The Labour Party

[TheOstrich]

The Guardian has in the last few days "come out" in favour of Yvette Cooper for the new party leader.

Apparently, the readership are most displeased. From the vox pop:

variation31 8m ago
The Times today reports there is a petition signed by 14,000 Graun readers (hello and good morning, you lot) protesting at the paper's recommendation of Cooper. It's the first I've heard of it. Am I too late?

If not, where can I sign?

http://www.theguardian.com/politics/201 ... line-abuse

Interesting sitting on the outside watching a party tear itself apart isn't it? Haven't had so much fun since the BNP imploded ... But not, perhaps, if you're a Labour supporter.

[Suff]

But not, perhaps, if you're a Labour supporter.

I'm having fun...

[Workingman]

I am not having fun and I am not a Labour supporter: never have been and never will be.

I am not having fun because for democracy to work a government needs a strong opposition. That opposition needs to challenge government, and at the same time propose alternatives.

The UK does not have a cohesive opposition, which leaves the Tory's with an open door, even with only a small majority.

I have read all sorts of "what ifs" for Labour, depending upon who wins. Not one of them sees Labour back in power for at least two more parliaments, maybe more. That is not so much of a problem in the short term, but if a power vacuum forms in the long run it would be a disaster.

Many appear to be wanting Labour to split. Shirley Williams has already suggested that defectors should join the LibDems. There are troubles with that idea. The LibDems are a busted flush and any defectors are more than likely to be tainted due to their parts in the Blair/Brown years.

I do not want Labour to split. I want the centrists (the majority) to get a backbone and work with, but temper the extremes of, Corbyn should he win. The Left did not run away when Blair came to power, nor should the Right now that things are not going their way. They also need to find a suitable candidate (singular) to fight Corbyn when his time is up. The current three are indistinguishable from each other and none of them appeal to the electorate at large.

[Suff]

Let's face it, the opposition is in a shambles and Cameron only has a 16 seat majority. Working but nothing more.

The last thing I want is a stronger Labour party which can work with the SNP to shaft the economy of the UK.

Maggie had a massive majority and used it to heal and repair the economy of the country. The people who paid the price were the people who had received the benefit of the "open money" policy of Labour.

Blair had a massive majority and used it to cripple the economy with an "open money" policy.

I know where I stand and what I want. So long as SNP is paramount in Scotland I want Labour crippled in England....

[Workingman]

With Labour crippled where would any opposition come from?

Without an opposition we would probably end up with an elected dictatorship and a pseudo one-party state where the leader can only be removed by MPs of the ruling party. I do not believe that is what the country and the people want or need.

If Labour does implode the next government will be Conservative with an increased majority. Cameron will not be PM as he has already said that he will not go for another term. The next leader will then be Osborne or, God forbid, Boris Johnson, and I have to say that I do not want either of them to have unfettered rule.

[Kaz]

I am not having fun because for democracy to work a government needs a strong opposition. That opposition needs to challenge government, and at the same time propose alternatives.

The UK does not have a cohesive opposition, which leaves the Tory's with an open door, even with only a small majority.

Quite!

[cromwell]

I do not like Yvette Cooper. Her habitual expression of faux concern has always annoyed me!

Corbyn is doing well because when he is asked a question, he answers it. Cooper, damp-eyed Andy Burnham and Liz Whoisit don't.

They reply with slogans, soundbites and vacuous rambling replies that go nowhere. They also slag off Corbyn and each other, which makes my lip curl even more, I'm afraid.

Throughout this contest Corbyn has remained dignified and above the mud slinging, which is not something you can say about the other three.

The contest itself is barmy though, isn't it? The Labour party under Miliband set the rules for the election. Corbyn gets included on the ballot paper.

Then when it looks like he might win, oh my goodness! MP's running around like headless chickens, squawking that the contest should be stopped, making dark remarks about how the party has been "infiltrated" etc.

Hey lads, you made the rules! If you can't even organise the leadership contest of your own party, how would you rule the country?

When Corbyn talks of re-nationalising the railways and power companies a lot of people will be in favour of that.

The only riposte the other three can come up with to Corbyn is that his policies are "old fashioned" - oh well, that's me convinced then! (Not).

If Corbyn wins, he wins and they will have to live with it.

[Workingman]

If Corbyn wins, he wins and they will have to live with it.

Exactly.

Labour needs to go through a period of soul searching, because at the present it does not have one. If Corbyn becoming leader is the catalyst for that it will be no bad thing.

Being Tory Lite (Blair) was never going to be a long-term solution any more than being Commie Lite under Michael Foot was. Whether I, or anyone else, likes it or not there is a place in democratic politics for a left-of-centre party be it Labour, LibDem or Social Democrat.

[Kaz]

I have to agree absolutely, with you both. Corbyn has conviction, and whether you agree with his ideas or not he is sincere and has a little gravitas about him. The others are Nu Labour clones

[Suff]

Don't get me wrong, I love principled politicians. What I love even more is politicians with principles which are an anathema to 65% of the population. Because they are also principles, today, that I don't agree with.

Those principles have a place in Politics. Poor second or Good Third. Personally I'd like to see Labour fatally wounded at the next election and for ex Labour voters to go UKIP hoping that a removal from the EU will change the dynamics of UK politics....

That is my hope.

In that scenario I get 4 parties, one dominant (the Tories), UKIP to keep the Tories honest on the EU and Labour, SNP and the Lib Dems to keep the Tories in line on social issues.

My nirvana would be a minority Tory government with UKIP vote by vote support with Labour, SNP and the Lib Dems crippled in parliament....

Not that I'll get it but stranger things have happened (Scottish Labour you listening???).