To wonder if Ed Millibean could have done anymore damage to Labour if he had tried!

[Boardingblues]

First he stands against his brother and capitalises on mistaken identity
Then he reforms the voting rules and delivers the death blow.

Oh dear!

A strong message has been sent to Labour women in this election

I agree, boardingblues. And it's "Get back in the kitchen where you belong." Absolutely shocking for a supposedly progressive party.

I don't think voters were thick enough to not know the difference between Ed and David.

It's a fairer election system now, not liking the result doesn't change that (although I'm not sure about the supporters vote).

Its a great shame that now women are in powerful positions but in this instance they weren't strong enough. I did like some of the deputy leader candidates but because of the child abuse scandal Tom Watson always had my vote.

It wasn't mistaken identity, or even a stab in the back. That said, it was a bit similar as Mill Sr unwittingly acted as a pathfinder, blazing a trail. To put it another way, I don't think Ed would have been on the radar were it not for his internationally famous brother. People voted for Ed, thinking in some way they would get Dave too. Ed on his todd, I don't think he'd have got it.

That said, it's like Ed was a megastar compared to the Labour candidates this time round.

Don't really see how it is that women have got a bum deal on this personally, some people seem to be implying that a woman should get the job just cos she's a woman, and it's their turn. Liz Kendall? Never heard of her before, she's the Blairite version of Ed. Up for it, keen, but no proof she can actually deliver. For all that, Burnham only ever has this look on his face like he's been taken by surprise. Cooper? Again, aside from the refugee quote, I can't see how she has said anything distinctive.

If you were cynical you could say that Labour gets a load of cash from lots of new members, so boosting the coffers, then it can ditch Corbyn when they are nicely in the black!

I think that's rather harsh on Ed - I think he was okay but not committed enough to anything in particular.

mystified by the women remark.

The Ed Stone was definitely a disaster though. You couldn't make it up.

I doubt that the £3 paid will render much of a profit or continued revenues! Labour will now go off into the wilderness for the next 4 years at least. Trade Union confidence will be bolstered and the Tooting Popular Front will think their rime has come. Corbyn is probably a nice man, but he must know that his success will cause ructions within the party. That he has chosen to pursue his agenda regardless says a lot.

The 'woman' comment doesn't follow on from the previous post, perhaps I skim read and thought it suggested that a woman should get a look in cos it's their turn, Labour hasn't had a woman yet. While others in the media have said that, whitershadeofpale didn't.

I'm mystified by the women remark too. Two women stood in the leadership election and they lost because people didn't vote for them.

There's a decent representation of women in the shadow cabinet.

Ed was useless, though. I can't argue with that.

What voting rules would have resulted in a different outcome, then?

the Tooting Popular Front will think their time has come

But not before splitting into the Popular Front for Tooting, the Tooting Liberation Front, the Tooting Front (Maxist Leninist), the Tooting Socialist Party, the Tooting Communist Party...

The reason why the hard left are so impotent is that given the choice between fighting capitalism and fighting each other, they always, but always, choose the latter course. Whether you regard this as a good thing or a bad thing depends on your perspective.

well more people have joined Labour in the last week - so that £3 is translating into actual members

Not getting the women thing at all - 'appoints more women than any other leader = hates women???' unless you think areas like education and business are unimportant

Millibean. Making up puerile names is never the most effective way of making a point.

Making up puerile names is never the most effective way of making a point.

Similarly, you can be fairly confident that anyone who is amused by the coining "Bliar" is not a deep political thinker.

ED M had no charisma.... that's why they lost in the GE, but they are too loyal (or scared) to say so.

Ghosty
Not getting the women thing at all - 'appoints more women than any other leader = hates women???' unless you think areas like education and business are unimportant

There are more women attending cabinet than men - but fewer of them can vote ie influence cabinet's decisions. Corbyn's 'majority' of women has been achieved by billing a clutch of shadow ministers and others as full ranking members. But they won't have the same influence.

Smacks of a women should be 'seen but not heard' mentality.

Milliband losing the election had nothing to do with the majority of the press being right wing of course and resorting to personal attacks.