OK- fellow Labour Party members...

[BertrandRussell]

.....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?

It's Keir not Kier

I had my membership card last week. This is why I joined!

I am currently favouring KS. I hope we can move beyond factionalism.

yeah, well. Being told not to take threats of physical violence personally can piss a person off......

She boasted about telling Diane Abbott to fuck off...only she didn't and had to apologise. She constantly undermined the leadership with her smirky and snarky comments, sucking up to the rightwing press. Whether you like Corbyn or not she was outrageously disloyal. Seems to be lacking in knowledge, understanding, grace and insight, not to mention self awareness. Her straight talking/gobby persona is a fig leaf for being aggressive and frankly a bit of a bully. She has threatened to quit several times but thinks she would be such a loss she's giving the party another chance. She likes Jacob Rees-Mogg. Oh and this gem...‘Oh, my gosh, Jess Phillips!’ A woman cried at the sight of me the other day at the train station, as if I was Take That or the Beatles or something and that is a bonkers moment.”
The Beatles FFS.

Sorry for spelling it wrong😂

Sucking up to the rightwing press is absolutely critical if we're ever going to win another general election, I believe. Not a pleasant thought, but I sadly bet I'm right.

Did l read it in here that KS was the inspiration for her boyfriend in The Diary if Bridget Jones. (Can’t remember his name!)

“ Jess Phillips reminds me of Tony Blair in many ways.”

I wish.

Metro. I think JP was speaking metaphorically...

I’d like to vote for Jess Phillips. She’s my neighbouring MP and does amazing work. I like most of what she says (and nobody can agree with everyone on everything). That said, she’s also part of what is know as the Kings Heath mafia so on a totally personal level I know a lot of people who dislike her and her shouty mates.

I’ll probably go for Keir, with Raynor as deputy. I would have liked to be able to vote for Phillips for deputy but I don’t think that’s possible now. Keir would make a great unifying leader and Jess would give the whole thing some bite.

I think it's probably swing voters who need to help the party with the next leader. They are the more balanced politically, see all sides and will swing it for next elections not the hard core people.

Most of the names mentioned like long bally, Thorneberry, starmer are the reasons labour will be out of power for a very long time. They are part of the left behinds. The ship has sailed and they are all old hat now left on the shores of total irrelevance.

Same with all the irrelevant excuses for failure like the right wing press.
My goodness even iran can't suppress the truth anymore with social media

Is the jess the one who said not only would she stab lameness but in the front?

I guess that can be swept under the carpet though because she's obviously a heart of utter gold labourista

Can you please tell us more about the Kings Heath mafia SellFridges ? I'm intrigued.

Any group of people can be characterised as a “mafia” or a “clique” or a “set”. It’s a standard tactic to depersonalise, dismiss or “other”.

RLB and Burgeon for me. Starmer would take us back to New Labour. I am not choosing a leader based on who the establishment think is best.

I think what we've got to remember is that elections are popularity contests (like it or not, and I don't particularly). We need to look at the electorate and give them an option that's more appealing than the alternative.

What Labour does once in power is another matter.

It wouldn't be misleading though because voters can look at the general gist of previous Labour governments and see what's likely to happen, versus what they get under the Tories.

Starmer. I've stuck with the Labour party through all the recent shit to get a chance to vote for him. I honestly think he's the only chance we have for a Labour government.

Phillips is fantastic, but I just don't think middle England will vote for her. I want her to have a senior Cabinet position and to make mincemeat of the Tories in PMQs.

Lisa Nandy.

Surprised there aren't more people on here focusing on her. She apparently stood head and shoulders above the other candidates at the recent leadership hustings in parliament, and she is doing a brilliant job answering questions on the Andrew Neil Show right now. (Andrew Neil being the interviewer our current PM was too frit to face before the last election.)

RLB and Burgeon for me Not if Labour want to win elections

He understands the details of Brexit and as an ex barrister, is presumably experienced in taking other people's arguments apart forensically. I think having someone like that at the dispatch box is going to be very helpful as the conservatives attempt to negotiate a non-disastrous trade agreement.

This is why I'm voting Starmer.

whatsupnow I misread your post & thought Lisa Nandy was on the Andrew Marr show. I've just watched segments from a couple of weeks ago of Jess Phillips & Keir Starmer. She strikes me as fairly upfront for a politician & it was obvious where she was hesitating & not committing herself to any specific policies but it seemed to be done in an honest sort of way. Starmer, OTOH, seems like just another politician - not someone who makes me sit up & listen with any expectation of hearing anything radical/new. It probably doesn't help that he reminds me of my local Tory MP who gives me the creeps!

I need to analyse their policies/voting records more before I commit myself but I do think the way they come across is important & I'm just not convinced that we need another bog standard politician type.

Like most people on here, I really wanted a female leader, but I do feel it has to be Keir Starmer. Interesting how few on this thread want Rebecca LB to win. A friend of mine who is very involved in politics is convinced she will get it.

So The Guardian are reporting a poll putting RLB in the lead, possibly because Momentum seemed to have decided she is the chosen one. Comments underneath the article and on here suggest Labour is absolutely screwed if they vote her in.

That is exactly what my friend said - Momentum will call the shots.