Corbyn’s role, or the one that I personally asked him to play, was to drag the party to the left and vacate the seat at the right time.
I don’t think he’s there yet.
Then again, since the referendumB there are now so many moving parts that my machiavelian understanding and influence is finding it difficult to catch up.
I could foresee anyone standing on a ticket of Remain - or some placatory position, getting an enormous swing at the next election.
For me, all outcomes are possible - including a schism or total split of Labour and a new centre left party. .
What you refer to as centre left are nothing but. They still see market policy as the way to do it. They’re the reason that when asked for her finest achievement, Thatcher said Blair and New Labour.
I’d recommend Owen Jones’ : The Establishment, and how they get away with it - before ascribing any altruism to the people you’re suggesting run the country.
Both centre left and centre right practice socialism for the rich. Tariq Ali refers to them as “the extreme centre”, with some justification.
All they’ll do is get the country into more financial bother by pulling the same old levers. They’ll do alright out of it. We’ve got the highest number of former Parliamentarians occupying board level positions in the developed world. Please don’t give them any credit for having a meaningful social democratic bone in their bodies, though.
It’ll also end the party as anything meaningful and allow the tories to run riot, but fuck it, we’ve got our party back comrade and that’s much more important.
Ah, the old “cente bad / left good” argument. Always a winner that one. Still, we’ve got our party back and we didn’t want to be in government anyway.
I left new Labour to join the Greens as they were further to the left and my politics will always be left of centre but I’m a pragmatist & I know that being HM Opposition is failing those who the tories are huting most and to get rid of those tories the “Left”, in general terms, needs an electable leader. Jezza isn’t electable and only someone utterly out of touch with realty thinks he is in these days of TV, spin and bullshit.
I left the Greens to focus on Stop Trident but Stop Tories is far more important.
It’s not really a case of having my party back. I’ve been a member of other parties when New Labour had abandoned its principles.
Unlike your adventure in the Greens, or my time with Left Unity, Corbyn can actually get something fucking done. I’m sure the pair of us have spent many fascinating days with activists, talking about how the world gets changed, and achieving fuck all. It’s a waste of time. Labour can actually get elected, and for once, they’ve got someone with the nerve to break up the neo-liberal system.
Stop the Tories? For what? So we can get a bunch of cunts in who sound nicer, but do exactly the same stuff? Centre left Labour gave us wars and loans and new taxes just as readily as the Conservatives did, and gave just as much to private interests.
No thanks. I’d rather keep a leadership in with the will to actually roll back some of this shit. It may be one of the last chances we get for a while.
Stop Tories by all means, but recognises that the behaviour you dislike isn’t exclusive to the Conservatives. Learn to recognise the ones in other parties. It ain’t hard.
If corbyn stands and wins again, he will do so with 80% of his PLP against him. He hasnt been able to run an effective opposition with 200 odd MPs, let alone 40.
Whilst it might be wonderful that the Labour party are fast heading to the left “where they belong”, they can have the greatest policies in the world be they are fuck all use if you cannot implement them. The days of the far left or right winning elections are done - you have to hold the centre ground to get power in the UK.
I think that Corbyn is a stubborn arse and will force a leadership vote because of his belief that his popularity with the momentum mob gives him a mandate. I actually think he might win as well. If that does happen then the 172 will split and form the Anyone but Jezza and John party and they will be the opposition.
Don’t patronise me you little fuck, I’m well aware of tories in red rossettes but your mental ideas will allow the right wing of the tory party to run riot whilst Labour, or what’s left of it sits in opposition as there is not a hope in hell of Jezza getting elected. If there was I’d be so far up his arse just my feet would be showing.
Whilst it might be wonderful that the Labour party are fast heading to the left “where they belong”, they can have the greatest policies in the world be they are fuck all use if you cannot implement them. The days of the far left or right winning elections are done - you have to hold the centre ground to get power in the UK.
I hear this all the time.
What is the centre ground? It’s not about who owns the means of production anymore. Fuck, it ain’t even about wealth redistribution.
If it’s so important, can people give an assessment of what they think it is?
I’m with the realists, I’m afraid. I like Corbyn’s politics but there’s nothing doing with him in charge. By the time Labour even have a chance of getting in Corbyn will be 72 and I don’t trust old people anymore.
This country’s fucked for at least the next 6 or 7 years. Bullshit.
I’ll try as it’s a valid question. The centre ground I think is better described as centre people. Those, like my wife who have changed from Lib/Lab/Lib/Tory etc (my wife has never voted tory), who believe in the NHS, social justice but not a nanny state and not the feckless collecting benefits. They believe in state schooling but have no major issues with academies but expect them to employ qualified staff, they are OK with immigration but not unregulated from Asia except they appreciate all the Asian doctors etc. They think Iraq was wrong and support the Royals. They do Run For Life and the like. They are the centre and they who are the Left need to win over.
Don’t patronise me you little fuck, I’m well aware of tories in red rossettes but your mental ideas will allow the right wing of the tory party to run riot whilst Labour, or what’s left of it sits in opposition as there is not a hope in hell of Jezza getting elected. If there was I’d be so far up his arse just my feet would be showing.
Then stop inviting people to fucking LaLaLand, which is just as fucking patronising, if not more so.
The Tories are already running riot.
I’m not inviting you as you’re clearly well established there.
I’d still take my most embarrassing moments over yours, matey - conspiracy theories, shitty bollocks and the lot.
Still, you’ve got your party back in the same way pompey got their club back.
I was never obsessed with those cunts the same way everyone else is.
What happened? Did a load of bitter twats try to fuck it up from the start of the takeover so they could start their own?
The tories haven’t even started.
Tell that to everyone they’ve started on. Well, except the people their policies finished off, anyway.