Harman's Labour 'rebellion'

Originally Posted by Osem

For opposition to be effective it has to be credible. Corbyn's simply enjoying the sort of feting that Vince Cable attracted for a while and look what happened to him. If the other candidates weren't so lacklustre he'd be nowhere.

This will be seen as a summer of madness. I think it will unravel very quickly once the hype and excitement dies down. He has too many dodgy connections in his past to survive the Tory onslaught. Even Michael Foot wanted to retain the Falklands!

[ianch99]

Originally Posted by Mr K

People are increasingly self centered and right wing - just the way society is going

You make a really good point here. Look at the reaction to the migrant issue at the moment ..

[Chrysalis]

Basically labour have to be a tory clone to have a chance, a tory clone is poor opposition sadly. so its a choice of challenging the government in opposition or trying to get elected. As I said bad times for labour I think the only electable candidate is liz kendell.

The tories did the same before the election they won, they were not challenging labour, backed them on bank bailout etc.

[TheDaddy]

Originally Posted by Damien

Even Michael Foot wanted to retain the Falklands!

Unlike Maggie and her government


http://www.theguardian.com/uk/2005/j...falklands.past

I quite like Corbyn, finally a politician who actually stands up for what he believes in regardless of how popular they might be and isn't out to feather his own nest, perhaps that might be why these plastic career politician clones are soiling themselves, the game might finally be up for them at last.

Originally Posted by TheDaddy

Unlike Maggie and her government


http://www.theguardian.com/uk/2005/j...falklands.past

I quite like Corbyn, finally a politician who actually stands up for what he believes in regardless of how popular they might be and isn't out to feather his own nest, perhaps that might be why these plastic career politician clones are soiling themselves, the game might finally be up for them at last.

I think a lot of them are worried because there is a good chance he'll seriously harm Labour support. Also Corbyn has been in Westminster since the 1980s. He is pretty much a career politician too it's just that unlikely pretty much anyone on the front benches he hasn't ever had to compromise.

[TheDaddy]

Originally Posted by Damien

I think a lot of them are worried because there is a good chance he'll seriously harm Labour support. Also Corbyn has been in Westminster since the 1980s. He is pretty much a career politician too it's just that unlikely pretty much anyone on the front benches he hasn't ever had to compromise.

Please, that's not the definition of career politician most would recognise, I think they'd see them as those types that have never had a job outside politics or Westminster unless it was to aid them getting there of course, never give a straight answer or even any answer to any question no matter how innocent, all look similar and whose favourite pass time is trying to get away with trousering as much in expenses as possible.

[Osem]

Corbyn's enjoyed the luxury of having a safe seat and having little or nothing expected of or demanded from him. That's all about to change and as his pie in the sky 'policies' come under scrutiny it'll be interesting to see how well he performs and how credible he remains, if indeed he ever was.

As for Russell Brand, well having just given 'Corbs' his personal endorsement, it seems he's concluded that social media has addled his brain so he's decided to quit.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/cele...the-story.html

Oh and is it just me or does Brand believe he's Jesus?

[ianch99]

Originally Posted by Osem

Oh and is it just me or does Brand believe he's Jesus?

It is just you ..

[Kursk]

Originally Posted by Osem

Oh and is it just me or does Brand believe he's Jesus?

He's not Jesus, he's Brian. Hang on, Brian Brand has a certain ring to it

[ianch99]

Originally Posted by Kursk

He's not Jesus, he's Brian. Hang on, Brian Brand has a certain ring to it

So .. "He's not the Messiah"

Originally Posted by TheDaddy

Please, that's not the definition of career politician most would recognise, I think they'd see them as those types that have never had a job outside politics or Westminster unless it was to aid them getting there of course, never give a straight answer or even any answer to any question no matter how innocent, all look similar and whose favourite pass time is trying to get away with trousering as much in expenses as possible.

Why is Corbyn different? His background isn't too different to others who 'got jobs aiding them getting to Westminster': https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeremy_Corbyn

After leaving school at 18, he spent two years doing Voluntary Service Overseas in Jamaica before becoming a full-time organiser for the National Union of Public Employees.[6] After briefly studying at North London Polytechnic, he worked as an official with the National Union of Tailors and Garment Workers, became a member of a District health authority and in 1974 was elected to Haringey Council, representing the Harringay ward until 1983.[4][7] Corbyn worked on Tony Benn's unsuccessful 1981 campaign to become Deputy Leader of the Labour Party and was elected Secretary of the Islington Labour Party.

Aside from the two year stint in Jamaica it reads a lot like a typical Labour MP CV. Working their way up from official positions within the Union. Hell he was elected a councillor at 25 years old and became an MP at 34.

I will grant you that he has never seemed to interested in claiming much further and has stuck to his principles as a result. I don't think this is quite as commendable as everyone makes it out to be either. He has rebelled constantly throughout his career and whilst this too makes him out to be a honest politician it also shows a reluctance to cooperate or work with others. Party politics and Government requires the ability to do politics, form alliances with a broad group of people, make concessions to strike deals and present a united front.

How on earth is Corbyn going to lead this party once the hype dies down? He has said he expects the loyalty of the Parliamentary Party, a lot of whom don't like his politics, despite the fact he has never shown any to his predecessors.

There is a role for ideologues like Corbyn in politics but I would suggest that it isn't as leader of one of the two main parties.

[Kursk]

Originally Posted by ianch99

So .. "He's not the Messiah"

Nope. He's a very naughty boy right pita .

[OLD BOY]

Originally Posted by Chrysalis

Basically labour have to be a tory clone to have a chance, a tory clone is poor opposition sadly. so its a choice of challenging the government in opposition or trying to get elected. As I said bad times for labour I think the only electable candidate is liz kendell.

The tories did the same before the election they won, they were not challenging labour, backed them on bank bailout etc.

I disagree with your view that Labour have to follow Conservative policies to get elected. What they need to have is an appropriate balance between the need to encourage wealth creation and the need to look after those who are unable to cope in modern Britain.

Labour just cannot seem to get the balance right. Until they come up with a workable economic strategy and a better understanding of how important it is to direct appropriate levels of resources into appropriate means of helping our own less fortunate, they will be a long time in the wilderness.

The Corbyn route will just leave us even more unable to help those who need it because there will be no money to support them.

In both the 1979 and 2010 elections, a helpful Labour chappie told the incoming Administration that there was no money left. What does that tell you about Labour's vision?

[TheDaddy]

Originally Posted by Damien

Why is Corbyn different? His background isn't too different to others who 'got jobs aiding them getting to Westminster': https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeremy_Corbyn



Aside from the two year stint in Jamaica it reads a lot like a typical Labour MP CV. Working their way up from official positions within the Union. Hell he was elected a councillor at 25 years old and became an MP at 34.

I will grant you that he has never seemed to interested in claiming much further and has stuck to his principles as a result. I don't think this is quite as commendable as everyone makes it out to be either. He has rebelled constantly throughout his career and whilst this too makes him out to be a honest politician it also shows a reluctance to cooperate or work with others. Party politics and Government requires the ability to do politics, form alliances with a broad group of people, make concessions to strike deals and present a united front.

How on earth is Corbyn going to lead this party once the hype dies down? He has said he expects the loyalty of the Parliamentary Party, a lot of whom don't like his politics, despite the fact he has never shown any to his predecessors.

There is a role for ideologues like Corbyn in politics but I would suggest that it isn't as leader of one of the two main parties.

You just don't get it, the public is sick of party politics, sick of these clones that say nothing and do even less, sick of their shyster deals and ways, how much attention would this contest have got if Corbyn wasn't involved? I hope this is the start of a revolution in politics, they keep saying politics needs to reconnect with the people, it can start by having interesting, principled people at the heart of it, not these Blair clones that'd sell out their mothers and others peoples childrens blood for a bag of cash and a whiff of power.

[OLD BOY]

Originally Posted by TheDaddy

You just don't get it, the public is sick of party politics, sick of these clones that say nothing and do even less, sick of their shyster deals and ways, how much attention would this contest have got if Corbyn wasn't involved? I hope this is the start of a revolution in politics, they keep saying politics needs to reconnect with the people, it can start by having interesting, principled people at the heart of it, not these Blair clones that'd sell out their mothers and others peoples childrens blood for a bag of cash and a whiff of power.

There is an element of truth in your post but it is a bit like comparing the sublime with the ridiculous!

Most of us are fed up with politically correct language and the hectoring party politics, but to suggest that economically illiterate policies and Michael Foot policies are the answer is like living in some fairy tale world that only exists in immature imaginations.

If any politician really wants to tackle poverty in this country, the first thing they need to understand is the need to create wealth and then direct it wisely.

Unfortunately, Left wing politicians seem to be hell bent on following the politics of envy, and all that will lead to is bail outs from the IMF and heartbreaking scenes on TV such as we have seen happening in Greece.