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Labour Leadership Contest
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all the media is anticipating the start of the contest on Monday - assuming angela eagle actually goes ahead with her challenge and doesn't bottle it - and a possible dilema for Labour's NEC.
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seems that when Tony Benn tried to oust Neil Kinnock in 1988, a precedent was set in that Mr Kinnock had to receive backing of a proportion of MPs to be on the ballot, rather than being automatically entered as the incumbent leader.
whether the NEC decide to uphold the precedent and make Mr Corbyn lobby for support from the PLP, or allow him to stand unendorsed, can the Labour Party survive the inevitable split that will result?
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seems that when Tony Benn tried to oust Neil Kinnock in 1988, a precedent was set in that Mr Kinnock had to receive backing of a proportion of MPs to be on the ballot, rather than being automatically entered as the incumbent leader.
whether the NEC decide to uphold the precedent and make Mr Corbyn lobby for support from the PLP, or allow him to stand unendorsed, can the Labour Party survive the inevitable split that will result?
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Whilst Kinnock DID gather votes as an incumbant, it is not clear that he HAD to under the rules at that time.
They were also working under a different set of rules. They had an electoral college where MPs got 1 third of the sayin the leader. The rules changed, and now are 1 member 1 vote, so there is no precident.
The rules at the moment are ambiguous. They refer to any challenger having to get 20% support, but do not say the incumbant has to.
A bollot of Labours 550,000 members with just Eagles name on the ballot and no Corbyn, would be farcical.
They were also working under a different set of rules. They had an electoral college where MPs got 1 third of the sayin the leader. The rules changed, and now are 1 member 1 vote, so there is no precident.
The rules at the moment are ambiguous. They refer to any challenger having to get 20% support, but do not say the incumbant has to.
A bollot of Labours 550,000 members with just Eagles name on the ballot and no Corbyn, would be farcical.
Corbyn is automatically on the ballot sheet and as he was elected by an unprecedented 60% of the vote last time he will easily win again this time.
His support among the ordinary Labour party members who are the ones who vote is even higher now. The Chilcot report has made sure that the Blairites are about as welcome as a fart in a spacesuit. Formerly 'Blairite' MPs are frantically trying to distance themselves from him now. That has made it even more certain that Corbyn who has received widespread support for his attack on Blair will be reelected.
His support among the ordinary Labour party members who are the ones who vote is even higher now. The Chilcot report has made sure that the Blairites are about as welcome as a fart in a spacesuit. Formerly 'Blairite' MPs are frantically trying to distance themselves from him now. That has made it even more certain that Corbyn who has received widespread support for his attack on Blair will be reelected.
"//His support among the ordinary Labour party members who are the ones who vote is even higher now.//
Evidence - if any were needed - that the herd of sheep that is the Labour Party is completely out of touch with the electorate at large."
I'd tend to agree with you, but persuading the Corbynista "sheep" of this is not exactly the easiest task in the world. In the end, only a General Election would tell, and who knows? Perhaps, after all, the discontent at the current state of politics would drive the electorate towards Corbyn in numbers large enough to propel his party to victory. But he has to last long enough first... or, at least, his party does.
At any rate, Eagle's leadership bid at least gives Labour the chance to resolve this once and for all. If she loses, which I think is more than likely, then the PLP has to give up protesting and accept the will of the members, whatever that ends up meaning for the party's election chances.
Evidence - if any were needed - that the herd of sheep that is the Labour Party is completely out of touch with the electorate at large."
I'd tend to agree with you, but persuading the Corbynista "sheep" of this is not exactly the easiest task in the world. In the end, only a General Election would tell, and who knows? Perhaps, after all, the discontent at the current state of politics would drive the electorate towards Corbyn in numbers large enough to propel his party to victory. But he has to last long enough first... or, at least, his party does.
At any rate, Eagle's leadership bid at least gives Labour the chance to resolve this once and for all. If she loses, which I think is more than likely, then the PLP has to give up protesting and accept the will of the members, whatever that ends up meaning for the party's election chances.
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That's certainly true, although there's still a chance of them resolving that shambles in time for an election if, after all, it doesn't happen instantly. At the most recent (albeit Local) elections, Labour actually polled better than the Tories did, which mainly has the unfortunate consequence of convincing Corbynistas that they are on the right track (despite the "wrong track" Ed Miliband doing exactly the same or better four years prior).
The passion of Corbyn supporters is incredible, and even if I do think it's massively misguided they have four years just about to make use of it -- if Corbyn is still leader, that is.
The passion of Corbyn supporters is incredible, and even if I do think it's massively misguided they have four years just about to make use of it -- if Corbyn is still leader, that is.
Ha!
As it happens I'm heartily sick of trying to argue against it. It's an odd position to be in, when I'm almost hoping for a Tory landslide to shut the Corbynistas up...
Although the resulting Tory super-majority might not be much better either. But at least they only mess things up in a fairly sedate way usually.
As it happens I'm heartily sick of trying to argue against it. It's an odd position to be in, when I'm almost hoping for a Tory landslide to shut the Corbynistas up...
Although the resulting Tory super-majority might not be much better either. But at least they only mess things up in a fairly sedate way usually.
If Corbyn cannot be shifted, then it will mean a split in the Labour Party. Quite simply. The MPs are plainly not now going to turn around and start supporting him. That would be ridiculous.
Labour's only hope of staying united is that somehow someone sensible wins a leadership contest and is able to change the Leadership election rules, at least to stop associate members paying £3 to vote for the leader.
The profile of Corbyn's support, which IS very strong in places, just shows what a divided nation we have become - or still are. The problem with him is not lack of basic support, it is lack of leadership and a vision which could attract enough unlikely converts to the Labour cause. He cannot see that of course.
Labour's only hope of staying united is that somehow someone sensible wins a leadership contest and is able to change the Leadership election rules, at least to stop associate members paying £3 to vote for the leader.
The profile of Corbyn's support, which IS very strong in places, just shows what a divided nation we have become - or still are. The problem with him is not lack of basic support, it is lack of leadership and a vision which could attract enough unlikely converts to the Labour cause. He cannot see that of course.
The problem is not Corbyn, it is the Party.
It's MPs largely follow an ideology that they have to be like the Tories to be elected. And Labour's core voters no longer want that, hence they have lost two elections on the trot.
Blairism is totally discreditted, and the MPs need to move on - but they won't.
The Labour Party needs to reclaim its roots and banish its out of touch caraeer MPs to another party.
The sad thing is the public will take a long time to forgive them for being abscent duringthese crucial times.
It's MPs largely follow an ideology that they have to be like the Tories to be elected. And Labour's core voters no longer want that, hence they have lost two elections on the trot.
Blairism is totally discreditted, and the MPs need to move on - but they won't.
The Labour Party needs to reclaim its roots and banish its out of touch caraeer MPs to another party.
The sad thing is the public will take a long time to forgive them for being abscent duringthese crucial times.
assuming the challenge by ms eagle goes ahead (and the headlines are still saying a launch of a challenge will be "soon", just as they have for the last ten days), the nec will then decide whose interpretation of the election rules is correct. mr corbyn is clearly not 100% confident that his side are in the right as he is this morning threatening legal action if the nec decide against him.
