The Next Labour leader

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i think comments like “we won the argument” suggest there’s still a bit to go before rock bottom.

If you consider the voters to be buyers and the parties to be suppliers, it’s the buyers that tell the suppliers what they would like to buy. Did Labour listen to its buyers, or did their manifesto and Brexit stance run counter to what the buyers wanted? Was the buyer’s message passed up to central office by the grass roots party workers?
I think Labour have hit their rock-bottom - when all seemed OK in the mind of those in denial - until crash, bang, wallop - it's not. And that is what happended last week.

Labour are today sunk with many of the electorate - but too many in Labour Party have not accepted that fact as indicated by such as 'we won the argument'; 'it was the right wing media'; 'he never got a fair hearing'. And if they do not accept that they have hit rock-bottom and need to change - and change more than their leader - and if they continue to find excuses for what has happened and can point the finger elsewhere - then they will not recover and there will be another - usually worse - crash.

As I suggest- Labour to me are like the addict - many will tell the addict that he has a problem - but the addict in denial will continue his ways thinking they are OK - the addict will be utterly convinced that it is those that have a problem with him who actually have the problems; anything that goes wrong is someone else's fault. And then crash. But the addict cannot begins his recovery until he is honest about himself - is honest about his problem - and then starts to identify what it is he has got wrong, that he has to apologise for; and what he has to do to recover. But first comes acceptance that he is the problem - then must come an honest openness and willingness to change. Not hearing that yet.
 
He has to be an MP first of all. Where is a safe Labour seat for him to stand in now? He may be an option next time around, he is untainted by the current leadership, but I don't see how he fits for this election.
Islington North?

Corbyn standing down would for me be a massive demonstration of a willingness to change - to throw off the old Labour ways and means - to recognise an honest acceptance of failure of leadership and vision.
 
I think Labour have hit their rock-bottom - when all seemed OK in the mind of those in denial - until crash, bang, wallop - it's not. And that is what happended last week.

Labour are today sunk with many of the electorate - but too many in Labour Party have not accepted that fact as indicated by such as 'we won the argument'; 'it was the right wing media'; 'he never got a fair hearing'. And if they do not accept that they have hit rock-bottom and need to change - and change more than their leader - and if they continue to find excuses for what has happened and can point the finger elsewhere - then they will not recover and there will be another - usually worse - crash.

As I suggest- Labour to me are like the addict - many will tell the addict that he has a problem - but the addict in denial will continue his ways thinking they are OK - the addict will be utterly convinced that it is those that have a problem with him who actually have the problems; anything that goes wrong is someone else's fault. And then crash. But the addict cannot begins his recovery until he is honest about himself - is honest about his problem - and then starts to identify what it is he has got wrong, that he has to apologise for; and what he has to do to recover. But first comes acceptance that he is the problem - then must come an honest openness and willingness to change. Not hearing that yet.
Labour is not a single entity, 1 problem isn’t the issue and it’s not a 1 fix problem.
There are parts willing to change, parts willing to shift blame and parts that would vote Labour regardless till the day they die.
If you think simply replacing Corbyn will fix it, you’re very much mistaken.

They need to sort themselves out properly, not knee jerk or try a quick fix or sit and do nothing and hope boris mess’s up.
 
Labour is not a single entity, 1 problem isn’t the issue and it’s not a 1 fix problem.
There are parts willing to change, parts willing to shift blame and parts that would vote Labour regardless till the day they die.
If you think simply replacing Corbyn will fix it, you’re very much mistaken.

They need to sort themselves out properly, not knee jerk or try a quick fix or sit and do nothing and hope boris mess’s up.
All I think about Corbyn standing down as Leader - even standing down as an MP - is that it would show that Labour is willing to absolutely accept failure and why - and start to deal with it in a way that shows a willingness to change even what might have been thought of as unchangeable.

But as you say it absolutely would not 'fix' Labour - it would simply be an indicator of a willingness to embrace significant change.
 
Islington North?

Corbyn standing down would for me be a massive demonstration of a willingness to change - to throw off the old Labour ways and means - to recognise an honest acceptance of failure of leadership and vision.
Corbyn wont go for one, he doesn't think he was at fault, but Burnham is a northern bloke and I think he would be best served staying a northern MP. Jumping down to a London seat would not endear him to voters in the north who turned blue. He will have a better chance of connecting with them staying in the NW.
 
All I think about Corbyn standing down as Leader - even standing down as an MP - is that it would show that Labour is willing to absolutely accept failure and why - and start to deal with it in a way that shows a willingness to change even what might have been thought of as unchangeable.

But as you say it absolutely would not 'fix' Labour - it would simply be an indicator of a willingness to embrace significant change.

Momentum trucking off and forming its own party leaving an opportunity for a 'proper' Labour party to reform is the way forward...
 
Read an article by McDonnell where he says he's sorry and takes responsibility for the failure to win then goes on to say he's only sorry that he failed to convince people that Corbyn was the right man and their manifesto and policy was the right way. He still doesn't get it.
 
Read an article by McDonnell where he says he's sorry and takes responsibility for the failure to win then goes on to say he's only sorry that he failed to convince people that Corbyn was the right man and their manifesto and policy was the right way. He still doesn't get it.
I listened to Corbyn a lot - and it wasn't so much what anyone said about him that stopped me voting for him (though I struggled on the anti-semetism front and really struggled with his Brexit position pre- and post-referendum) - it was that I simply didn't 'get' him; I felt no connection with him whatsoever; and I didn't think he spoke with an authentic and honest voice...

As it happens I had more connection with McDonnell of the sort I utterly lacked with Corbyn...not that I'd want McDonnell as leader either (and he isn't going to be)
 
I listened to Corbyn a lot - and it wasn't so much what anyone said about him that stopped me voting for him (though I struggled on the anti-semetism front and really struggled with his Brexit position pre- and post-referendum) - it was that I simply didn't 'get' him; I felt no connection with him whatsoever; and I didn't think he spoke with an authentic and honest voice...

As it happens I had more connection with McDonnell of the sort I utterly lacked with Corbyn...not that I'd want McDonnell as leader either (and he isn't going to be)
They both probably believe passionately in what they stand for, their biggest failure was not making a clear policy statement on Brexit that people could understand and agreeing to a second referendum, that gives the view of them running with the hare and hunting with the hounds.
 
I watched Corbyn talk in Parliament today and thought he spoke very well and was fairly magnaminous.
 
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I watched Corbyn talk on Parliament today and thought he spoke very well and was fairly magnaminous.
I know it sounds unlikely, given the character assassination by the media, but I think he's a reasonably decent bloke who's quite thoughtful but just not cut out for the day to day madness of running a major political party.
Hopefully he takes the opportunity to contribute in public life and enjoy stepping down from the limelight
 
Momentum trucking off and forming its own party leaving an opportunity for a 'proper' Labour party to reform is the way forward...

People talked about Labour needing to hit rock bottom and some said they had - i think they could go a lot lower until Corbyn goes along with his supporting pack. But it looks like even if Corbyn goes, Momentum and the acolytes/ disciples will still set the agenda - and if so, they can sink much lower and will likely leak members and supporters. If this happens, the Lib Dems have a golden oportunity to occupy the space and consign Labour to being a fringe Marxist party
 
People talked about Labour needing to hit rock bottom and some said they had - i think they could go a lot lower until Corbyn goes along with his supporting pack. But it looks like even if Corbyn goes, Momentum and the acolytes/ disciples will still set the agenda - and if so, they can sink much lower and will likely leak members and supporters. If this happens, the Lib Dems have a golden oportunity to occupy the space and consign Labour to being a fringe Marxist party

Labour had 480,000 is members, of which 314,000 voted for Corbyn in the leadership election, so its not some fringe minority. so to say they will leak members is a strange one it was his leading the party that increased the membership in the first place. many labour supporters rejoined to follow a more sociaist policies. the public have rejected those, i'm not sure the majority of LM will.
 
Labour had 480,000 is members, of which 314,000 voted for Corbyn in the leadership election, so its not some fringe minority. so to say they will leak members is a strange one it was his leading the party that increased the membership in the first place. many labour supporters rejoined to follow a more sociaist policies. the public have rejected those, i'm not sure the majority of LM will.

Come election day it's what the electorate wants that matters not what the party faithful believe they can impose... The balance, of the 'top table' needs restoring between thinkers and doers... If a reconnection, with the electorate, doesn't happen anytime soon it'll be many decades before Labour sees power...
 
Come election day it's what the electorate wants that matters not what the party faithful believe they can impose... The balance, of the 'top table' needs restoring between thinkers and doers... If a reconnection, with the electorate, doesn't happen anytime soon it'll be many decades before Labour sees power...
It certainly needs reviewing top to bottom, once done it’ll move forward again, the tories will help this by them imploding and boris being found out.
This GE hasn’t suddenly turned the “lesser of two evils” in to a wonderland.

After a difficult 2 years to begin, Corbyn produced a far better result in 2017 than anyone expected, it’s since then they and he failed to capitalise and listen to the electorate.

Corbyn will go, hopefully a left of centre MP will emerge that can unite the support and move forward.

I really don’t see this taking decades.

One thing that must happen is that Labour MP’s have to back whoever is chosen to lead the Party and stop the self destructive behaviour we’ve seen over the last 4 years.

As said previously, there is no single issue that needs to be fixed, there are many, hopefully all will be aired and addressed.
 
It certainly needs reviewing top to bottom, once done it’ll move forward again, the tories will help this by them imploding and boris being found out.
This GE hasn’t suddenly turned the “lesser of two evils” in to a wonderland.

After a difficult 2 years to begin, Corbyn produced a far better result in 2017 than anyone expected, it’s since then they and he failed to capitalise and listen to the electorate.

Corbyn will go, hopefully a left of centre MP will emerge that can unite the support and move forward.

I really don’t see this taking decades.

One thing that must happen is that Labour MP’s have to back whoever is chosen to lead the Party and stop the self destructive behaviour we’ve seen over the last 4 years.

As said previously, there is no single issue that needs to be fixed, there are many, hopefully all will be aired and addressed.
...and they need someone who can face the Labour membership and Unions, and tell it as it is - as Kinnock did with his 'Militant Taxis' speech - but must remember to not go down his 'We're Alright!' nonsense.
 
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