Labour Leadership Contest

[mushroom25]

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.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-36756975

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?

[EDDIE51]

Agree with Gromit, The 'rank and file' Labour voters do not want a Labour party that is a pale imitation of the conservatives. They see Corbyn as a savior to restore Labour to it's 'true values'. Of course as the majority of Labour MPs are 'Blairite New Labour ' they do not share the view of the party's traditional voters. ( along with most of AB's members)
I think that if a general election was to be held today with 'traditional Labour' candidates standing they would win a large number of seats, not a majority but enough to cause the Tory's a few problems.

[ichkeria]

The brutal truth for all labour supporters like myself is that Labour is dying unless it remodels or realigns itself. It's true that with a more left wing leader they will attract more voters disillusioned with the impression that the party is too like the Tories. But it is no longer possible for labour actually to win an election based on this. Somehow, they need to strike a happy medium, but I'm not sure it's any longer possible.
That is the truth I'm afraid and until we recognise it again perpetual opposition seems inevitable.
A realignment of political parties has been talked of and is quite possible, because plainly the Tories are still hopelessly divided on Europe and are bound to remain so for some time. Much maligned Tony Blair believed that politics would eventually realign along open v closed trade principles, and you can see that happening with all the EU debate - and that's bound to intensify

[Gromit]

There is a scenario where Corbyn is not on the Ballot paper and Eagle, the new Labour Party leader, is de-selected by her Constituency Party. What fun!

It's a story that just keeps on giving.

[dannyk13]

Corbyn has threatened to sue the Labour Party if he is not on the ballot paper