Yep I read that too Matov. Pity they can't do something about his brother. Just as bad a character, if not worse. They seem a crazy pair.

Dad and I watched games standing on the muddy slope of the Holmesdale Road end. He cheered and I rattled.

Labour could have just said Corbyn was retiring and let him shuffle off into the sunset.
The media will probably want to exploit any falling-out with the Labour leadership. The problem with Corbyn and now with Starmer, is that they are not media-savvy enough.
Look at the 5hlt BJ gets away with and he's still in No.10. Corbyn makes a joke about bacon-dodgers, and all of a sudden Labour's celebrating the holocaust.

I disengage, I turn the page.

Or stands as part of a wider Left-wing movement? Because this move is not just about Corbyn. Its about putting his supporters still within Labour in a real predicament.

If they swallow this then they are essentially finished. Toeing the line. Or else they can bugger off and form their own party/movement.

There has been some chatter in Left-Wing circles about forming a new party, with Laura Piddock being touted as the leading light given that she has already left the Labour party.

I do wonder if this current move, if it materialises, is about trying to force the issue, one way or the other?

"The Party told you to reject the evidence of your eyes and ears. It was their final, most essential command." - 1984 - George Orwell.

Great points by Matov and stirling. However, my view is that a socialist Labour is very unlikely to get into Parliament. sure, it would get a significant chunk of the vote, but nowhere near enough to get into Government - just my view.

I think that's why Blair was so successful, because he was media-savvy, and kept the hardliners at the back of the room. Slow implementation of Labour policies, so they didn't have an immediate impact on the tory voters. Giving them time to warm to policies.

The problem any (Labour) leader taking over from BJ will have, is the massive debt, which will restrict public spending.

I understand many socialist Labourites loved Corbyn, and if you listened to him, he was very sensible and articulate and measured. But he was never going to get Labour into Government. And that is what is holding Labour back, is that a lot of its supporters still think Socialism is an election-winner. And it ain't

Edited by Forest Hillbilly (13 Feb 2022 1.07pm)

I disengage, I turn the page.

If true, it looks both brave and essential if Labour are ever going to hold power again.

There is not, and my opinion never will be, sufficient appetite for hard left socialism in this country for any Party which even tolerates it within it's ranks to gain sufficient votes to do so. It might be as part of a coalition but as that would mean them having to dump any hard left policies what's the point?

The only way back is for them to re-occupy the centre ground and become even newer Labour. A genuinely modern party with democratic socialism at its heart. They would not lose as much funding as might be imagined as some Unions are perfectly able to see the common sense of this.

It could as easily fail as succeed, but as it's their only chance they have of surviving, let alone holding power, they have got to rid themselves of all the hard left. Given that they control most of the local committees, dumping Corbyn would only be the opening salvo in a long war of attrition.

Meanwhile, we don't have an effective opposition to a populist government led by an increasingly unpopular PM. Just when we really need some statesmanship in public life.

For the avoidance of doubt any comments in response to a previous post are directed to its ideas and not at any, or all, posters personally.

you're probably right, stirling. The Parties (policies) follow the money. With Labour, it's the unions, with the Tories, it's business and private donors.
I don't think the Unions are such a militant force they used to be, except where transport is concerned. Their membership is falling (i think), so their influence lessens, and so Labour has to find new funding.

I disengage, I turn the page.