Poll : Next Labour Leader.

[gassor]

Maybe centrists are more tolerant My choice is still Starmer but Lewis seems to at least have some personality.

And he doesn't sound like a female version of a Dalek on autopilot trying to regurgitate the Labour manifesto everytime he opens his mouth.

 

[SteveS1]

I was quite impressed with how he didn’t allow Neil to make a fool of him.

Yes and actually opening yourself to Neil's ego puts him ahead of those who avoid him.

 

[ks.234]

Corbyn had some integrity and I'm sure he has been a loyal and effective activist. But a leader he was not. An often weak performer in front of the camera never sure of his footing. The Neil interview was devastating for him and truly exposed his shortcomings. Stamer for me is the only realistic candidate who could hold up against Johnson in the debating chamber. His articulacy and calmness will be a good stabiliser for the party, even if it is only in the medium term. Other candidates are a mixed bag and I cant see them as contenders, especially Long Bailey who is already unconvincing. I think Thornberry lacks diplomacy and Philips say the right things but is limited. I just want them to look more serious as contenders.

Agree with most of that, but my question about the strength/conditionality of centrist support for Starmer or Lewis remains.

Whoever becomes labour leader will face the same questions about what policies they support, and both Starmer and Lewis support Corbyn policies. When the inevitable ‘continuity Corbyn’ attack meme gets into full swing, will centrist support fall away?

As I’ve said before, I could be persuaded to support either Starmer or Lewis if they had centrist support, but it would be useful to know what centrists on pfm are looking for. But looking forward in a positive way rather than looking backwards negatively.

 

[Del monaco]

I think Starmer will look to streamline and moderate policies whilst retaining the general feel.they have to do this if they are to rebuild.

 

[Woodface]

Agree with most of that, but my question about the strength/conditionality of centrist support for Starmer or Lewis remains.

Whoever becomes labour leader will face the same questions about what policies they support, and both Starmer and Lewis support Corbyn policies. When the inevitable ‘continuity Corbyn’ attack meme gets into full swing, will centrist support fall away?

As I’ve said before, I could be persuaded to support either Starmer or Lewis if they had centrist support, but it would be useful to know what centrists on pfm are looking for. But looking forward in a positive way rather than looking backwards negatively.

Prior to Corbyn being leader I never really thought too much about whether I am a centrist, lefty or whatever. I have just always wanted a Labour govt. I thought there was an air of cult around Corbyn, the silly 'oh Jeremy Corbyn' his supporters verging on sycophancy (neither of which observations is aimed at you to be clear) .

 

[palacefan]

When they select a leader they have to ask themselves when Labour last won an election, who was the leader, would they rather have a moderate, or are they happy just to be in opposition forever and a day.

You need a leader male or female who is potentially a prime minister, without Lenin hats,donkey jackets or beards, no tattoos in particular for the women. Keir Starmer-Lisa Nandy-Clive Lewis....If they go for the shrill Rebecca Long Bailey or the devine Emily Thornberry It will be the next century before they recover.

Northerners apparently and surprisingly! do not like the south and think that is a voting factor, on the other hand Southerners will not likely be keen to embrace Ecky Thump Northerners coming direct from the Tory party.

Feck it vote Green.

 

[Del monaco]

Although I didn’t disagree with the ideas that Labour presented in the election it was the sudden attempt to present a coherent approach and its lack of realism that annoyed me. Prior to this they were all over the place. Treating their potential voters like idiots was another misstep.There was an arrogance and recklessness that I believe turned an awful lot of voters around. It was a relief to see him trounced though Corbyn still hangs around like a bad smell. He should have accepted his responsibility immediately and resigned to allow for a caretaker so they can put this experiment behind them.

 

[stephen bennett]

Lewis is my MP—I like him and he's a better bet than most of the contenders.

His sexual harassment accusation (though throughly cleared) will dog a Lewis leadership in a way that Johnson's clear record in this are will not.

But as I said before, It might as well be Benedict Cumberbatch.

Or Harry Windsor Sussex Royal.

Guido Fawkes superb journalistic research comes up trumps once again.

A politics blog wrongly claimed Labour leadership frontrunner Rebecca Long-Bailey was married to a multi-millionaire - this was her ace response

Stephen

 

[Seanm]

Agree with most of that, but my question about the strength/conditionality of centrist support for Starmer or Lewis remains.

Whoever becomes labour leader will face the same questions about what policies they support, and both Starmer and Lewis support Corbyn policies. When the inevitable ‘continuity Corbyn’ attack meme gets into full swing, will centrist support fall away?

As I’ve said before, I could be persuaded to support either Starmer or Lewis if they had centrist support, but it would be useful to know what centrists on pfm are looking for. But looking forward in a positive way rather than looking backwards negatively.

I think they’re all going to face continuity Corbyn attacks because, in policy terms, they’re all continuity Corbyn, including Phillips.

 

[Woodface]

Where does the term 'continuity Corbyn' come from, is its origin from the LP?

 

[ks.234]

I think they’re all going to face continuity Corbyn attacks because, in policy terms, they’re all continuity Corbyn, including Phillips.

Yes. Absolutely

 

[jackbarron]

As I’ve said before, I could be persuaded to support either Starmer or Lewis if they had centrist support, but it would be useful to know what centrists on pfm are looking for. But looking forward in a positive way rather than looking backwards negatively.

I kind of agree with you. However, another part of me thinks Labour is finished.

We live in a country full of xenophobes, who voted in a racist PM, and we are dictated to by right-wing newspapers and broadcasters. Former Labour supporters helped Johnson and his Little Englander Party to win a massive majority. It will be depressing if Labour responds by moving towards the right. It was bad enough when Corbyn didn't oppose the Tories properly.

Think I'll probably vote Green for the first time in a general election. I would have done in the last one, but their candidate was replaced by a Lib- Dem former banker. Swineson and her record put me off voting LD, so I went for the Labour candidate, who lost against the dreadful Greg Hands.

Jack

 

[ks.234]

I kind of agree with you. However, another part of me thinks Labour is finished.

We live in a country full of xenophobes, who voted in a racist PM, and we are dictated to by right-wing newspapers and broadcasters. Former Labour supporters helped Johnson and his Little Englander Party to win a massive majority. It will be depressing if Labour responds by moving towards the right. It was bad enough when Corbyn didn't oppose the Tories properly.

Think I'll probably vote Green for the first time in a general election. I would have done in the last one, but their candidate was replaced by a Lib- Dem former banker. Swineson and her record put me off voting LD, so I went for the Labour candidate, who lost against the dreadful Greg Hands.

Jack

While on the one hand I campaigned for a Corbyn win, on the other, if he had won then he would’ve faced a relentless media onslaught. Just imagine if Corbyn, as PM, had stayed on holiday on an exotic island while the Iran crisis was happening? In fact, just imagine the media outrage if he’d gone on holiday to an exotic island full stop?

At least this way Labour will escape the blame for Brexit.

Labour face an uphill task, and need support, but we’re not finished.

 

[clifftaylor]

I think they’re all going to face continuity Corbyn attacks because, in policy terms, they’re all continuity Corbyn, including Phillips.

And they need to be prepared for this, and be able to argue coherently for Labour policies; Corbyn was rubbish at this.

 

[Seanm]

Notable that Starmer’s the only one so far to give the correct answer to “How do you rate Jeremy Corbyn?”

 

[matthewr]

Barry Gardiner has pulled out and the dream is over.

 

[gassor]

Labour face an uphill task, and need support, but we’re not finished.

According to Paul Mason in the NS "Labour lost around 800,000 Leave voters to the Tories over Brexit and – in a way that shocked everyone – another 300,000 Remain voters to the Tories simply over mistrust of Jeremy Corbyn alone. It lost, in addition, around 1.1 million Remain voters to the Liberal Democrats, the Greens and the SNP." I would put it that Labour are facing a herculean struggle rather than an uphill task. Pedantic?

 

[gassor]

Notable that Starmer’s the only one so far to give the correct answer to “How do you rate Jeremy Corbyn?”

No that was Thornberry.

 

[glancaster]

It doesn’t matter who becomes the next Labour leader. Not for the next 4 to 5 years anyway. Whoever it is should be prepared to be largely ignored for the duration.

Most previous PMs have had the decency to pretend that parliament was important to them, at the very least. They turned up there, made important announcements there, and mostly treated the institution and its conventions with respect. Johnson has a huge majority, hates the place, and will go with the bare minimum in terms of parliamentary scrutiny. Anything residually annoying will be ‘reformed’. Corbyn jousting with some minister you’ve never heard of at PMQs this week just about sets the tone, I feel.

That said, it has to be Starmer, surely? He’s clever, articulate, and the only candidate who doesn’t appear to actively go out of his way to annoy some group or other. I just hope he has patience because he’s going to need it.

Kind but glum regards

- Garry

 

[SteveS1]

It doesn’t matter who becomes the next Labour leader. Not for the next 4 to 5 years anyway. Whoever it is should be prepared to be largely ignored for the duration.

Most previous PMs have had the decency to pretend that parliament was important to them, at the very least. They turned up there, made important announcements there, and mostly treated the institution and its conventions with respect. Johnson has a huge majority, hates the place, and will go with the bare minimum in terms of parliamentary scrutiny. Anything residually annoying will be ‘reformed’. Corbyn jousting with some minister you’ve never heard of at PMQs this week just about sets the tone, I feel.

That said, it has to be Starmer, surely? He’s clever, articulate, and the only candidate who doesn’t appear to actively go out of his way to annoy some group or other. I just hope he has patience because he’s going to need it.

Kind but glum regards

- Garry

Not quite that gloomy. There will be many additional occasions when Johnson is called to account and can't avoid it in addition to the set piece debates and occasions.

Also, the "hide and seek" Johnson deploys only plays well during this short honeymoon. It is important that the candidate best able to expose Johnson's poor attention span and lack of concern for facts and detail makes these appearances as painful as is possible. Johnson is well capable of mask-slip when held to account. Even when under no real pressure he gaffed with throw away remarks to the colleague of Jo Cox. At times during the election and even since his 'holiday' Johnson doesn't look that well and of course, he famously chickened out of any real scrutiny. He is far more comfortable pontificating in newspaper columns or campaigning and sloganising with meaningless soundbites or unfounded optimistic bluster.

I agree that Starmer is best placed to be a thorn in his side. Not only does he have the skills you reference but he also has a good grasp of Parliamentary procedure. I also agree that a candidate that has broad appeal is much more desirable than a darling of any particular faction.