Who should be the next Labour Leader?

[anotheoldgit]

The 5 potential Labour Party Leaders, came together last night on BBC's Question Time.

Given a vote who would you like to lead the Parliamentary Labour Party?

David Miliband http://news.bbcimg.co...d_david_getty_464.jpg

Ed Miliband http://news.bbcimg.co...band_ed_getty_464.jpg

Ed Balls http://news.bbcimg.co...alls_ed_getty_464.jpg

Andy Burnham http://news.bbcimg.co...am_andy_getty_464.jpg

Diane Abbott http://news.bbcimg.co...t_diane_getty_464.jpg

[ummmm]

Diane Abbott...

[Haggisdj]

I'd rather Genghis Khan than Diane Abbott...

[Sqad]

Diane Abbott OR Genghis Khan.

Seriously if Diane Abbott was elected, Labour could say goodbye to Government for the foreseeable future´.

So the answer to your question depends upon your Political persuasion.

[McMouse]

Ed Balls. With him as leader the Labour Party will descend into anarchy and split into militant left and progressive liberal.

[anotheoldgit]

Yes I would make her my 'tactical vote'.

If she got to be Leader of the Labour Party, then Labour could kiss goodbye to any future chances of getting back into power.

[R1Geezer]

Well as an avid Labour supporter I'm hoping for a victory for Dianne Abbott!

[Kromovaracun]

Obviously I risk being proved wrong when I say this, but I seriously think that the long-term future of Labour as a force in British politics is very uncertain.

Labour's share of the vote declined consistently in generals elections from the late '60s right up until 1997 (except I think 1987 where it improved on 1983, then down again in '92). New Labour was largely responsible for the success of Labour through the noughties, and now that project has ended. What is the party left with?

[naomi24]

I agree with Krom. None of the above.

[rojash]

Ed Balls. I never understand why right-wingers on here hated the Labour Party - it was much farther to the right than the current government.

[daftgrandad]

A decent choice has,nt been born yet,for that rabble.

[Kromovaracun]

EDIT: I was wrong about the details of my figures above, but I think I was right about the trend. Here are the figures for Labour's % of the vote as they are on wikipedia (I could've sworn I remembered it being a bit more pronounced but there you go):

1966: 48%
1970: 43%
F1974: 37%
O1974: 39%
1979: 36.9%
1983: 27.6%
1987: 30.8%
1992: 34.4%
1997: 43.2%

[B00]

Who cares, as long as they dont get back in power, that'll do me!

[Gromit]

I genuinely don't care for any of them. All the candidates are equally bad. This often happens after a strong PM. After Thatcher there was dismal Major and then a clutch of lacklustre Conservative leaders, Hague, Howerd, the other one. After Blair (a strong leader whether you liked him or not) then Brown who was pretty poor, the Labour Party is left with a bunch of third-raters to lead in oppostion.

Labour's vote has declined since 1997 because that was an exceptional vote, a landslide. After the Conservative's 1982 landslide, they lost share at each ekection until they lost power. It is not a sign of terminal decline, just that the longer a party are in power, the more the electorate get fed up with them.

[mrs_overall]

I don't like any of them, but I particularly dislike the Millipede brothers. Too smarmy for words

[mike11111]

"Millipede Brothers" LOL. Must remember that one!

[Prudentia]

ed balls, they would be out of office for at least 30 years.

[Prudentia]

they could also bring back kinnock the thug, that would even make the greens electable as a government!!!

[Kromovaracun]

"Labour's vote has declined since 1997 because that was an exceptional vote, a landslide. After the Conservative's 1982 landslide, they lost share at each ekection until they lost power. It is not a sign of terminal decline, just that the longer a party are in power, the more the electorate get fed up with them. "

But it's declined almost consistently for upwards of 40 years. The party spent nearly two decades in the wilderness because it couldn't find a solution, and the only one they did eventually find has run out of steam. The Conservatives lost votes after '82 because it was an unusually large victory and not all that repeatable, then went on to win the largest electoral victory in the history of the UK in 1992 (in terms of number of votes). Labour's 1997 victory was still based on a lower proportion of the vote than it ever was in the late 60s and has declined quite alarmingly ever since.

(Again from wiki):
2001 - 40.7%
2005 - 35.2%
2010 - 29%

I honestly believe Labour is in quite serious trouble.



Also, I think you under-rate both Major and Hague.

[sandyRoe]

Mandleson should renounce his peerage and throw his hat into the ring.