Diane Abbott to stand for Labour leadership

[callippo]

one things for absolutely certain. The Tories will be hoping either of the left candidates comes in for sure. Doubtless they'll be rooting for her, but even they'll find it totally unbelievable that the Labour party could possibly be dumb enough to elect her as leader, just like Labour were laughing their socks off when Iain Duncan Smith won their election.

[boyfriday]

Imagine if somebody commented on Abbot being a working class black girl.

 

...ironically I think such a description would be something she would seize upon positively to make political capital.

[redrobbo]

Surely you should vote for who you think is best for your party? The wording above makes it sound like you voted for Harman purely out of sympathy, to put a token woman on the list.

 

I voted for Harman because she is a good communicator, has form, and because I wanted a gender balance in our party leadership.

 

Should Abbott obtain sufficient nominations, I think party members will hear some blunt truths about why Labour lost the election and forcibly expressed at that.

 

However, I don't expect Abbott to be elected party leader - but she may help shape the debate over the coming months; which would be all to the good.

[Bozo]

Imagine if somebody commented on Abbot being a working class black girl.

 

...ironically I think such a description would be something she would seize upon positively to make political capital.

 

Well precisely bf. If somebody were to suggest working class black women were over-represented in politics it would clearly be absurd and if they suggested they were under-represented I'm sure she would agree.

 

If she is vulnerable in her statement it is in her 'criticism' of a post-meritocracy given her schooling choice.

[Mr Prime]

The point I was making was that she is standing because she is not the same as those who are standing for Party Leadership.....but underneath the female black exterior she is exactly the same. What "different" ticket is she riding on then.....female??? I think Thatcher put anyone off ever wanting a female leader again.....black???? We can all see that but she is hardly representative of the black community in Hackney.....or elsewhere come to think of it.

 

And as for have I ever been to Hackney....not that it makes a difference well YES...I used to live in nearby Tottenham - London Borough of Haringey (another predominantly black area)...and used to frequent Hackney on a regular basis for all kinds of things. There's a cracking kebab shop if only I could remember where it was....was a long time ago

 

My "interest" in Ms Abbott stems from the time when she was part of the local council in Hackney - at a similar time when Bernie Grant was local council leader in Haringey and Margaret Hodge local council leader in Islington. Like others I believed (before I knew her history) that she would well represent the black community not realising that just about the only thing she had in common was indeed the skin colour.

 

So this leaves me wondering about her original reason for standing for Labour Party leader....this being because she does not look the same as the others who are standing means????

 

I am impressed, I live in Tottenham at the moment with many kebab shops and the useless Mr Lammy as MP though he got my vote as assistance for Brown. As for Diane I guess we can't agree however the fact that she is causing so much chat implies she is different in terms of her views even if she has a slick lifestyle, not that she lives in a mansion. You could say she is a 'buppie', the term given to the rising black middle class if you had not heard of it. Anyone that winds up your average Sun reader gets my vote anyroad.

[redrobbo]

David Lammy MP is going to nominate Diane Abbott. He may not vote for her, but feels she should be in the leadership contest so that the voice of both women and the left in the party should be heard.

 

I concur.

[cgksheff]

Favourite amongst the electorate? (but they don't actually have a vote in this contest)

 

 

"Diane Abbott is currently the candidate most voters would like to become Labour leader, according to new PoliticsHome research. She gained strong support among non Labour voters.

 

................

 

http://www.politicshome.com/uk/article/9394/abbott_public_choice_for_labour_leader.html

 

 

PoliticsHome interviewed 1,057 adults by email from 21-24 May 2010. Results are weighted by age, gender and political party identification to reflect the population of Great Britain.

[Tony]

"Diane Abbott is currently the candidate most voters would like to become Labour leader, according to new PoliticsHome research. She gained strong support among non Labour voters.

 

"Coalition supporters across the UK are enthusiastically supporting the election of Diane Abbott as Leader of the Labour Party"

 

http://www.newyorktimes.co.uk/world/politics/uk/election/coalition/mightbeinfor20yearsbecauselabourhavescreweduptheeUKandreallyneedtosortthemselvesoutbyfirstrealisingthattheylosttheplot.htm

[alchresearch]

I'm glad Andy Burnham isn't in the top three, he really is clueless.

 

Whilst I feel Labour need to nurse their bloody nose, I'd hate any prospect of him becoming PM.

[Mister M]

I'm glad Andy Burnham isn't in the top three, he really is clueless.

 

Whilst I feel Labour need to nurse their bloody nose, I'd hate any prospect of him becoming PM.

 

I agree m8

 

He said that what differentiates him for other contenders was that he has a northern working class background, and didn't take part in the Blair Brown faction / in fighting.

 

Fantastic. So we will be served up more right wing nonsense from someone with a northern accent.

 

In this era when 'choice' is the in buzzword amongst politicians, they seem unable to offer anything that differentiates themselves from each other. Or between each party.

 

I hope that the Labour party electorate will be aware of the tricks that the candidates will be pulling: i.e saying a few things that sound reassuringly socialist - then when they get the job being a swivel eyed right winger