Should Labour move right or left?

[DrNorm]

Yvette Cooper in Sheffield this Sat at St Mary's Church from 6.30pm

[Anna B]

no he doesn't. Not only has he never been a minister, like Michael Foot had been, but he's never even been a shadow minister. He has got no experience at all. He hasn't got a clue about government, and him being the most rebellious MP ever, who voted against the Labour government more times, than any other Labour MP, means that he will not be in a position to feel entitled to any loyalty, at all, from the parliamentary party that he will be supposed to be the leader of.

 

don't you even realise that even if Corbyn does win this leadership election, that he has got no chance of being the leader of the party in the next general election in 2020 and that he'll be booted out as being the total inadequate he will have shown himself to have been well before then?

 

Having read up a bit about him (start with Wikipedia and go from there,) I would say that after 30 years in politics he is more experienced than most. Let's face it David Cameron had only been in politics a few years before being shoe horned into the leadership, and actually knew diddly squat about a lot of things. Corbyn has served on a wide variety of parliamentary bodies and is well respected. He's been re-elected as MP for Islington 7 times, so he must be getting something right.

 

He strikes me as being the typical 'quiet man' but with a backbone of steel. He's shown real grit. Not at all grand or 'showy' he also lacks that sense of entitlement that so many politicians have nowadays. He didn't fiddle his expenses, and is as straight as a dye. The Daily Mail et al have not been able to dig up any dirt on him. In fact he seems to be that ultra-rare breed, an incorruptible politician!

 

He has a wealth of experience at an international level, winning the Ghandi International Peace Award in 2013. He seems sensible and steady, but is nobody's fool, shows real grit and is a real grafter.

 

He reminds me a bit of Alan Johnson and Nicola Sturgeon (without the beard.) No wonder other politicians are scared stiff of him.

 

Do not underestimate this man.

 

He gets my vote.

Edited August 12, 2015 by Anna B

[blake]

the guy has got no experience or proven ability at all. Totally anonymous backbenchers like him are a dime a dozen, if he is elected it will be the first time that anybody has ever got to lead either of the two main parties without any portfolio experience i.e. not just no ministerial experience, but not even ever even had a shadow department to run. He has never been a spokesperson on anything. Even if he doesn't win, and comes second, then that will be the first time anybody has even come second in a leadership contest without having had any portfolio experience. If Corbyn does win, his shortcomings will quickly become obvious and he will definitely be replaced, like Ian Duncan Smith was replaced. Corbyn and Ian Duncan Smith are quite similar, both were serial rebels against their own party when they were in government, and both of them are not up to the job of party leader. However, Ian Duncan Smith, inadequate as he was, still had a great deal more experience than Corbyn has, having served on the front benches and been in the shadow cabinet, this might have been a relatively lowly role for a leader of the Tory party to have on his CV, but it was still a great deal more than anything Corbyn has.

Edited August 12, 2015 by blake

[TJC1]

the guy has got no experience or proven ability at all. Totally anonymous backbenchers like him are a dime a dozen, if he is elected it will be the first time that anybody has ever got to lead either of the two main parties without any portfolio experience i.e. not just no ministerial experience, but not even ever even had a shadow department to run. He has never been a spokesperson on anything. Even if he doesn't win, and comes second, then that will be the first time anybody has even come second in a leadership contest without having had any portfolio experience. If Corbyn does win, his shortcomings will quickly become obvious and he will definitely be replaced, like Ian Duncan Smith was replaced. Corbyn and Ian Duncan Smith are quite similar, both were serial rebels against their own party when they were in government, and both of them are not up to the job of party leader. However, Ian Duncan Smith, inadequate as he was, still had a great deal more experience than Corbyn has, having served on the front benches and been in the shadow cabinet, this might have been a relatively lowly role for a leader of the Tory party to have on his CV, but it was still a great deal more than anything Corbyn has.

 

Maybe thats what the party and politics needs. Fresh ideas, fresh pair of eyes. I have a feeling thats what makes corbyn so electable. He isnt a yes man ground down by politics. Yet.

 

---------- Post added 12-08-2015 at 10:32 ----------

 

Having read up a bit about him (start with Wikipedia and go from there,) I would say that after 30 years in politics he is more experienced than most. Let's face it David Cameron had only been in politics a few years before being shoe horned into the leadership, and actually knew diddly squat about a lot of things. Corbyn has served on a wide variety of parliamentary bodies and is well respected. He's been re-elected as MP for Islington 7 times, so he must be getting something right.

 

He strikes me as being the typical 'quiet man' but with a backbone of steel. He's shown real grit. Not at all grand or 'showy' he also lacks that sense of entitlement that so many politicians have nowadays. He didn't fiddle his expenses, and is as straight as a dye. The Daily Mail et al have not been able to dig up any dirt on him. In fact he seems to be that ultra-rare breed, an incorruptible politician!

 

He has a wealth of experience at an international level, winning the Ghandi International Peace Award in 2013. He seems sensible and steady, but is nobody's fool, shows real grit and is a real grafter.

 

He reminds me a bit of Alan Johnson and Nicola Sturgeon (without the beard.) No wonder other politicians are scared stiff of him.

 

Do not underestimate this man.

 

He gets my vote.

 

He comes under the radar. Looks like a geography teacher!

Seems to work hard. Has been up and down the country.

[blake]

Maybe thats what the party and politics needs. Fresh ideas, fresh pair of eyes. y.

 

Are you joking? He's 66 years of age. Party leaders, when they are first elected, are usually in their forties.

 

By the time the 2020 election comes around, he'll be older than Michael Foot was in 1983, who everybody thought was a doddering old fool. This is Britain, not communist China. We don't go in for politicians who are old age pensioners.

 

---------- Post added 12-08-2015 at 13:56 ----------

 

Ages of party leaders when elected

 

Heath 49

Callaghan (easily the oldest) 64

Thatcher 50

Kinnock 41

Major 47

Smith 53

Blai 41

Hague 36

Duncan Smith 47

Howard 62

Cameron 39

Brown 56

Milliband 40

 

Average age : 48

[Mister M]

John Smith made the clever move of dropping dead before anyone could find out if was any good or not.

What would Jesus have done?

 

Pity Thatcher couldn't have done the same

 

---------- Post added 12-08-2015 at 14:46 ----------

 

Are you joking? He's 66 years of age. Party leaders, when they are first elected, are usually in their forties.

 

By the time the 2020 election comes around, he'll be older than Michael Foot was in 1983, who everybody thought was a doddering old fool. This is Britain, not communist China. We don't go in for politicians who are old age pensioners.

 

---------- Post added 12-08-2015 at 13:56 ----------

 

Ages of party leaders when elected

 

Heath 49

Callaghan (easily the oldest) 64

Thatcher 50

Kinnock 41

Major 47

Smith 53

Blai 41

Hague 36

Duncan Smith 47

Howard 62

Cameron 39

Brown 56

Milliband 40

 

Average age : 48

 

I think on balance I'd rather have someone older than younger in the post of PM. I know the press wouldn't, and certainly don't Corbyn. But the fact that the press don't want him makes him all the more appealing to me.

[Anna B]

Are you joking? He's 66 years of age. Party leaders, when they are first elected, are usually in their forties.

 

By the time the 2020 election comes around, he'll be older than Michael Foot was in 1983, who everybody thought was a doddering old fool. This is Britain, not communist China. We don't go in for politicians who are old age pensioners.

 

---------- Post added 12-08-2015 at 13:56 ----------

 

Ages of party leaders when elected

 

Heath 49

Callaghan (easily the oldest) 64

Thatcher 50

Kinnock 41

Major 47

Smith 53

Blai 41

Hague 36

Duncan Smith 47

Howard 62

Cameron 39

Brown 56

Milliband 40

 

Average age : 48

 

So? You're being rather ageist aren't you? We're all living longer according to Cameron. And age is just a number and a state of mind.

 

With age comes wisdom. The sort you can't get in Universities. Never heard of an 'Elder Statesman?'

 

Anyway, Gladstone, considered an excellent PM, was 82 when he was elected. And Tony Ben could give many a younger man a run for his money well into his eighties. Corbyn is a mere boy!

Edited August 12, 2015 by Anna B

[drummonds]

So? You're being rather ageist aren't you? We're all living longer according to Cameron. And age is just a number and a state of mind.

 

With age comes wisdom. The sort you can't get in Universities. Never heard of an 'Elder Statesman?'

 

Anyway, Gladstone, considered an excellent PM, was 82 when he was elected. And Tony Ben could give many a younger man a run for his money well into his eighties. Corbyn is a mere boy!

 

there are also folks who never achieve anything in life and you have to think an mp who has been overlooked for 2 decades probably hasn't much to offer.

 

there were a few defining moments leading up to the 2015 election. one was miliband at the leeds debate trying to claim labour hadn't overspent in office. the next was the electorate turning up to vote thinking the miliband could be prime minister the next day. labour of course picked the wrong leader in 2010 and they were lost from that moment. it looks like they will do the same again and that will be apparent when some oaf appears in a live debate talking about spending £billions renationalising things we can't afford and the electorate realising that they are in danger of yet another tax and spend labour government.

 

you are right. tony benn was a great orator. he was also unelectable as prime minister.

[Mister M]

there are also folks who never achieve anything in life and you have to think an mp who has been overlooked for 2 decades probably hasn't much to offer.

 

there were a few defining moments leading up to the 2015 election. one was miliband at the leeds debate trying to claim labour hadn't overspent in office. the next was the electorate turning up to vote thinking the miliband could be prime minister the next day. labour of course picked the wrong leader in 2010 and they were lost from that moment. it looks like they will do the same again and that will be apparent when some oaf appears in a live debate talking about spending £billions renationalising things we can't afford and the electorate realising that they are in danger of yet another tax and spend labour government.

 

you are right. tony benn was a great orator. he was also unelectable as prime minister.

 

I don't think talent or ability is the reason he has been overlooked, rather the fact that he's independent minded & can't be easily whipped into submission.

[janie48]

Are you joking? He's 66 years of age. Party leaders, when they are first elected, are usually in their forties.

 

By the time the 2020 election comes around, he'll be older than Michael Foot was in 1983, who everybody thought was a doddering old fool. This is Britain, not communist China. We don't go in for politicians who are old age pensioners.

Ages of party leaders when elected

 

Heath 49

Callaghan (easily the oldest) 64

Thatcher 50

Kinnock 41

Major 47

Smith 53

Blai 41

Hague 36

Duncan Smith 47

Howard 62

Cameron 39

Brown 56

Milliband 40

 

Average age : 48

What about Winston Churchill, would you class him as a "doddering old fool"?

He was Prime Minister in his seventies.

 

If you must call people "fools" refer to the list of names you posted, most of them are Conservatives.