This Once Great Movement Of Ours

[Blair]

It will broadly I expect be the typical reshuffle for this stage of an opposition; big four stays the same, mid shadow cabinet sees some demotions to bring junior ministers up to shadow cabinet level & some chopping and changing based on internal dynamics/weird beef that develops.

[CumbrianLefty]

Still quiet on the reshuffle front - you might expect it before parliament reconvenes next week if there is actually going to be one.

[Blair]

Still quiet on the reshuffle front - you might expect it before parliament reconvenes next week if there is actually going to be one.

If it's not on Monday I expect its being delayed- but who knows with these things! Iirc the last one was slightly trailed & then held after a good by-election result.

I wouldn't be shocked if its quite low-key; filling some gaps, switching some mid-level roles & keep the big jobs as they are.

[CumbrianLefty]

Streeting's proposal on GPs and the NHS is genuinely interesting. Though there is also maybe merit in the criticism that the timing maybe leaves a bit to be desired.

[Blair]

Looks like talks have started about TSSA ‘merging’ into GMB.

Iirc isn’t TSSA a smallish and mainly white collar union? Was once seen as part of the left cadre but backed Keir in 2020- largely I think because of Brexit and the Gen Sec. I think they put it to a members vote but I might be wrong.

There was talk (a while back!) of GMB and Unite merging- ain’t going to happen now obviously.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

TSSA is tiny: membership of just under 18,000 at last time of counting (and no reason to believe the figure has increased, put it that way), as opposed to over 600,000 for the GMB. But, yes, it's the old railway clerks union, though it does have some random members outside the industry these days. And has certain... um... internal difficulties that might make a merger attractive.

[Blair]

I did read when British rail was created they ended up owning a vast estate of rather weird things; including something like 500 boarding houses and hotels.

[CumbrianLefty]

Have to say that Bridget Phillipson impressed on Question Time last night.

She might be worth more of a punt for future party leadership than the over-hyped Streeting.

[Alben Barkley]

Starmer: '16 is too young to change legal gender'

[Blair]

As much as Wes annoys me I have been rather shocked by the reaction from GPs in response to the rather modest reforms mooted- I fear they don’t know how unpopular they are at the moment, especially from people who would have defended them a decade ago.

I hated the new Labour ‘reform the dinosaurs’ approach but god every time I see another tweet thread suggesting they’re perfect I want to do a Tony Crosland.

[CumbrianLefty]

Though the response will be partly due to Streeting's aggressive positioning.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

Though the response will be partly due to Streeting's aggressive positioning.

This is the point at which (and maybe it's for the best that this has been suggested for the first time so relatively deep into opposition) with a more... er... emollient tone than Streeting should go around quietly and carefully pointing out that, actually, given the way things work now, the effective nationalization of GPs would actually work out to the advantage of a majority of GPs.

[Blair]

With some exceptions is anyone surprised by how many 'high profile' people in & around THIGMOO don't seem to be running for seats- including those at are quite easily winnable on a good night?

I know we still have a lot of selections to do (they've mostly been filling the retirees) and I assume the Welsh ones up in the air because of the nature of the boundary changes.

It just seems to contrast with 2015 & 1997/92...

[CumbrianLefty]

Well this does seem to vary, a few selections in at least moderately plausible Labour gains next time round have actually had to be rerun through lack of interest originally.

[Blair]

Some reporting re Islington North… suggesting Corbyn won’t retire and the party will try and leave it to the last minute.

It’s strange as there seems to be a very plausible deal- Corbyn stands down and gets a local successor who he supports and we get to avoid a fight that makes a lot of his friends and allies risk getting suspended.

[CumbrianLefty]

I would leave things until the last minute myself if I was a Labour strategist tbh - just make Corbyn consider if this is *really* what he wants to do (and he will be 75 if this parliament runs its full term)

[Torrain]

The fact Mary Creagh, who seems to have been briefed as the de facto replacement candidate (pretty sure it was discussed in this thread a while back), has moved on to contest the selection in Coventry North East instead, probably supports the idea that there’s not going to be a decision any time soon.

[afleitch]

https://mobile.twitter.com/EuanYours/status/1621517727738515466

[YL]

I would leave things until the last minute myself if I was a Labour strategist tbh - just make Corbyn consider if this is *really* what he wants to do (and he will be 75 if this parliament runs its full term)

Corbyn strikes me as very stubborn (and otherwise he wouldn’t be in this situation in the first place) and I also wonder how much the leadership actually wants to do a deal with him.  It’s not as if losing Islington North (and would they?) will keep the Tories in power.

[CumbrianLefty]

https://mobile.twitter.com/EuanYours/status/1621517727738515466

Except that Macron never actually used the word "fascist" to describe the entire Israeli government.

 

[CumbrianLefty]

Ian Lavery is in the news......

[Blair]

Dougie Alexander selected as the East Lothian candidate.

 

[CumbrianLefty]

Meh, can he mess this one up as well?

[Blair]

Meh, can he mess this one up as well?

The funny thing is that there’s those in the party who hate him because of 2015 while some of us have even longer beef going to back to 2007.

I recall it was something to do with the snap election but I can’t remember if he was in favour or tanked it- anyway these are the thing that matter to some in THIGMOO!

[CumbrianLefty]

Its the 2014 Euro election campaign (if it can even be described as such) that rankles most with me. In some ways a dry run for Labour's nemesis in Scotland a few months later.