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Original poster

OK- fellow Labour Party members...

235 replies

BertrandRussell · 13/01/2020 10:24

.....we’re all agreed that we need to be pragmatic, cynical and hard headed in the choice of the next leader and deputy, yes?

So, who? Who has a chance of getting us into power in the foreseeable future? Starmer and Philips?

OP posts:
SummerPavillion · 13/01/2020 20:51

The party can choose between Puritanism or changing the world for better That's our dilemma in a nutshell.

StarryGazeyEyes · 13/01/2020 20:55

Keir Starmer and Rosena Allin Khan would be a great combination.

BestIsWest · 13/01/2020 20:56

Yep. I know which I choose.

Original poster
BertrandRussell · 14/01/2020 08:24

I’m interested in the people who are very strongly against Philips. Can you say why?

OP posts:
Violetparis · 14/01/2020 09:08

Not keen on Jess as I think she is too divisive within the party, don't think she could unite it. All the swearing on twitter is unprofessional and she comes across a bit like an actress in an amateur dramatics production, closing her eyes, shaking her head to make a really 'dramatic' point. It makes me cringe.

Lionso · 14/01/2020 10:21

My ideal would be Jess Phillips as leader and Ian Murray as deputy. Murray was my MP for a bit and he was an excellent local MP IMO.

I think it will be more likely Starmer and Rayner as deputy. I can live with that though, its massively better than Corbyn.

StarryGazeyEyes · 14/01/2020 10:30

Phillips is marmite and the party would be as divided as it has been under Corbyn, just led by a different faction. I think she'd be likely to return Labour to where it was pre-Corbyn, which didn't fly either. Something new is needed.

SummerPavillion · 14/01/2020 10:51

I disagree slightly there, I think Labour did 'fly' pre-Corbyn, except that David Cameron was more electable than Gordon Brown (and 2010 was always going to be difficult to hang on to), and Ed Miliband was also not viewed as a feasible prime minister by the electorate.

I don't think the party's direction was particularly wrong either of those times.

SummerPavillion · 14/01/2020 10:53

I do agree though that Jess Phillips as leader wouldn't be that helpful in uniting the party, think Starmer might manage that better. Love Jess though, maybe her day will come as leader or deputy perhaps.

SeaWitchly · 14/01/2020 11:03

Rebecca Long Bailey and Angela Rayner.
Otherwise anyone rather then Jess Phillips. She is dreadful.

FurryGiraffe · 14/01/2020 11:11

I’m interested in the people who are very strongly against Philips. Can you say why?

She can't unite the party. We desperately need to end the infighting and she spent four years fanning the flames.

Politically I'm closest to RLB, and I really would like to see a woman, but she doesn't convince me as leader. I think the next Labour leader will need huge tenacity and the skin of a rhino- I'm not convinced she's got it (Phillips probably does- but see above). I have a soft spot for Thornberry, and I think Starmer is an excellent performer.

kaytola · 14/01/2020 11:22

Starmer and Rayner for me.

derxa · 14/01/2020 11:38

As I said up thread I'm not Labour. I read the Guardian, the Mail and Guido Fawkes online and comments BTL as follows:
-Rebecca Long Bailey will be called R Wrong-Daily daily Humourless Corbynite Hypocrite because of husband's job
-Jess Phillips Gobby but effective. Actually very middle class
-Keir Starmer Dull but a safe pair of hands. Not a great DPP Metropolitan
-Emily Thornberry A lot of vile comments about her weight Metropolitan and a terrible snob White van man tweet Lady Nugee
-Lisa Nandy Usually nice comments if any. Integrity
These aren't my views I may hasten to add.

BlingLoving · 14/01/2020 11:45

I wish that the leadership election was in two more years. I've been following Jess for years and I can see the way experience is shaping her. I don't think she's absolutely 100% there yet, but I'm still joining labour to vote for her as I think she's almost there and has clearly been working hard on her known weakness which is international policy. Plus we all know that a man who is only 60% qualified is still considered completely credible.

I think with Raynor as deputy, it could work as Raynor would appeal to the more Corbyn types. The problem is that Raynor is so tied to Long-Bailey that it is hard to see how her and Jess would work together.

People rave about Starmer but honestly, until he threw his hat in the ring for leader I'd' never heard of him. Who is he!?

RuffleCrow · 14/01/2020 11:52

Do you have access to Google @blingloving? That should help you.

Original poster
BertrandRussell · 14/01/2020 11:55

[https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Keir_Starmer Kier Starmer]]
[helpful emoticon]

OP posts:
BlingLoving · 14/01/2020 11:56

@RuffleCrow - yes, I can google him. Thank you for that helpful advice.

My point was that I'd never heard of him so clearly he hasn't been making universal waves. The "Who is he"? was largely rhetorical in a "how did he become the front runner when lots of people I know, including me, had never heard of him before."

Original poster
BertrandRussell · 14/01/2020 11:56

Oops
Kier Starmer

OP posts:
Original poster
BertrandRussell · 14/01/2020 12:00

Also here is an interesting, if partial, long form interview that’s worth a listen.

OP posts:
MoonlightBonnet · 14/01/2020 12:02

I haven’t decided yet. I’m leaning towards Emily Thornberry I think. She worked really hard across the country during the election, more so than the other candidates. And I’ve always liked her. I can’t see why anyone would say Kier Starmer’s the only one who seems Prime Ministerial when Emily Thornberry is in the contest and gives off that vibe while also having a personality.

SummerPavillion · 14/01/2020 12:07

I've met Emily Thornberry a few times at conference and while good fun and committed, she doesn't have the professionalism I think is needed.

She gets fairly easily wound up and carried away.

BlingLoving · 14/01/2020 12:16

@summerpavillion - is that really true or is that because she's a woman? I mean, Boris seems to get pretty wound up and carried away and he's the bloody prime minister?

I really think we all need to consider carefully, when looking at the candidates, whether our concerns are genuine or the result of unconscious bias. And really be honest with ourselves about whether a complaint about a candidate is one we'd make about a man and/or whether it's genuine.

SummerPavillion · 14/01/2020 12:20

I'm comparing her against my choice, Starmer.

I'm not going to tell you stories but I've seen her with her guard down, relaxed, and I'm basing my opinion of her as leader/PM on that.

I'd love nothing more than a woman leader believe me. I actually doubt whether I really belong in the party sometimes - tremendous women such as Harriet Harman and Yvette Cooper keep me hanging in there.

SummerPavillion · 14/01/2020 12:22

She's done nothing at all controversial I'd just like to say!! Am thinking purely in terms of calm under pressure etc.

Obviously any labour MP would be preferable to that dickhead Boris.

Nonnymum · 14/01/2020 12:24

Probably Starmer. I listened to woman's hour this morning bemoaning that even though 4 women are standing it will probably be the lone man who gets in.I would love a female leader But you can't vote for someone just because they are female I think that is just as sexist as not voting for them because they are female.
I do like Jess Phillips but I just think Starmer has the edge. He is thoughtful, articulate and understands policy inside out.