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Diane Abbott joins Labour leadership race
Leftwing Labour MP Diane Abbott announced today she was running for the party leadership, becoming the first woman to enter the race.
In a surprise move, the Labour MP for Hackney North and Stoke Newington said she was confident of attracting the 33 nominations needed to get her on to the ballot paper.
She becomes the sixth participant in the contest, after David Miliband, Ed Miliband, Ed Balls, John McDonnell and Andy Burnham.
Abbott told BBC Radio 4's Today programme this morning that she wanted to open up the field because she did not feel there was "a lot" between the candidates who had thrown their hats in the ring so far.
Any chance of her winning and how would Labour change under her leadership ?
In a surprise move, the Labour MP for Hackney North and Stoke Newington said she was confident of attracting the 33 nominations needed to get her on to the ballot paper.
She becomes the sixth participant in the contest, after David Miliband, Ed Miliband, Ed Balls, John McDonnell and Andy Burnham.
Abbott told BBC Radio 4's Today programme this morning that she wanted to open up the field because she did not feel there was "a lot" between the candidates who had thrown their hats in the ring so far.
Any chance of her winning and how would Labour change under her leadership ?
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School fiasco?
She chose to privately educate her children.
Why not. She earns a good salary as an MP, and she did claim £131,735 in expenses!
She's a Champagne Socialist.
I'm glad we agree on the Milibands, EDDIE.
They will speak highly of each other, to "pool" support in the Miliband camp, and then one of them will hand it on a plate to the other. David, you think? Okay.
She chose to privately educate her children.
Why not. She earns a good salary as an MP, and she did claim £131,735 in expenses!
She's a Champagne Socialist.
I'm glad we agree on the Milibands, EDDIE.
They will speak highly of each other, to "pool" support in the Miliband camp, and then one of them will hand it on a plate to the other. David, you think? Okay.
@ jayne.
Using logical absurdities to try and score a debating point - outstanding! Doesn't really do much to advance the argument though, does it?
I personally think, and I am sure the vast majority would agree, that our Parliament should attempt to reflect the major social and political complexions of our society. A parliament that consists overwhelmingly of caucasian 30-50 year olds males, a significant proportion of whom have arrived at Parliament through pretty much the same privileged background and hothoused legal or political work experience can find very little in common with the majority of the public.
I want to see more MPs with a more varied CV, who have had personal experience of the NHS, or our education system, or the police / armed forces - who come from an academic background other than oxford / cambridge history / politics.
Using logical absurdities to try and score a debating point - outstanding! Doesn't really do much to advance the argument though, does it?
I personally think, and I am sure the vast majority would agree, that our Parliament should attempt to reflect the major social and political complexions of our society. A parliament that consists overwhelmingly of caucasian 30-50 year olds males, a significant proportion of whom have arrived at Parliament through pretty much the same privileged background and hothoused legal or political work experience can find very little in common with the majority of the public.
I want to see more MPs with a more varied CV, who have had personal experience of the NHS, or our education system, or the police / armed forces - who come from an academic background other than oxford / cambridge history / politics.
LazyGun ...
"logical absudrities" ?
Do you really think it matters that women are under-represented numerically?
When we did have a woman PM, nobody was happy !
(and whatever we thought of Maggie, she was, unlike Diane Abbott, a woman who stood by her principles).
I'm quite happy for men to ponce around in Parliament, quite frankly. Women have got far more important things to do.
But let's see if you might be right ...
Give me an example of a piece of legislation passed by the last Administration, which adversely affected women, and which would not have been passed if the House of Commons reflected the actual complexion of society.
"logical absudrities" ?
Do you really think it matters that women are under-represented numerically?
When we did have a woman PM, nobody was happy !
(and whatever we thought of Maggie, she was, unlike Diane Abbott, a woman who stood by her principles).
I'm quite happy for men to ponce around in Parliament, quite frankly. Women have got far more important things to do.
But let's see if you might be right ...
Give me an example of a piece of legislation passed by the last Administration, which adversely affected women, and which would not have been passed if the House of Commons reflected the actual complexion of society.
@Jayne - yes, I do think it matters that women are under-represented numerically. I object strongly to the crasser attempts that have been made at achieving some degree of parity, such as gender specific candidate lists, nor do I want quotas, but it is pitiful that more women and/or people from ethnic minorities are not in Parliament.
A democratic parliament is supposed to both represent the views of the electorate and reflect its society and culture, and homogenised parliaments are neither good for democracy or policymaking. Such homogeneity is another barrier to rebuilding public confidence in Parliament. In comparison to keeping their fingers out the till, it is a small hurdle, but still important.
Nor am I going to respond to yet another logical absurdity. The reason women should be in parliament is not simply to examine laws through the prism of gender, but to better reflect the fact that 50% or so of the population are female.
Finally - I don't believe that Diane Abbot will win a leadership contest, but her participating is a good thing coming as she claims from the Labour Left, being black and being female. The winning candidate needs to demonstrate personal qualities that make a good leader, be a moderniser, and be able to unite the party. Personally, I don't think she ticks any of those boxes, but her presence broadens the leadership debate.Whatever your thoughts on Labour, Democracy and Parliament is best served by having a strong opposition; that starts with the right choice of leader. Almost certainly one of the Millibands will get the job.
A democratic parliament is supposed to both represent the views of the electorate and reflect its society and culture, and homogenised parliaments are neither good for democracy or policymaking. Such homogeneity is another barrier to rebuilding public confidence in Parliament. In comparison to keeping their fingers out the till, it is a small hurdle, but still important.
Nor am I going to respond to yet another logical absurdity. The reason women should be in parliament is not simply to examine laws through the prism of gender, but to better reflect the fact that 50% or so of the population are female.
Finally - I don't believe that Diane Abbot will win a leadership contest, but her participating is a good thing coming as she claims from the Labour Left, being black and being female. The winning candidate needs to demonstrate personal qualities that make a good leader, be a moderniser, and be able to unite the party. Personally, I don't think she ticks any of those boxes, but her presence broadens the leadership debate.Whatever your thoughts on Labour, Democracy and Parliament is best served by having a strong opposition; that starts with the right choice of leader. Almost certainly one of the Millibands will get the job.
I think it's great that she's standing, but hasn't a snowball in hell's chance of winning.
Why do I think it's great?
Because it shows that you don't have to have a penis, or be white to go for the leadership of a major political party.
Those who have a problem with this claim to support "advancement by merit only", but in their heart of hearts they mean" advancement by merit for white, able-bodied straight men".
Whenever someone who doesn't fit into that box gets on, they scream 'PC advancement and positive discrimination".
Forked tongues all the way.
Why do I think it's great?
Because it shows that you don't have to have a penis, or be white to go for the leadership of a major political party.
Those who have a problem with this claim to support "advancement by merit only", but in their heart of hearts they mean" advancement by merit for white, able-bodied straight men".
Whenever someone who doesn't fit into that box gets on, they scream 'PC advancement and positive discrimination".
Forked tongues all the way.
Total waste of a post this because I agree with LazyGun and simply voice my support for his/her opinion on this thread. However in addition I think the fact that Diane Abbot has placed herself as a candidate for the leadership is one step to the public eventually coming to terms with the knowledge that one day Britain may have a black Prime Minister.
How many would have placed money on Maggie winning through to lead the Tories when she put her hat in the ring ? Whilst Diane must be an outsider for the Labour leadership, stranger things have happened. I suspect the winner of these competitions is not the individual most want, but the one who fewest can't stand.
She was interviewed briefly about her candidature this morning by her buddy Andrew Neil on the Daily Politics show, and stated that she was standing because the others standing were all male and white.
She of course is female and black. Apart from pointing that out, she gave no other reason for standing.
Right-o.
She of course is female and black. Apart from pointing that out, she gave no other reason for standing.
Right-o.
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