2020 Labour Leadership Election

[Filuwaúrdjan]

One other thing you might have mentioned about Lammy is that he is very, *very*, VERY pro-remain. Could well be the "rejoin the EU literally the day after we have left" candidate - which actually might be a useful foil to Starmer/Thornberry if you are being cynical.......

Yes, that's correct. He would be the only potential candidate likely to go down that track; most of the others would clearly rather kill the issue stone dead (except as an issue of political management, which is different and almost certainly worse for the government). Actually that's one reason why I'm not sure if I entirely believe the rumours - it might just be people of the #FBPE tendency wishing out loud, but we shall see.

[YE]

Easily supporting Nandy. Starmer is probably my second choice. I’m not optimistic about either though.

[CumbrianLefty]

Easily supporting Nandy. Starmer is probably my second choice. I’m not optimistic about either though.

Events are always an opposition's best ally, but whoever wins will need to get a handle on the "post truth politics" that is now the Tory modus operandi.

[bigic]

https://mobile.twitter.com/estwebber/status/1208311908962570240

[CumbrianLefty]

Hmmm, the Times.

[Blair]

Hmmm, the Times.

The real story is that he's another UNITE official. The rot in Corbynism can be directly linked to when UNITE effectively took over LOTO & HQ.

In the week that has seen them lose a libel case against a Labour MP I'd avoid them like the plague.

[CumbrianLefty]

I do think the Unite thing is a good point.

A poisonous organisation whose own 2017 contest was amongst the dirtiest I can remember.

[Grand Wizard Lizard of the Klan]

So without McDonnell support and corbynist elites I guess RLB will have problems? Will she be able to get support of enough MPs?

[CumbrianLefty]

I would say she probably still would, the left in the PLP is now big enough.

Don't share the widespread assessment that she is favourite though.

[Cassius]

Skwawkbox lmao

[CumbrianLefty]

Skwawkbox lmao

For once, we agree

[Filuwaúrdjan]

The silence from Long Bailey continues and is starting to get a little strange. We've actually heard more from people who are probably not going to run...

[Filuwaúrdjan]

Some vague speculation about a possible candidacy from Ian Lavery. This is strange for several reasons. The first is that he had earlier ruled out running (he has now shifted towards 'probably not, will think over Christmas, etc'), the second is that while he has a certain roguish charm this does come with the price tag of, well, him being a bit of a rogue with attached baggage, the third is that the people signal-boosting the idea with the most enthusiasm are the more extreme parts of the Left - this being peculiar because Lavery is actually one of the most moderate figures associated with the Left cadre and was in open heavy disagreement with its political and electoral strategy in the runup to the election.

[CumbrianLefty]

Brexit related, innit - he was one of *the* most sceptical SCers about pivoting for another referendum and the wing of Corbynism who were never sold on that have adopted him as their champion.

[CumbrianLefty]

The silence from Long Bailey continues and is starting to get a little strange. We've actually heard more from people who are probably not going to run...

And right on cue, RLB has a piece in tomorrow's Guardian confirming that she is running (and that her best buddy Rayner is going for deputy) It also, intriguingly, mentions "progressive patriotism".

[Dr Oz Lost Party!]

Starmer is probably the only candidate who would be capable of going toe-to-toe with Johnson. RLB would ensure another decade of conservative government. I honestly do not know what makes her think she's capable of turning Labour around.

Nandy is my second choice.

[CumbrianLefty]

Well its actually RLB and Nandy, but thanks for your input

Starmer does have definite positives, the two main concerns people have (ideology aside, anyway) are his supposed lack of charisma and his previous strong anti-Brexitism being used against him by Tories and their media supporters (on a more trivial level, his being a "Sir" might be weaponised as well)

[Antonio the Sixth]

Nancy is my second choice.

I doubt the British public would take it well if the Speaker of the US House of Representatives headed one of their political parties. Maybe it would appeal to the segment of the Brexiteers that supports closer ties with the US, but those aren't exactly the voters Labour needs to win back.

[America Needs R'hllor]

Nancy is my second choice.

I doubt the British public would take it well if the Speaker of the US House of Representatives headed one of their political parties. Maybe it would appeal to the segment of the Brexiteers that supports closer ties with the US, but those aren't exactly the voters Labour needs to win back.

Ok, but actually, what if maybe...

[Zinneke]

Well its actually RLB and Nandy, but thanks for your input

Starmer does have definite positives, the two main concerns people have (ideology aside, anyway) are his supposed lack of charisma and his previous strong anti-Brexitism being used against him by Tories and their media supporters (on a more trivial level, his being a "Sir" might be weaponised as well)

And the fact that he is a human rights lawyer and that's a Very Bad Thing these days...

[DaWN]

Long-Bailey is even worse than I thought. Labour deserve to become an irrelevance if when they elect her.

[adma]

Well its actually RLB and Nandy, but thanks for your input

Starmer does have definite positives, the two main concerns people have (ideology aside, anyway) are his supposed lack of charisma and his previous strong anti-Brexitism being used against him by Tories and their media supporters (on a more trivial level, his being a "Sir" might be weaponised as well)

And the fact that he is a human rights lawyer and that's a Very Bad Thing these days...

And he's a middle-aged white male at a moment when it's supposedly time for somebody other-than.

[CumbrianLefty]

Long-Bailey is even worse than I thought. Labour deserve to become an irrelevance if when they elect her.

Is that based on her Graun piece?

Personally i saw it as at least a tentative attempt to move beyond Corbynist "orthodoxy".

[Filuwaúrdjan]

(on a more trivial level, his being a "Sir" might be weaponised as well)

That would almost certainly backfire quite hilariously.

[DaWN]

Long-Bailey is even worse than I thought. Labour deserve to become an irrelevance if when they elect her.

Is that based on her Graun piece?

Personally i saw it as at least a tentative attempt to move beyond Corbynist "orthodoxy".

Just looks like Continuity Corbynism to me. It has an admission it went wrong but nothing on how to fix it and nothing on how to change; that honestly might be worse than blinkered ignorance. She won't even have a McDonnell figure providing a tiny bit of intelligence and strategy to the operation. Frankly I see her doing worse than Corbyn.