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Who will be the next Labour Leader?

UW: you are in a small minority (I'm glad to say) in your belief that an increased dose of Blairism is the answer to the current problems of the Labour Party and British politics. I don't think I've seen (or heard) anyone else suggest that in the last year or so.

Completely unjustified imo to claim that the Stephen Lawrence inquiry, or minimum wage legislation, happened specifically because of Nu Labour rather than any other flavour of Labour, and I'd like to see some evidence for that assertion.

I am totally gobsmacked at the notion of Jon Cruddas and Ed Miliband representing the far left (ffs!). We are plainly not on the same planet here, and I don't know how I'd begin to have a political discussion with you. I'd be as likely to find a common wavelength with the average Tory.

btw I could hardly have been more right about Nu-Labour and Gordon Brown in May 2007:
What is there to say about a political party, supposed voice of the labour movement, virtually all of whose representatives would (apparently willingly) participate in the disgusting Stalinist ceremony of publicly adoring the 'leader'? And what a 'leader'!
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Former long-time Labour Party activist; still a socialist.


geni said:
Since none of the likely candidates have challanged Brown it would appear they are all fairly calculating. That being the case it may well be none of them if the election after next also looks unwinable.
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That analysis is both too clever and too stupid for the average Nu-Labour MP. Who on earth could hope to predict what the political map will look like after a few years of Tory government ... in the depths of a recession? Bear in mind that, to a man, woman and politician these people are self-serving careerists with zero long-term political vision - they would grab any opportunity for an immediate advantage (if they were capable of any such thing). No, they didn't challenge Brown (even to the extent of not nominating him) because ... they stuffed up!


UNLoVedRebel said:
You should care. At least the UK has a Labo(u)r party. No one represents the working class in the US. No one even wants to claim to represent the working class in the US.
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Fiona said:
That is precisely the problem, UNLoVed Rebel. We don't have a Labour party any more either
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I think that's putting it a bit strongly. We can certainly expect serious political change in a severe recession, presided over by a Tory government (which is going to be much more horrible than most of us want to think at the moment). I don't completely rule out the possibility that the Labour Party can regain its historic role as the political leadership and representation of the working class, the unemployed, poor, ill and old people. My son, who is a 'far left' Labour Party activist, promotes this line. But it will have to prove itself in no uncertain terms before I get sucked in again.
 
Hmm.. I seem to have been slightly drunk last night. Why do I rant about politics when I am so?
 
Lucky said:
That analysis is both too clever and too stupid for the average Nu-Labour MP. Who on earth could hope to predict what the political map will look like after a few years of Tory government ... in the depths of a recession? Bear in mind that, to a man, woman and politician these people are self-serving careerists with zero long-term political vision - they would grab any opportunity for an immediate advantage (if they were capable of any such thing). No, they didn't challenge Brown (even to the extent of not nominating him) because ... they stuffed up!
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Not worried about the average MP. Just the likely leadership contenders. They've also got the recent example of IDS to look to to see that a weak leader can be removed if things start to look up.
 
Hmm, with David Miliband seemingly abandoning ship to Europe, and Alan Johnson deciding that political image is more important then scientific evidence, I wonder if this changes things. Johnson certainly seems less competent to be Labour Leader now.
 
After the Government's (headed up by Johnson) recent idiocy over Cannibas reclassification, there are slim pickings left.
 
I've no idea, not being active in politics as I used to be I've not really seen anyone that I think has required vision and bloodymindness that is required to be a modern part leader. Perhaps there is someone out there - but if so they need to start working on their public image and start getting themselves noticed.
 
It started to move that way from Kinnock. Remember that it was Smith who got rid of the Trade Union block vote.
 
Towards the a party more rooted in Gaitskellite policies. Tony Benn was very vocal in his opposition to the way Smith was taking the party.

Remember that it was Smith that brought Brown and Blair up through the ranks, making them his acolytes.
 
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