This Once Great Movement Of Ours

[CumbrianLefty]

I have never been to conference, even as a visitor.

There was a time when I regretted that, but not so much these days.

[JimJamUK]

My impression, sure to be proven wrong, is that it is noticeably less toxic than it has been in ages?

[Blair]

My impression, sure to be proven wrong, is that it is noticeably less toxic than it has been in ages?

Yes Starmer has such control over the party and has passed his internal reforms so there is nothing party related actually happening this year; there is isn’t even the vague showing off leg by the various pretenders to the throne that we had last year or the year before.

On the last point a reason why Wes Streeting was liked and promoted by Keirs office was because he very vocally defended Keir and his leadership in 2021 at conference when things were looking a bit shaky.

[CumbrianLefty]

Some interesting stuff from conference about possible campaign lines for the coming GE.

Once this is over, it will hopefully be even harder to claim there is "no difference" between Labour and the Tories (though that, needless to say, won't stop the usual suspects trying)

[Pericles]

Some interesting stuff from conference about possible campaign lines for the coming GE.

Once this is over, it will hopefully be even harder to claim there is "no difference" between Labour and the Tories (though that, needless to say, won't stop the usual suspects trying)

I'm not concerned that Starmer is a Red Rishi, but I don't believe his current promises are going to achieve his goals. He has ruled out so much that either he does not understand what he needs to do to fix public services and the economy, or he is planning on breaking his promises*.

*As has been said, Britain has some tolerance for this but governing a lot differently from his 'mandate' is a questionable strategy (and yes, it's a very different context than doing it to Labour members).

[Blair]

The lobby have the attention span of a gnat and all but Reeves speech yesterday was written up as an ‘heir to Starmer’ type speech- she runs a very tight ship.

[CumbrianLefty]

She has definitely improved as a speaker, but is still fairly meh overall.

And there *is* the previous record of Chancellors stepping into the top spot to consider!

[Filuwaúrdjan]

The future is a strange land and who knows what we shall find there, but mostly she seems very keen to be Chancellor: you get the distinct impression that the post is a childhood dream, perhaps.

[EastAnglianLefty]

Starmer's speech was disrupted by a protestor who chucked glitter over him: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/uk-67065235

He handled it pretty well and has got quite a lot of praise from the press for it.

[JimJamUK]

Starmer's speech was disrupted by a protestor who chucked glitter over him

They want a ‘House of Citizens’. Unelected randos who are expected to give the ‘correct’ opinions on how to run the country (and politicians take their instructions).

[Torrain]

Starmer's speech was disrupted by a protestor who chucked glitter over him

They want a ‘House of Citizens’. Unelected randos who are expected to give the ‘correct’ opinions on how to run the country (and politicians take their instructions).

Unsurprisingly, they’re a JSO offshoot. Especially given “convene a citizen assembly, and dictate populist policy to parliament” is the JSO proposal for basically all problems.

Edit: the stunt produced this shot, so I guess that’s something:

Also, given how relatively smoothly he recovered, quipped, and slid into ‘rolled-up shirtsleeves’ mode, it’s probably a net positive for Starmer.

[afleitch]

The future is a strange land and who knows what we shall find there, but mostly she seems very keen to be Chancellor: you get the distinct impression that the post is a childhood dream, perhaps.

The last that could be said for, was Brown and Lawson; 'good till they were bad' Chancellors. But good for the post in general.

[Oryxslayer]

https://twitter.com/Steven_Swinford/status/1712013640583307694?t=OAikbP9Z1gW7M0u...

Well, for those who wanted him to take clear and strong positions on issues against the Tories, here it is. IMO this issue is where that needed to happen.

The second clear prospect of this is for the Lib-Dems. They in theory now have a wedge versus Labour for when the current gang-up versus the conservatives comes to an end, or is not relevant in a constituency.

[CumbrianLefty]

Though the LibDems are themselves divided on this - a motion calling for a massive house building programme was passed at their recent conference, against the wishes of the leadership.

[Cassius]

Wes Streeting setting out a bold target for all children born today to live to the age of 78, three years below the current average life expectancy.

[Blair]

It’s a sign if things that this thread was so empty during labour conference- nothing really to report!

Did it feel like this in 1991?!

[CityofSinners]

The message discipline is impressive. The current Israel-Gaza conflict would have ript apart the party under Corbyn.

[CumbrianLefty]

The message discipline is impressive. The current Israel-Gaza conflict would have ript apart the party under Corbyn.

But maybe this is the easy part (and even now, there are rumblings below the surface)

If we really do see vast numbers of Palestinians killed/expelled in the coming weeks (as opposed to, at present, merely in the overheated imaginations of posters like Snowstalker and pppolitics) then it is hard to imagine even Starmer not changing his line somewhat.

[Blair]

The message discipline is impressive. The current Israel-Gaza conflict would have ript apart the party under Corbyn.

But maybe this is the easy part (and even now, there are rumblings below the surface)

If we really do see vast numbers of Palestinians killed/expelled in the coming weeks (as opposed to, at present, merely in the overheated imaginations of posters like Snowstalker and pppolitics) then it is hard to imagine even Starmer not changing his line somewhat.

He won't change his line, he never shown the beginning of a spine when the Board of Deputies says something.

But the parties line has already changed over the weekend.

[CumbrianLefty]

The message discipline is impressive. The current Israel-Gaza conflict would have ript apart the party under Corbyn.

But maybe this is the easy part (and even now, there are rumblings below the surface)

If we really do see vast numbers of Palestinians killed/expelled in the coming weeks (as opposed to, at present, merely in the overheated imaginations of posters like Snowstalker and pppolitics) then it is hard to imagine even Starmer not changing his line somewhat.

He won't change his line, he never shown the beginning of a spine when the Board of Deputies says something.

But the parties line has already changed over the weekend.

There is already at least one instance of a Labour councillor quitting the party because of Starmer's supposed position on Gaza, when days later he clarified it to say water electricity and humanitarian aid there *should* be restored. Some are too quick to judge regarding fluid fast moving situations.

[Wiswylfen]

The new boundaries in urban Northumberland (because I don't know anything about what's going to happen in North Northumberland) and what they mean for Labour:

Cramlington and Killingworth would have been very narrow in 2019; who would have won it is up for debate and different notionals have different winners. Nevertheless, Labour will win it easily at the next election. The seat includes the new towns of Cramlington and Killingworth and the surrounding ex-pit villages. The new towns, particularly their more prosperous elements, will have leaned Conservative at the last election but even in that disastrous defeat the pit villages (affluent housing developments aside) will have been staunchly Labour.

The selection will be between Emma Foody, Alexander Hay, and possibly Joe Kirwin. Foody is of some importance in the Co-op Party and it is also worth mentioning that if selected she will form one half of a parliamentary couple with Alex Norris; Hay is a Newcastle councillor and on the cabinet; Kirwin is a North Tyneside councillor and it is unclear whether or not he will actually go for the selection (he'll make it into Parliament one day nevertheless).

Newcastle upon Tyne West (which I refuse to call by the ridiculous name the Boundary Commission gave it) consists of the city centre (contributing barely any electors and no reason to throw all naming conventions out the window), West End, and outer west. Chi Nishikata, currently MP for Newcastle upon Tyne Central, will be the Labour candidate. Obviously this is safely Labour.

Newcastle upon Tyne North finally unites the city's middle-class suburbs (not to say there aren't some bits that aren't, but they're firmly in the minority) in one seat. Labour will win it at the next election but this seat offers a long-term Lib Dem target and they would have won it in 2010 had it been around then. Catherine McKinnell, currently MP for Newcastle upon Tyne North (a significantly different seat in terms of boundaries, though of course nowhere close to the infamous 1983 Newcastle Central), will be the Labour candidate.

Newcastle upon Tyne East and Wallsend would have been a bit difficult, with two MPs having a claim to it and Mary Glindon's base being in the Wallsend part of her seat, but then what happened to Nick Brown happened and so Mary Glindon will be the Labour candidate. This is generally very working-class (Walker is the ward with the highest % of social housing in England outside London), though with some more middle-class developments, and whatever nonsense some of you reading this may have heard about realignments votes accordingly.

Tynemouth loses Shiremoor, Backworth, and the new developments that were supposed to solidify Conservative control locally (check out the North Tyneside Council Wikipedia article for how that turned out) but in the end proved surprisingly alright for us, and gains Riverside ward up to the A19, reuniting all of North Shields in a single seat. The core of this seat has remained basically the same since 1950, despite adjustments on its western border.

Labour won it in 1945 (though back then it didn't include Whitley Bay and Monkseaton) but never again until 1997, when Alan Campbell won it and has held it ever since. There was some worry Labour might lose it in 2010 but, more than the favourable boundary changes, Tory infighting and the fact Wendy Morton (now MP for Aldridge-Brownhills) was an utterly useless candidate (no, really, absolutely horrendous) saw him safely home. Alan Campbell, who in addition to being MP for Tynemouth is also the party's Chief Whip, will stand again.

[EastAnglianLefty]

Is Susan Dungworth not trying again for selection in Cramlington & Killingworth?

[Wiswylfen]

Is Susan Dungworth not trying again for selection in Cramlington & Killingworth?

No. Susan Dungworth has been selected as the Labour candidate for Northumbria PCC (which she will, of course, win). I think she’s backing Emma Foody (who is probably going to win the selection when it happens) for Cramlington and Killingworth but don’t quote me on that.

[CumbrianLefty]

It’s a sign if things that this thread was so empty during labour conference- nothing really to report!

Did it feel like this in 1991?!

It certainly was like this in 1995-96, yes.

Though as it happens, 1991 was a very united optimistic conference as well and featured what was one of Neil Kinnock's best ever speeches. The feeling there that Labour was at least going to fight the next election to a draw was near universal.

Its significant too that it is 1992 that is still eternally prayed in aid by the current "Tories can still win" merchants (2015 gets mentioned much less, even though it is a lot more recent and similar in at least some significant ways) It really has left a profound mark on the collective British political psyche.  

[Wiswylfen]

I missed Blyth and Ashington.

The new seat takes in the most working-class (and therefore favourable to Labour) parts of the existing Wansbeck and Blyth Valley seats. The two eponymous towns, again despite the realignment narrative*, will have voted Labour in 2019. Blyth Valley, of course, fell to the Conservatives very early on election night (which I remember decently well, having gone to bed afterwards because I wasn't going to stay up for the massacre); Wansbeck was narrowly held for Labour by Ian Lavery, who unfortunately will be the party's candidate at the next election.

Perhaps I will be allowed a little speculation as to future candidates once Ian Lavery stands down. There are quite a few possibilities. From Ashington: Ian Lavery's son and Ashington town councillor Liam Lavery (no, the blackface one is Ian Jr.); Ashington town councillor Sophie Robinson, who has a decent chance of being Labour's first trans MP; and county councillor Caroline Ball. From Bedlington: Rebecca Wilczek, county councillor. From Blyth: Anna Watson, another councillor. And from outside the constituency: Scott Dickinson, leader of the Labour group on Northumberland County Council and councillor for Druridge Bay; and God knows how many people who once visited Newbiggin when they were 5 or whatever such nonsense.

*2021 local election results should not be taken to reflect much more than the competence of Blyth Valley Conservatives and the incompetence of Blyth Valley Labour (Susan Dungworth** is competent but the rest are pretty bad).
**Family rivalries (she was the second wife of the late Mike Dungworth, whose first wife subsequently became my father's stepmother) aside.