This Once Great Movement Of Ours

[Secretary of State Liberal Hack]

Yeah to widely go into hypotheticals it’s more likely than not that we’d see a coronation of some form- and the Tories are very much on record as saying they think Starmer is a dull charisma free non entity with a back catalogue they can exploit at an election.

Tories saying something and reality doesn't seem to  have much correlation these days. The question remains who exactly will be coronated and theres potenial for things to go horribly wrong when right now Labour needs for the status-quo to countinue in order to win.

[Blair]

Would most likely be Lisa Nandy, especially if Rayner, Reeves and Cooper don’t stand- which all could easily happen.

[CumbrianLefty]

A lot of the media have already decided they want Streeting, however.

(to remove any doubt, I would be adamantly opposed to this)

[Filuwaúrdjan]

If it were to happen (and it's by far and away the least likely outcome, even if possible), then the list of people in the Shadow Cabinet who could step in is a long one. The mood in the Party would be one of quite extreme anger (people would be making comparisons to the Zinoviev Letter, the plots against Wilson and so on) and there would be a strong desire to get things sorted quickly - not sure if there would be much desire for a formal contest, which might mean hustings at a meeting of the PLP, the selection of a favoured choice and then great pressure to keep anyone else off the ballot.

But no matter what happens, this whole absurdity will likely increase the chances of a future Labour government picking up where Leveson was forced to close - but through legislation rather than a public enquiry. THIGMOO can be a vengeful entity.

[CumbrianLefty]

Yeah, the likes of Staines and Cole being the ultimate losers from this is a truly glorious thought.

[Blair]

If it were to happen (and it's by far and away the least likely outcome, even if possible), then the list of people in the Shadow Cabinet who could step in is a long one. The mood in the Party would be one of quite extreme anger (people would be making comparisons to the Zinoviev Letter, the plots against Wilson and so on) and there would be a strong desire to get things sorted quickly - not sure if there would be much desire for a formal contest, which might mean hustings at a meeting of the PLP, the selection of a favoured choice and then great pressure to keep anyone else off the ballot.

But no matter what happens, this whole absurdity will likely increase the chances of a future Labour government picking up where Leveson was forced to close - but through legislation rather than a public enquiry. THIGMOO can be a vengeful entity.

Funnily enough this was very much the tone which Nandy came out with this morning- very defensive of Keir and accusing the Government of slinging mud.

Interesting both in the sense that she isn’t exactly the top loyalist and that it suggests where the direction of gravity would be in the party…

[Blair]

Seeing as it’s THIGMOO closest thing to an in house press what’s happened with the New Statesman lately?

I see they’ve lost ailbhe rea now who was a very good journalist (she was v good on Lib Dem politics too!) and comes after losing Stephen Bush- who is probably one of the best writers on THIGMOO in the Lobby.

I’ve not really liked Andrew Marr and haven’t felt his articles really added anything that any other man in his 50s who has covered politics for 20 years wouldn’t say.

I know the magazine does go through well ups and downs in how it’s ran…

[TheTide]

Isn't Streeting more economically interventionist than the average 'Blairite'? That could be useful in a hypothetical leadership election in the near future, given the times we are living in.

[TheTide]

https://twitter.com/hzeffman/status/1523615481676333056?s=20&t=o8-pI37AvYZHN...

[President Punxsutawney Phil]

https://twitter.com/hzeffman/status/1523615481676333056?s=20&t=o8-pI37AvYZHN...

Draws a decent contrast with the PM, doesn't it?

[CumbrianLefty]

Isn't Streeting more economically interventionist than the average 'Blairite'? That could be useful in a hypothetical leadership election in the near future, given the times we are living in.

Actually that may be a fair assessment. Overall he still comes across as a bit slippery and too overly ambitious, though. His willingness to tell right wing hacks what they want to hear grates with many.

[CityofSinners]

The people hating this the most are the police officers and lawyers working on the Beergate case. Their horror scenario is the following.

Starmer gets fined, resigns and then challenges his fine in court. Nothing to lose once he has resigned. Losing that court case would be a s*itshow of epic proportions.
There would be non-stop media coverage, inquiries and the labour party on the warpath.

For that reason I doubt the Durham police will issue any FNP that they are not 100% confident in.

[EastAnglianLefty]

Seeing as it’s THIGMOO closest thing to an in house press what’s happened with the New Statesman lately?

I see they’ve lost ailbhe rea now who was a very good journalist (she was v good on Lib Dem politics too!) and comes after losing Stephen Bush- who is probably one of the best writers on THIGMOO in the Lobby.

I’ve not really liked Andrew Marr and haven’t felt his articles really added anything that any other man in his 50s who has covered politics for 20 years wouldn’t say.

I know the magazine does go through well ups and downs in how it’s ran…

The thing you have to remember is that Jason Cowley is a very bad editor. Much more interested in sports than politics and eager to be liked in the right circles. Sometimes that lack of interest means that good people are hired, sometimes that clueless clubbability means they hire whoever the Times has just fired and a bunch of journalists' idiot sons. What's happened is that we're drawing more from column B than column A at the moment.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

Isn't Streeting more economically interventionist than the average 'Blairite'? That could be useful in a hypothetical leadership election in the near future, given the times we are living in.

Actually that may be a fair assessment. Overall he still comes across as a bit slippery and too overly ambitious, though. His willingness to tell right wing hacks what they want to hear grates with many.

He has a lot of potential (people that insist otherwise mostly detest him for reasons relating to his 'career' in student politics long ago, when they too were young), but is a still bit callow. There's a young man in a hurry vibe and that rubs people up the wrong way as well.

[Blair]

He actually has some traits to be a good deputy leader- just as long as he got on politically with the leader.

Wouldn’t be shocked if him and Nandy come to a deal…

[CumbrianLefty]

Seeing as it’s THIGMOO closest thing to an in house press what’s happened with the New Statesman lately?

I see they’ve lost ailbhe rea now who was a very good journalist (she was v good on Lib Dem politics too!) and comes after losing Stephen Bush- who is probably one of the best writers on THIGMOO in the Lobby.

I’ve not really liked Andrew Marr and haven’t felt his articles really added anything that any other man in his 50s who has covered politics for 20 years wouldn’t say.

I know the magazine does go through well ups and downs in how it’s ran…

Marr was an excellent print journalist when he was younger, but all those years of softball interviews of Tory ministers seem to have dulled his reflexes.

[Blair]

There was an interesting guardian piece saying Starmer wanted to make his announcement on Friday but was told by his aides to wait, and was then delayed into acting. The article has a bit of briefing against his current staff (never great!)

It was only after he called his former aides (Benn Nunn and Chris Ward- both ran his operation when he was Shadow Brexit Sec and his early leadership days) that he decided to do it- significant that it said he also asked for advice from key allies in the Shadow Cabinet- including Reeves (ofc) and Emily Thornberry.

Her and Starmer are actually strangely similar…

What does this mean? Not much and largely Westminster tittle tattle but the whole saga seems to be bringing more attention back to his setup and well very clear flaws as a politician.

[Blair]

From non Kremlinologists Starmer essentially sacked* his entire operation in May 2021- these were largely people who had been with him for years or had ran his leadership bid.

They were slowly replaced by people who had served in various roles in the New Labour years- Deborah Mattinson was GBs pollster, Sam White was Darlings Chief of Staff and his director of comms who I can’t remember worked for Mr Tony after No.10.

I did always wonder it must be v strange to essentially have to recreate your team like this and with people who’ve been in politics much longer than you. And I imagine the last week has been one where it’s shown…


*it’s still unclear how much under duress this was on his part.

[CumbrianLefty]

Starmer again coming out with that just slightly archaic use of the word "moment" yesterday. One is reminded a wee bit of how the late Simon Hoggart used to describe Major's use of English.

[Blair]

Starmer again coming out with that just slightly archaic use of the word "moment" yesterday. One is reminded a wee bit of how the late Simon Hoggart used to describe Major's use of English.

It was a pretty weak speech but it’s hard to tell how much of it is just events and also the Queens Speech being a weird Parliamentary day.

It reminded me of Nicola Murray ‘the right man for the moment’.

More concerning to see ‘on your side’ was dropped- wasn’t a great slogan but better than anything else we’ve seen.

[Blair]

A random thought with events but I think the next deputy leaders race will be more revealing than the leadership- in terms of nominations, who runs etc.

I often find it’s a better acid test for the mood of the party, the unions and the PLP.

[Blair]

Interesting too that Wakefield selection seems to be unusual too- I don’t think any local council leaders are standing and the unions seem to be divided over their endorsement.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

It was a pretty weak speech but it’s hard to tell how much of it is just events and also the Queens Speech being a weird Parliamentary day.

On the one hand, yes, not his best work, on the other, well, he got on the news saying that the government isn't doing enough to help with the cost of living crisis...

[Blair]

As the sun rises in the east…

https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/wakefield-by-election-labour-row-keir-starmer-jack-hemingway_uk_6259613fe4b0be72bff599e3

[CumbrianLefty]

As the sun rises in the east…

https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/wakefield-by-election-labour-row-keir-starmer-jack-hemingway_uk_6259613fe4b0be72bff599e3

I think its fair to say nobody who has in the past said "controversial" things about the EHRC is going to become a candidate in any parliamentary byelection for Labour any time soon.