The next big leader?

[DTV]

And a failed hatchet job by Cathy "I was thrown out of a mosque" Newman.

Despite not having a bone in this fight, I'm also getting tired of constant accusations of anti-semitism aimed at JC by...er...the JC. Anti-Israel and anti-Zionism is not antisemitism. Being anti-Israel and being anti-Zionist are political positions based on a political and religious ideology. Being anti-semitic is being racist against the so-called ethnic Jews, although how adherents to a particular religion can be classed into an ethnicity is beyond me. If ethnic Jews exist, then surely ethnic Muslims exist, which would make Islamophobia as abhorrent as anti-semitism. Yet somehow mainstream rightwing media accept that.

It's a clever defence mechanism on Israel's part - attack them and they call you anti-semitic, even when you make no reference to Judaism. They'll also compare their opponents to Nazis and tragically some still fool for the Israeli propaganda. Of course one must never confuse the Israeli people and the Israeli government in the same way we musn't confuse Americans and the American government, but nevertheless the Israeli government is incredibly good at spin.

On the Islamophobia front, Muslims are, tragically, one of the current acceptable targets for racism in society along with Eastern Europeans and increasingly North African migrants and refugees. You can slag them off in a way you wouldn't dare people from other backgrounds. In the 1970s the Pakistanis faced similar ordeals, the 'acceptable face of racism' changes every so often. Also I think the extreme treatment of anti-semitism, particularly on the part of the Mail, is one of guilt for their past.

I urge all British young men and women to study closely the progress of the Nazi regime in Germany. They must not be misled by the misrepresentations of its opponents. The most spiteful detractors of the Nazis are to be found in precisely the same sections of the British public and press as are most vehement in their praises of the Soviet regime in Russia. They have started a clamorous campaign of denunciation against what they call “Nazi atrocities” which, as anyone who visits Germany quickly discovers for himself, consists merely of a few isolated acts of violence such as are inevitable among a nation half as big again as ours, but which have been generalized, multiplied and exaggerated to give the impression that Nazi rule is a bloodthirsty tyranny.

[DTV]

Not sure whether this is most relevant here but we could be seeing an early election to the Northern Irish Assembly. The reason - the Unionists are trying to make political gains out of someones murder and acting like only republicans have ever done anything bad. Plus they are trying to exclude Sinn Féin from the executive - I can't see this causing any problems.

Also the BNP recently held their unreported leadership election. Acting leader Adam Walker was elected leader having taken over from Nick Griffin last year. Adam Walker is a former teacher who is banned from teaching for chasing a child across a field in a jeep. But then a character worked well for UKIP.

[Alexia]

Given that the BNP is now reduced to three men, a dog and a battered copy of Mein Kampf, I wouldn't worry too much.

Incidentally I've had a quick look at the BNP website. Still using a Black Panther fist logo to promote its own brand of white pride.

[DTV]

The Guardian, who is backing Yvette Cooper, believed that Yvette Cooper had won the Guardian leadership hustings. Who'd have thought?

[WillPS]

http://www.theguardian.com/politics/201 ... wonderland

"I'm *really* fucking warning you idiots"

He and the Labour establishment types really have no idea how politically toxic they actually are.

[Square Eyes]

Jezza it is then.

And now the Labour front bench exodus begins.

[cwathen]

Jezza it is then.

And now the Labour front bench exodus begins.

I honestly wish him the best of luck, he's going to need it. Whilst his landslide result was undeniably impressive (better than Blair's so I've read), his campaign was driven very significantly by the overwhelming support of the 'three pounders', whose influence in the Labour party starts and ends with the leadership election. Whether or not he would have become anyone without them is arguable, and I do think it unlikely that this will be allowed to be repeated - the question of whether or not it is right that people who paid 3 quid to support the party a few months ago get an equal voice in who the leader is to those who have been members for a lifetime (to say nothing of MPs and candidates) and may not have wanted it pushed this way is undoubtedly going to be asked.

If he does manage to unite Labour and build a new front bench of new people pushing to the left, he'll just become another Michael Foot. On the other hand, if Labour won't unit behind him as those closer to a centre-left position try and push him out, the party will get so caught up in internal power struggles that they'll lose sight of the aim of getting back to power. If they get so bad that there is actually a split and two Labour parties emerge, they're essentially finished, leaving no other credible governing party.

[DTV]

Jezza it is then.

And now the Labour front bench exodus begins.

I honestly wish him the best of luck, he's going to need it. Whilst his landslide result was undeniably impressive (better than Blair's so I've read), his campaign was driven very significantly by the overwhelming support of the 'three pounders', whose influence in the Labour party starts and ends with the leadership election. Whether or not he would have become anyone without them is arguable, and I do think it unlikely that this will be allowed to be repeated - the question of whether or not it is right that people who paid 3 quid to support the party a few months ago get an equal voice in who the leader is to those who have been members for a lifetime (to say nothing of MPs and candidates) and may not have wanted it pushed this way is undoubtedly going to be asked.

If he does manage to unite Labour and build a new front bench of new people pushing to the left, he'll just become another Michael Foot. On the other hand, if Labour won't unit behind him as those closer to a centre-left position try and push him out, the party will get so caught up in internal power struggles that they'll lose sight of the aim of getting back to power. If they get so bad that there is actually a split and two Labour parties emerge, they're essentially finished, leaving no other credible governing party.

If you take £3 voters out he would still have won in the first round with 51% of the vote, it would, however, of course be impossible to know what the result would have been if the campaign had played out differently but those are the figures as they are. I think that Corbyn is definetely the best leader going into the elections next year - Wales and Scotland being fairly ideologically Trad. Labour and London having areas of old school Labour and metropolitan lefties. The long term of course is determined by the economy, and with many people not feeling the effect of the cuts until next year there will be a delayed reaction to this years budget and this will probably drag Aggregate Demand right down. The Tories inevitable implosion over Europe may benefit Labour but at the end of the day if the economy is doing well, it won't matter who's Labour leader in 2020. I'll just wait for the first Survation Poll to come out - Survation being the only polling organisation whose final poll was within 1% of the actual lead and result. Plus their 'others' goes into much greater depth than other pollsters. The NHA are now frequently getting a mention whereas the BNP are regularly omitted.

[Alexia]

Nearly 50% of full, paid up Labour members voted for him.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-34221155

[cwathen]

Nearly 50% of full, paid up Labour members voted for him.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-34221155

As I said, an undeniably impressive result. But I do wonder if the campaign would have skewed so much in his favour were it not for the £3 voters to drum up support of the other voters. Either way, he is in, but I struggle to find any credibility in him.

Assuming he is still in office at the next election, he will be fighting his first general election campaign at the age of 71. Of course there are other MPs who have continued on until later life (Dennis Skinner being the most obvious current example) and of course Churchill was PM in his 70's and again in his 80's but that was after a long career holding senior roles.

Jeremy Corbyn is not in that league of MP. He has been an MP since 1983 and has never held a front bench position or even a senior position within the party (even Skinner was once party chairman). If he couldn't achieve any recognition during his long career when he was a younger man how on earth is he competent to do the job he's been elected for now (to say nothing of how he would deal with doing the job he hopes to do in future)? This would be akin to me remaining a store manager for the next 30 years, never achieving area manager or a senior position of any sort and then suddenly being offered a promotion from store manager to managing director once I've hit retirement age, ahead of all the people who did make an impact and progress whilst I did not. It is ridiculous.

The first thing that happened upon his election were a number MPs including 3 members of the shadow cabinet announcing that they aren't prepared to be on the front bench with him - you've got key people within the party believing that he shouldn't be in the job and that's before he's even started doing it. If he lasts more than a year or so I will eat my hat.

PMQs will certainly be very interested next week, however.

[Finn]

The first thing that happened upon his election were a number MPs including 3 members of the shadow cabinet announcing that they aren't prepared to be on the front bench with him - you've got key people within the party believing that he shouldn't be in the job and that's before he's even started doing it. If he lasts more than a year or so I will eat my hat.

Firstly, there was an incredible presumption that they would be asked to continue.

Secondly, Jamie Reed (in particular) was extremely rude in tweeting his resignation publicly while Corbyn was actually giving his first leader's speech.

Finally, it seems very presumptive of MPs to, in effect, say "we don't care what members and supporters voted, we know best what's right for the party."