Labour Leadership Contest

[AngryOfTuebrook]

Is it wrong that I like the thought of Cooper and Sturgeon lezzing up? 

Since we're in the confessional, I'd like you to consider that I once spent an hour in the company of Theresa Villiers and her posh plummy voice was giving me a bit of a twitch, thinking "I bet you're proper fuckin' filthy."

[Scooby Dudek]

I have just given them my £3. I feel dirty.

[Strontium]

This was liked on Facebook by one of my friends who is a Labour councillor in Halton. I thought it was an interesting perspective from the right of the Labour Party.
 
https://medium.com/@plcllgn9/one-flew-over-the-corbyn-s-nest-b33c86aad43d
 
 

One flew over the Corbyn’s nest

Still utterly speechless.

I’ve made no secret of my support for Liz Kendall but last night I went to a Jeremy Corbyn rally organised by Wirral TUC hoping that hearing him speak might do something to allay my concerns that he should never have been helped onto the ballot.

None of Jeremy’s fellow panellists, who spoke first, did anything to assuage my ill-feelings. Alec McFadden from the Wirral TUC, introduced Corbyn, boldly promising that Jeremy was the “man to rescue us from the betrayal of the Blair years.

I sat there aghast, though this would prove relatively tame compared to what would follow from the PCS rep who spoke next, declaring that “we are in a class war — fact” to rapturous applause. “Any Labour councillor who votes in favour of cuts, isn’t Labour at all — they’re part of the problem,” he continued was. To my surprise this garnered approving applause despite the rally taking place just over the water from Liverpool, a city only now, under Mayor Joe Anderson, recovering from the 1980s. To be fair, PCS are a union that are not affiliated with the party so it was unreasonable to expect anything too sensible. However the next speaker was a regional convenor for Unison, so I expected something more akin to party lines. It was not to be. She declared that there was “no room for pragmatic compromise.” To my astonishment all were met by vociferous roars of approval by the audience.

Already dumbfounded by what I’d heard, I comforted myself in the hope that Jeremy would be slightly more measured than those who had spoken before him. Any hopes I had were dashed by his opening gambit, “a few years ago, my friend Hugo Chavez came to speak to a small group of us (Labour MPs) in London.”

In the interests of balance it is probably only fair that I point out that Jeremy did actually make some salient points. On immigration, for example, you could be certain that a party he led would never sanction the manufacture of ‘controls on immigration’ mugs or lazily pander to the demonisation of immigrants because it was easy. He also rightly diagnosed some of the major shortcomings we as a nation have around housebuilding and landlords, even if his solutions were off. I have no doubts that Jeremy is an intelligent, articulate principled man. The only problem there is that his principles and beliefs are consigned to a bygone age.



“We don’t need austerity!” He boomed, again to rapturous applause as he told us about “his friend” Alexis Tsipras and how the government lacked “a moral mandate” (whatever that is) for their budget. Again though, this demonstrated a basic lack of understanding of the electorate. Eighty-eight per cent of people who participated voted for parties that offered austerity in one form or other in the last election. Over sixty per cent voted for parties that offered ‘austerity max.’

To pretend that people didn’t know what they voted for, or worse to tell them that they were just too stupid reflects worse on Corbyn than it does the electorate. Nobody wants austerity, but the public accept the need for it.

Jeremy seemed unable to breath the name ‘Blair,’ and later nodded as a member of the audience referred successful period in the history of the Labour party only as “the dark years.” Quite how anyone regards the thirteen years of Labour government — a Labour government that introduced the minimum wage, brought back the NHS from the brink and lifted millions out of poverty — as worse than eighteen years of Tory rule under Thatcher and Major is beyond me.

In fact, the only halcyon days that Jez seems to recall were the 1970s, back when he was helping to set up the Campaign for Labour Party Democracy, which he described as “paradise.” One can only assume that he intends to return the party to this paradise should he become leader — thank God nothing bad followed the 1970s, eh?

He ended by telling the crowd that “we mustn’t forget class politics; it’s very important,” showing a lack of recognition of how politics has changed in the last few decades. It may be useful to Jeremy to remove any nuance and paint everything as black and white, rich and poor, us and them but the reality is that ordinary people do not see things in that way. They see politics in terms of how the parties will change their lives. If they ever see a Corbyn-led Labour party, I do wonder what on Earth he would offer that could appeal to them.

I left after the first round of questions, though they were indicative in of themselves. The first two were dominated by the left’s usual obsessive paranoia with Progress — that pesky party within a party who do so much to help the Labour party. The mere mention of their name drew boos and hisses from the audience, who would later cheer the nws of Communist party members registering as supporters to vote for Jeremy — irony, eh? The final question I heard was from a man who wanted Jeremy to support any councils that chose to set an illegal budget, a bizarre sentiment, rarely heard on Merseyside.

Upon reflection, I know that these people are not representative of the party certainly not of the general public but it is always slightly dumbfounding to witness in person. In light of this week’s budget, it is vitally important that we take this leadership election seriously. We have to stop indulging fringe interests like those Jeremy represents and show the country that we are serious about governing again. Nothing I saw or heard last night did anything to alter my belief that Jeremy should never have been included on the ballot. There was no reason, no debate, just self-serving pontification, which the country neither wants nor needs.

We must to select a leader who will not consign the party to numerous elections’ worth of opposition. This may all sound obvious, but nights like last night prove that some are unwilling to listen. We can’t allow those who shout the loudest — as the hard left so often do — to dominate. We owe it to the millions of people reliant on the Labour party to return ourselves to office as soon as possible. Only then can we once again begin to make a difference to their lives, and right some of the wrongs that Cameron’s administration have implemented.

[Jairzinho]

That is hurting my eyes. Both because of format and content.

 

TLDR version - Tory in being a Tory shocker.

[VladimirIlyich]

This was liked on Facebook by one of my friends who is a Labour councillor in Halton. I thought it was an interesting perspective from the right of the Labour Party.

 

https://medium.com/@plcllgn9/one-flew-over-the-corbyn-s-nest-b33c86aad43d

 

 

 

Are you saying that likes on Facebook constitute critical and constructive public opinion?

The person who said we are in a class war was also absolutely spot on.

 

These people are the reason why the Labour Party is almost obsolete and needs fucking off in its current state. Another shade of Political Blue.

[Jairzinho]

Are you saying that likes on Facebook constitute critical and constructive public opinion?

The person who said we are in a class war was also absolutely spot on.

 

These people are the reason why the Labour Party is almost obsolete and needs fucking off in its current state. Another shade of Political Blue.

 

I don't see why it would matter to a "Labour" supporter like that that they're in government. Surely they're fine with the current government?

[Strontium]

Are you saying that likes on Facebook constitute critical and constructive public opinion?

 

No, I'm pointing out that I wasn't actively hunting for anti-Corbyn tracts, because I like to head off the usual predictable hackneyed criticism before it comes my way.

 

@Jairzinho, I fixed the formatting, it was hurting my eyes too.

[Section_31]

Behave SD, you wrote that didn't you?

[Strontium]

Fuck no. I want people to vote for Corbyn. I would have ponied up the three quid to vote for him myself had it not been explicitly against Lib Dem rules.

[Jairzinho]

You want people to vote for Corbyn, in your opinion, because you think he'll fail. So you want another Conservative government over a Labour government?

 

This isn't a particularly loaded question, really. Labour under any of the other three candidates, especially Kendall, won't be be all that different to the Tories.

[Section_31]

All this stuff is really depressing, I don't know about Corbyn etc but why can't a debate take place in this country without it becoming a total hatchet job?

 

Labour already saying they won't vote against the welfare cuts, they're a movement without a soul, absolutely pointless organisation. Fuck them.

[lifetime fan]

All this stuff is really depressing, I don't know about Corbyn etc but why can't a debate take place in this country without it becoming a total hatchet job?

 

Labour already saying they won't vote against the welfare cuts, they're a movement without a soul, absolutely pointless organisation. Fuck them.

They'll only get far worse if that twat Cooper becomes leader.

[AngryOfTuebrook]

That article by someone who attended the Birkenhead meeting is all a bit "meh".  

 

He talks about Corbyn's politics being old-fashioned and ignores the fact that many, many people are disengaged from and disillusioned (and effectively disenfranchised) by modern politics.  Turnouts at the last four general elections have been the four lowest since the First World War.  I suspect that this is largely because of the (not unjustified) widely-held view that politicians are "all the same" and "only in it for themselves".  The writer of that piece doesn't appear to get why this view of modern politics is so pervasive and why anyone who is seen as bucking that trend (Caroline Lucas, Nichola Sturgeon or even Nigel fucking Farage) can seem so attractive.

 

When people have genuine (or - to placate Dennis - perceived) alternatives to vote for (as in Scotland) then they will turn out in large numbers.  It may be wishful thinking, but I'd like to see a Corbyn-led Labour Party offer that alternative.

[Bobby Hundreds]

They are only seen as unattractive because the mainstream media does its absolute utmost to make sure they come across that way. When Ed made policy's that seemed to hit a note with the public, the man was attacked far more ferociously, the same happened with other politicians such as Clegg and Bennet The people who own the media have a vested interest in either keeping things the same or better yet  advancing Tory ideology which is the rich becoming richer and fuck everybody else, they are where they belong. 

 

I don't believe for a second many Tories want Corbyn to win but it's better to say so to make it seem like he's a joke. They are just planting the seeds to set that narrative. I think Corbyn would lose many votes but end up attracting more. If people see a person whose message resonated with their own they will vote. Look at Sanders in the US, it's hard for the media to ridicule him or trip him up because he has political conviction and his voting record backs up what he is saying now, he is not being a hypocrite in order to gain power. He is not avoiding questions in order to avoid bad press, he has his own opinion he isnt scared to give because of how it might poll. this is who I am and what I stand for, vote for it or don't, people can see he is a smart and honest man. Trump is similar the only thing is he is a stupid racist twat so his honesty merely highlights that fact. For many politicians they have to be dishonest because they are shitty people.

[Section_31]

The media are trying to bend labour back into shape. They're a serious threat to the status quo because they have the numbers, backing, and expertise to be a serious alternative, nobody else does, so that's why their leaders are attacked with such ferocity.

 

The next labour leader needs to stop playing the game. Hammer social media. Do guerilla marketing, capture the hearts and minds of young people, fuck situations which are deliberately designed to humiliate (why miliband went anywhere near burley, for instance, I'll never know.)

[AngryOfTuebrook]

The media are trying to bend labour back into shape. They're a serious threat to the status quo because they have the numbers, backing, and expertise to be a serious alternative, nobody else does, so that's why their leaders are attacked with such ferocity.

 

The next labour leader needs to stop playing the game. Hammer social media. Do guerilla marketing, capture the hearts and minds of young people, fuck situations which are deliberately designed to humiliate (why miliband went anywhere near burley, for instance, I'll never know.)

Exactly what the last Labour leader failed to do for five wasted years.

 

Which is why Labour lost.

[VladimirIlyich]

Exactly what the last Labour leader failed to do for five wasted years.

 

Which is why Labour lost.

Been saying for years that Social Media is the key to raising awareness of possible alternatives to the current set of fascist bastards. This applies to the Greens as much as Labour too.

[Jairzinho]

Been saying for years that Social Media is the key to raising awareness of possible alternatives to the current set of fascist bastards. This applies to the Greens as much as Labour too.

 

The Greens got a half decent Facebook page which promoted much of the same stuff as 38 Degrees, Another Angry Voice, etc and trebled their vote. I think it must have had a big effect because Bennett was pretty poor and if the local Green campaign where I live was in any way representative (non existent) then that won't have won many votes either. 

[VladimirIlyich]

The Greens got a half decent Facebook page which promoted much of the same stuff as 38 Degrees, Another Angry Voice, etc and trebled their vote. I think it must have had a big effect because Bennett was pretty poor and if the local Green campaign where I live was in any way representative (non existent) then that won't have won many votes either.

My lad has got involved in the local Green Party in our area,Halton/Warrington region and he is saying that the Greens round here are pretty much like the old style Liberals used to be, Lower Middle Class professional people with a conscience. There also seems to be a bit of squabbling over how far left to go with somebody insulting another member a 'Trotskyite.' I would have replied 'Thanks for the compliment.'

[Jairzinho]

My lad has got involved in the local Green Party in our area,Halton/Warrington region and he is saying that the Greens round here are pretty much like the old style Liberals used to be, Lower Middle Class professional people with a conscience. There also seems to be a bit of squabbling over how far left to go with somebody insulting another member a 'Trotskyite.' I would have replied 'Thanks for the compliment.'

 

I think the direction they take may well be dictated partly by who Labour picks as their leader. 

[Hermes]

Jeremy Corbyn?

 

 Fucking hell!!!

 

 

 Labour Party RIP.

[King Emlyn]

A Corbyn win would, without any doubt whatsoever, consign us to 10 years of Tory rule. Jeremy Corbyn becoming Prime Minister is an absolute impossibility.

[AngryOfTuebrook]

A Corbyn win would, without any doubt whatsoever, consign us to 10 years of Tory rule. Jeremy Corbyn becoming Prime Minister is an absolute impossibility.

There's a lot of people saying this.

 

There are very few people backing it up with any reasons.

[Creator Supreme]

Jeremy Corbyn?

 

 Fucking hell!!!

 

 

 Labour Party RIP.

And what the fuck has it got to do with you?

[King Emlyn]

There's a lot of people saying this.

 

There are very few people backing it up with any reasons.