Parties have everything to play for in Copeland by-election

[Arthurgray50@blu]

http://news.sky.com/story/parties-ha...ction-10704489

This seat could be the ultimate election problem for joker Corbyn. If he loses this year, compared to the other defeats.

I can see another leadership challenge on the cards

Originally Posted by Arthurgray50@blu

http://news.sky.com/story/parties-ha...ction-10704489

This seat could be the ultimate election problem for joker Corbyn. If he loses this year, compared to the other defeats.

I can see another leadership challenge on the cards

With the exception to Tom Watson, all the Stiff's which currently occupy the entire front bench of the Shadow Cabinet, need to take the hint and go as well.

[heero_yuy]

Labour could slump to 140 seats in the next general election, the Fabian Society warns today in a landmark report.

The non-factional group, affiliated to Labour, says the party is too weak to win a general election – whether held this year or in 2020 – but that it is unlikely to be replaced as the main opposition party as the electoral system creates a “firebreak” that protects the party.

Labour’s current polling numbers would translate into fewer than 200 seats. However the report cautions that mid-term polling has previously overstated Labour’s support by around eight per cent, which could mean as few as 140 seats at the next election. It would remain “by far the largest opposition party”, the report adds, stating that “the party does not face oblivion and will be able to rebuild”.

Source link

Jeremy Corbyn will step down before the 2020 general election if Labour’s prospects are “still awful”, Unite boss Len McCluskey has suggested.

The head of Britain’s biggest trade union – and a crucial ally of the Labour leader – used a New Year interview to raise the prospect of Mr Corbyn throwing in the towel.

Mr McCluskey said: “Let’s suppose we are not having a snap election. It buys into this question of what happens if we get to 2019 and opinion polls are still awful.

“The truth is everybody would examine that situation, including Jeremy Corbyn and John McDonnell.”

Source

"We're right behind you" Brutus advised Caesar.

[OLD BOY]

This whole nonsense could be put to an end very swiftly if the moderates in the Labour Party elected their own leader and declared themselves as the official opposition. Unfortunately, no-one seems to have the guts to take the lead for such an initiative and so they will have nothing to do but to carry on whingeing and griping for the next five years and possibly beyond.

This bunch of wet blankets don't deserve to lead the country. Perhaps now is the time to change the nature of politics in this country. The Left/Right class divide is now outdated. We need a new focus.

[Osem]

Originally Posted by OLD BOY

This whole nonsense could be put to an end very swiftly if the moderates in the Labour Party elected their own leader and declared themselves as the official opposition. Unfortunately, no-one seems to have the guts to take the lead for such an initiative and so they will have nothing to do but to carry on whingeing and griping for the next five years and possibly beyond.

This bunch of wet blankets don't deserve to lead the country. Perhaps now is the time to change the nature of politics in this country. The Left/Right class divide is now outdated. We need a new focus.

I agree. The chaos and lack of leadership qualities evident across Labour's parliamentary ranks says it all about them and their party. Unfit to govern.

I don't see why some of the right v left dogma can't be consigned to history and a credible middle ground found.

[beeman]

Originally Posted by Osem

I don't see why some of the right v left dogma can't be consigned to history and a credible middle ground found.

We've done that, and it appears the centerists make the least popular leaders think of the last 6 PM's

Thacter Right - VERY popular with the right, reasonably popular with the centerists hated by the left.

Major Center right - wetfish mostly disliked by all

Blair Center left - by the end disliked by all (apart from a small group of blairite center lefts)

Brown center left - disliked by all

Camron center right - disliked by most

May right (but not quite Thacter level yet) - loved by the right, tolerated by the centerists, no real comment from the lefts.

[Osem]

I was referring to an entirely new centre party. Something which hasn't been done since the days of the SDP. It would be possible but only if those involved were prepared to compromise, ditch some of the old dogma and get on with responding to the challenges of the 21st Century. Unlikely I'll agree but it could be done and it could be home for all of those who currently find themselves voting either out of habit or simply for the least worst option - something which I think a large proportion of the electorate are now reduced to doing having been so badly let down by the mainstream parties.

[beeman]

And we have that with the Lib Dems, While some people (mostly the right) call them left wing they are in fact a very centerist party, not controled by unions or bankers etc and are willing to compromise (or at least there were untill they saw what that comprimise has cost them). No im not a Lib Dem myself (if anything im a soft tory) though i did vote LibDem at the last GE but only because i refuse to vote for my tory canditate due to his "within the rules" expenses claims in the past.

[Osem]

Originally Posted by beeman

And we have that with the Lib Dems, While some people (mostly the right) call them left wing they are in fact a very centerist party, not controled by unions or bankers etc and are willing to compromise (or at least there were untill they saw what that comprimise has cost them). No im not a Lib Dem myself (if anything im a soft tory) though i did vote LibDem at the last GE but only because i refuse to vote for my tory canditate due to his "within the rules" expenses claims in the past.

Except that the Lib Dems clearly aren't credible or new and in some ways they're left of Labour but that's another debate.

Originally Posted by beeman

And we have that with the Lib Dems, While some people (mostly the right) call them left wing they are in fact a very centerist party, not controled by unions or bankers etc and are willing to compromise (or at least there were untill they saw what that comprimise has cost them). No im not a Lib Dem myself (if anything im a soft tory) though i did vote LibDem at the last GE but only because i refuse to vote for my tory canditate due to his "within the rules" expenses claims in the past.

The problem with the Lib Dems is that their willingness to "compromise" is so complete that you actually have no idea what they're going to do if they get into power.

This is because they're totally sold on the European model of proportionally representative coalition politics, where manifestos are meaningless because the programme for government is decided behind closed doors, after the election, between the single largest party and as many fringe lunatics as it requires to form a working majority.

Originally Posted by Osem

Except that the Lib Dems clearly aren't credible or new and in some ways they're left of Labour but that's another debate.

I can't think of many ways they're left of Labour? Certainly not the current Labour party. They're much more liberal than Labour but that isn't hard .

Originally Posted by Chris

The problem with the Lib Dems is that their willingness to "compromise" is so complete that you actually have no idea what they're going to do if they get into power.

Well compromise is the only way they'll ever get into power. Like 2010 they'll have to compromise on some of their platform as part of getting into a coalition. I think people who vote for them can be sure of two things they'll want which is electoral reform and more liberal approach to human rights. Economically they're much more willing to concede most of that to the larger party.