories don't see this

I always thought he just wanted to talk to Hamas, but calling them a force for 'social justice' takes it a bit too far in my view

Though he actually tells a half-joke at one point in the video; one of the criticisms so far has been that he is humourless.

Not sure if he's calling Hamas itself a force for social justice or the group of parlimentarians present instead.

Haha. Justify much?

The group of parlimentarians present weren't part of Hamas, according to the video.

Besides I don't think it's entirely inaccurate to call Hezbollah a force for social justice, in that, as an organization, it exists to empower Lebanese Shiites. I think in this context it's important to distinguish the military and political wings of the two organizations.

[warandwar]

Let's hope the tories don't see this

I always thought he just wanted to talk to Hamas, but calling them a force for 'social justice' takes it a bit too far in my view

Though he actually tells a half-joke at one point in the video; one of the criticisms so far has been that he is humourless.

Not sure if he's calling Hamas itself a force for social justice or the group of parlimentarians present instead.

Haha. Justify much?

The group of parlimentarians present weren't part of Hamas, according to the video.

Besides I don't think it's entirely inaccurate to call Hezbollah a force for social justice, in that, as an organization, it exists to empower Lebanese Shiites. I think in this context it's important to distinguish the military and political wings of the two organizations.

Yeah, this is stupid and no one is buying it. The Nazis had social welfare programs too. Would it be fine to call members of the Nazi party "friends" as long as they weren't military officials? "It's okay, they only SUPPORT killing civilians, they don't actually kill the civilians themselves!"

You don't need to call me a Kapo. Believe or not, I have done some non-Wikipedia reading about Hezbollah! Hezbollah the organization (not that I support it) is more pragmatic than its stated ideology (and the West's reading of that ideology) would suggest. Inside of Lebanon, they govern on the local level with many of their sworn enemies, for example. The EU, after all, only calls the military wing of Hezbollah a terrorist organization.



A

[warandwar]

Interesting piece in today's Guardian from Michael Ashcroft polling about why Labour lost in this year general election. Apparently his findings seem to suggest Tony Blair is not as unpopular with Labour voters as a lot on the left seem to think he is:

The polling also shows that those in the Labour electorate who regard Tony Blair as source of shame rather than pride are in the minority. Writing in the Guardian, Ashcroft suggests: “Loyalists as well as defectors to other parties (especially the Conservatives) regard Tony Blair as the best Labour leader for 30 years, as do voters as whole.”

While loyalists and defectors overall both said John Smith, the Labour leader in the mid-90s, did a better job at standing up for the party’s values, both groups put Blair ahead of Smith, Neil Kinnock, Gordon Brown and Miliband on representing the whole country, appealing beyond traditional Labour voters and offering strong, competent leadership.

Corbyn has prioritised denouncing the British invasion of Iraq, saying he will formally apologise on behalf of the Labour party. Many in the Corbyn campaign have argued that a new winning coalition can be formed of radicals in Scotland, former Green voters, disillusioned Ukip voters and those who otherwise do not vote.

Ashcroft argues that Labour needs to win back some of the voters it lost to the Conservatives if it is to have a hope of winning in 2020.

http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2015/sep/10/labour-loyalists-put-principles-before-power-ashcroft-poll

Blair's critics are certainly loud and strident in their views but they apparently are also in a minority

Interesting piece:

If you agree with Corbyn you're a dummy. Polling shows that Blair is a friend of the animals as well as children. Corbyn's middle name is poopy. Blair's middle name is sunshinerainbow.

Blair's critics are certainly loud and strident in their views but they apparently are also in a minority

[warandwar]

Apparently John McDonnell has said he would want to assisinate Margaret Thatcher and gave credit to the peace to the IRA. Congratitulations to Prime Minister George Osborne.

I think you're exaggerating a bit.

[warandwar]

Interesting the way Corbyn applauded the audience at the TUC conference today who were applauding him politburo communist style.

Interesting how Corbyn's speech was followed by a performance of "The Red Detachment of Women" and how he declared a "Hundred Flowers Campaign" politburo communist style.

[warandwar]

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/Jeremy_Corbyn/11867337/Jeremy-Corbyn-disloyal-national-anthem-Labour-leader.html

Even if there is a campaign against him, he's not exactly making it harder for his opponents...

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IS THIS THE MAN YOU WANT AS PRIME MINISTER?!?!?!?!?

[warandwar]

Big news:

Jeremy Corbyn and Diane Abbott were lovers

http://www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/news/politics/article4559169.ece

No it's not.