The Labour Leadership Campaign

[peasepud 59]

 

now which one looks least like a potential world leader? tricky one.....

[Rob W 0]

lets see - L-R............

 

someone's Personal Protection Officer who strayed into shot

 

a tailors dummy

 

one of the many Mrs Zuma's

 

some Div IV manager

 

an alien

 

 

Why do we go on looks anyway?

 

Remember Mr Lincoln

 

"Friends! people accuse me of being two faced! I ask you - if I had two faces would I campaign for your votes with this one?"

[Guest alex]

Still think they greatly improved the situation in the NE over the last 13 years. There might not be the big ideological differences between the parties any more but I think it's a safe bit that wouldn't have been a priority for the other lot.

 

I think that the lack of idealogical differences is a bit of a myth, and I think it is promoted by the right as cynicism helps undermine"do-gooders" and those with a progressive agenda. Apart from the early par of the New Labour the Tory Party has always been very succesful at defining the language political argument is coached in, which was a big part in the very efficient election winning machine they once were.

I'm obviously not claiming New Labour or any of the current candidates has a strong traditional socialist agenda - that idealogical battle is over. The Labour years have brought in the minimum wage, improved funding and improvement to the NHS and education which are far too easy to decry.

 

I am fairly certain the next few years will illustrate the idealogical differences all to clearly -though the Tory Party will be claiming every decision they make is 'unavoidable'.

Agree with that and I think there are differences, just not so big as they once were, obviously.

[Billy Castell 0]

 

now which one looks least like a potential world leader? tricky one.....

 

Left to right: A bargain bin Nigel Havers, a coldplay fan, a token, a non-league clubs' chairman and Citizen Kang.

[Rob W 0]

to be pedantic the one in the middle is actually a ""2FER" - woman and black = two for the price of one

[Christmas Tree 4711]

Watched Andy Burnham on This week and while he still seemed to be a slimeball, he did seem capable of hiding it better.

 

Definitely my favourite so far even though his own party dont seem to like him.

 

Andrew Neil pulls no puches either right nasty piece of work when interviewing them.

[Happy Face 29]

Contenders on religion....

 

David Miliband explained, "I'm not a religious person but actually I'm a person of faith. I have faith in people". He said the Labour Party can learn from Jesus' Sermon on the Mount and stressed the importance of the "notion of right relationship".

 

His brother Ed Miliband likewise said he had learnt "not a religious faith but a simple faith" that "if you saw an injustice then you had to do something about it". Criticising the language of the Blair-Brown era, he said, "We need to reclaim those words - love, compassion, caring".

 

Andy Burnham, a Roman Catholic, emphasised the Christian origins of his politics, insisting several times that "the basic tenets of the Labour Party and socialism are one and the same with those of Christianity". He said that Labour had recently "lost its way" in relations with the churches, but that both sides shared the blame for this and needed to rebuild their relationship.

 

Ed Balls spoke of his positive early memories of his parents' Anglican church and said his father's commitment to Labour had grown out of Christianity. He added that Labour needs to "talk more about values".

 

Diane Abbott emphasised the values with which she had been brought up, saying "We could do worse, as we go forward as a Labour movement, than return to those values of faith, community and family".

 

http://www.ekklesia.co.uk/node/12559

 

Is it even an issue?

Edited July 7, 2010 by Happy Face

[NJS 4375]

It might be made more of an issue because of Blair.

 

On those quotes I favour the Millibands - on the basis that they're right that compassion shouldn't be "owned" by religion. Burnham can fuck off.

[Happy Face 29]

A significant development in the race for the Labour leadership this afternoon after the GMB union announced that it will be backing Ed Miliband. The GMB is one of "the big three" unions (the others are Unite and Unison) and their endorsement will give the younger Miliband some much-needed momentum.

 

Since the abolition of the trade union block vote under John Smith, members have been free to vote as they wish but in practice a significant number of the GMB's 700,000 members will back Miliband. In the 2007 deputy Labour leadership election, around 40-50 per cent of trade unionists voted for the candidate recommended by their union's leadership.

 

For those unfamiliar with the intricacies of Labour's electoral college, the trade unions hold a third of the vote in the leadership election.

[Christmas Tree 4711]

So this week we got to see Ed Milliband on This Week.

 

An intelligent if dull chap who looks very odd. A bit like Hague but without the sharpe whit.

 

Portillo (a hideous man) summed it up best when he said none of the candidates really came across as having any fire in their belly for wanting to lead.

 

It seems to me that Labour will now go through their wilderness years until the government really fucks up or a new shining light appears. (A scenario that is not in the countrys interest, I might add).

[Happy Face 29]

So this week we got to see Ed Milliband on This Week.

 

An intelligent if dull chap who looks very odd. A bit like Hague but without the sharpe whit.

 

Portillo (a hideous man) summed it up best when he said none of the candidates really came across as having any fire in their belly for wanting to lead.

 

It seems to me that Labour will now go through their wilderness years until the government really fucks up or a new shining light appears. (A scenario that is not in the countrys interest, I might add).

 

I've not followed it at all. Burnham looked passionate about it on QT....but he let himself down playing the loyalty card about his time in the party. I don't want an MP that goes along with the party line irrespective of his own convictions.....and I really don't want a PM like that.

[Rob W 0]

amazing how they're distancing themselves from all the things they did when they were in power

[Billy Castell 0]

They realise they were tossers in the eyes of the public, and blame it on robots disguised as them. None seem PM material, and Labour will probably spend a long time in the wilderness.

[Christmas Tree 4711]

Tonight the hopefuls compete on Question Time. Should be fun if DD can keep the debate out them rather than the Tories.

[Christmas Tree 4711]

How they did....

 

Dianne

 

Nothing new to say and probably cant wait for the whole thing to be over.

 

Ed Balls

 

He always reminds me a tad of Ken Clarke. Has a few well rehearsed lines but you get the feeling theres no real passion behind his words.

 

Andy Burnham

 

Means well but just hasnt got the X factor to be a good politician never mind leader.

 

Ed Milliband

 

Think its came a bit early for him. Another 5 or 10 years would have suited him better. Quoted a few rehearsed possible policies but really blew his big chance.

 

David Milliband

 

The best of a bad bunch. Came across as passionate and is easily the most experienced and polished performer of this bunch. If I had to pick one he would be it.

 

Overall though, none of them seem to have that x factor that is needed to be a great leader like Thatcher, Blair and (time will tell) Cameron.

 

If Labour get in with any of this lot it will be down to the cuts or unions and not because of some great new ideas.

Edited September 16, 2010 by Christmas Tree

[Meenzer 15466]

Ed M is the logical choice but I can't watch him without being reminded of Wallace and Gromit.

[The Fish 10814]

Ed M is the logical choice but I can't watch him without being reminded of Wallace and Gromit.

Cracking sleaze Gromit!

[Renton 21435]

How they did....

 

Dianne

 

Nothing new to say and probably cant wait for the whole thing to be over.

 

Ed Balls

 

He always reminds me a tad of Ken Clarke. Has a few well rehearsed lines but you get the feeling theres no real passion behind his words.

 

Andy Burnham

 

Means well but just hasnt got the X factor to be a good politician never mind leader.

 

Ed Milliband

 

Think its came a bit early for him. Another 5 or 10 years would have suited him better. Quoted a few rehearsed possible policies but really blew his big chance.

 

David Milliband

 

The best of a bad bunch. Came across as passionate and is easily the most experienced and polished performer of this bunch. If I had to pick one he would be it.

 

Overall though, none of them seem to have that x factor that is needed to be a great leader like Thatcher, Blair and (time will tell) Cameron.

 

If Labour get in with any of this lot it will be down to the cuts or unions and not because of some great new ideas.

 

I'd loosely agree with some of that, enjoyed your joke about Cameron (time will tell) being a great leader as well.

 

For me there are three issues - political belief, personality, and electability. Unfortunately in our modern materialistic and cynical times the latter trumps the two former qualities, which means it's David Millliband for me. I like his brother more but as SLP has commentated he can come across as a bit of a social spastic. Its suprised me somewhat, but after the hustings I probably most agree with Ed Balls. However, again the right wing press would have a field day with him.

 

Good debate last night though and they came across genuinely as being united imo. I predict the next PM will have an NE constituency which will be good for the region.

[Rob W 0]

Ed M is the logical choice but I can't watch him without being reminded of Wallace and Gromit.

 

 

odd that - lad at work reckoned they looked like they were off Creature Comforts.................

[shackbleep 0]

Result will be announced in two hours. Most observers are expecting it to be a close run between the Milliband brothers but that Ed will edge it...

[spongebob toonpants 3958]

I like Balls

[Gemmill 44556]

Ed M is the logical choice but I can't watch him without being reminded of Wallace and Gromit.

 

Looks the spit of Millhouse imo.

[shackbleep 0]

I like Balls

 

Was too entrenched with Brown IMO. The party wants a change.

[Billy Castell 0]

I hope David Miliband does not win. He's too much of a Blairite New Labour goon, who will fill the pockets of the private sector at the expense of the working and middle classes. Labour needs to rediscover its roots, represent the poorer in society whilst avoiding a return to dogmatic, militant nonsense the left can get stuck in (e.g. the late 70's/early 80's).

[spongebob toonpants 3958]

I like Balls

 

Was too entrenched with Brown IMO. The party wants a change.

 

 

Yes, probably too closely linked to Brown in the eyes of the media and the public to be electable, but for me he has challenged the "there is no alternative" mantra being peddled by the coalition and reinforced by most of the press in the most cogent fashion. Ed B has also at least tried to give the alternative economic argument, David M not so much.

 

Ed does look at bit "special" though