Who can become Labour's leader ?

[big bad fab]

I'm just asking, as I have no precise idea and as many are out or seem to be out.

Jack Straw, Alan Johnson, David Miliband, Ed Balls, Margaret Beckett,... ?

[afleitch]

I'm just asking, as I have no precise idea and as many are out or seem to be out.

Jack Straw, Alan Johnson, David Miliband, Ed Balls, Margaret Beckett,... ?

If you'd asked the same question of the Tories even in April 1997, most people would have said Portillo...until he lost his seat. If Labour loose the next election, the answer will depend on who is left to lead the party. My money would be on Jack Straw.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

Any one of at least twenty people, maybe more (seriously). It could easily be someone who's name everyone with even a slight interest in politics knows well, it could easily be someone who's name leaves political obsessives scratching their heads. Much depends on much that isn't known yet. When there's media speculation about this sort of thing, it tends to be forgotten that the PLP only gets a third of the vote. A candidate known only in Westminsterland will not be able to win.

Oh, and as the levy-payers get a third as well, it isn't going to be someone that Brothers Woodley, Simpson, Prentice and Kenny don't like. And as for the CLP's, they've been moving leftwards in internal elections for a few years now.

[Keystone Phil]

If you'd asked the same question of the Tories even in April 1997, most people would have said Portillo...until he lost his seat.

Oh, I wish. Though I recently watched a clip from one of his shows on YouTube and he bashed my boy Iain Duncan Smith for taking the Tories too far to the right. What was that about?   I thought Portillo was pretty right wing himself.

[afleitch]

If you'd asked the same question of the Tories even in April 1997, most people would have said Portillo...until he lost his seat.

Oh, I wish. Though I recently watched a clip from one of his shows on YouTube and he bashed my boy Iain Duncan Smith for taking the Tories too far to the right. What was that about?   I thought Portillo was pretty right wing himself.

We are told he had a 'Damascus' conversion while working as a hospital porter. Oh and the whole gay thing at university. To be honest Portillo circa '95 was really just hot air. He was never as far to the right as he seemed. He just had to position himself that way, as did William Hague after him.

[Peter]

If you'd asked the same question of the Tories even in April 1997, most people would have said Portillo...until he lost his seat.

Oh, I wish. Though I recently watched a clip from one of his shows on YouTube and he bashed my boy Iain Duncan Smith for taking the Tories too far to the right. What was that about?   I thought Portillo was pretty right wing himself.

We are told he had a 'Damascus' conversion while working as a hospital porter. Oh and the whole gay thing at university. To be honest Portillo circa '95 was really just hot air. He was never as far to the right as he seemed. He just had to position himself that way, as did William Hague after him.

Translation: He did an opebo going to Thailand thing.

[big bad fab]

I'm just asking, as I have no precise idea and as many are out or seem to be out.

Jack Straw, Alan Johnson, David Miliband, Ed Balls, Margaret Beckett,... ?

If you'd asked the same question of the Tories even in April 1997, most people would have said Portillo...until he lost his seat. If Labour loose the next election, the answer will depend on who is left to lead the party. My money would be on Jack Straw.

And if there is an internal putsch now ?
I know, there won't be one, but let's say, just for fun.

Miliband(s) ? Alan Johnson ?
Mandelson ??
A certain Tony Blair