Labour hints Charles Kennedy to defect from Liberal Democrats

[You kip if you want to...]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2010/aug/20/labour-hints-charles-kennedy-defect-liberal-democrats

What comes first, a LibDems crossing the floor or a new LibDem leader?

[Filuwaúrdjan]

Probably just a silly season rumour. Most rumoured defections never actually happen.

[Swedish Rainbow Capitalist Cheese]

What comes first, a LibDems crossing the floor or a new LibDem leader?

Maybe Nick Clegg will defect to the Tories and cause the two things to happen simuntaniesly?

[minionofmidas]

Ed Miliband says if he wins Labour leadership contest his strategy is to make Lib Dems 'extinct'

What an idiot.

[You kip if you want to...]

Ed Miliband says if he wins Labour leadership contest his strategy is to make Lib Dems 'extinct'

What an idiot.

He's trying to take hold of the anger of Labour members at the LibDems, of which there are many. Of course, it's clear that the Libs will make themself extinct over the next 5 years. Labour should be attacking the Tories.

[minionofmidas]

It's never a good idea to start talking about wanting an otherwise accepted mainstream party to disappear. Or making such predictions based on wishful thinking. It's making it harder for soft LD sympathizers t switch to Labour - it's basically putting up a "you're not welcome" sign.

Besides, it's not as if the LD's or a party like them wasn't apparently needed in Britain. There's a reason for their rebirth since the 60s and their rebirth in the early 90s, and it lay in the state of the Labour and Conservative Parties.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

Did he actually use those words? Not a clever choice if he did.

[minionofmidas]

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[Filuwaúrdjan]

Ah, not a brilliant choice of words, though not any worse than the norm for politicians talking about the general subject of future party structures.

Btw, Kennedy's seat has never been Labour held. Not sure why it's always being confused with Caithness and So On.

[You kip if you want to...]

Ah, not a brilliant choice of words, though not any worse than the norm for politicians talking about the general subject of future party structures.

Btw, Kennedy's seat has never been Labour held. Not sure why it's always being confused with Caithness and So On.

I imagine that, if he was to defect, Labour would select him for a safe seat in Scotland. Would he hold Rosse, Skye and Lochaber as a Labour candidate? I imagine his personal vote is very strong.

[minionofmidas]

Ah, not a brilliant choice of words, though not any worse than the norm for politicians talking about the general subject of future party structures.

Btw, Kennedy's seat has never been Labour held. Not sure why it's always being confused with Caithness and So On.

It includes part of the former Inverness East etc, though. Though probably not the part Labour's win was based off.
Oh, also Ross & Cromarty was represented by Malcolm MacDonald from 1936 to 1945.

[minionofmidas]

Would he hold Rosse, Skye and Lochaber as a Labour candidate?

I would imagine so.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

It includes part of the former Inverness East etc, though. Though probably not the part Labour's win was based off.

Fort William can be a decent area for Labour candidates, actually. Heh.

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lol

[You kip if you want to...]

This can't be true, why else would the Australian election be the BBC's top story and not this?

[k-onmmunist]

I will be very pleased if the Liberal Democrats do go extinct.

[Citizen (The) Doctor]

I will be very pleased if the Liberal Democrats do go extinct.

The Libs are the closest thing to a political phoenix.  When they die, they come back.

[You kip if you want to...]

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/lib-dems-to-discuss-closer-ties-with-labour-at-election-2058833.html - The Kennedy story appears to have given the Libs a taste of things to come for them.

I hope I can say on behalf of many Labour supporters that we don't want the Libs, thanks. They had their chance to let the Tories go it alone. Just because their support has collapsed to 12% (and falling) and Labour appears to have picked up most of the collapse, doesn't mean they can have us when the going gets tough for them. That's opportunism, if I ever saw it.

If they're down to 5 MPs at the next election, then it's their own doing, not Labour's doing or even the Conservative's doing.

[Dr. Cynic]

Ed Miliband says if he wins Labour leadership contest his strategy is to make Lib Dems 'extinct'

What an idiot.

This.

There are too many LibDems who just do not appeal to either Labour or the Tories. I think one interesting thing that could come of that is even if the LibDems do die, there could be some who'd go back to using either the Liberal Party name or the Social Democratic name.