AIBU to think Keir Starmer as Leader could win the December election?

[saltandvinegararethebest]

Could he win it? He is very popular and a different character to Corbyn. I think he would appeal to a lot of the electorate who are left leaning but unkeen on JC.

Trouble is, it was Starmer who put the kibosh on pursuing grooming gangs in case he was called racist.

I think his record as DPP in general, particularly on rape and sexual abuse, is excellent. Things have slipped back since. I quite admire a politician who can hold his hand up to a failure and want to fix it.

I very much doubt it is a case of him personally deciding not to pursue South Asian grooming gangs (all of the detailed reports seemed to point much more locally to the reason for the failures) so much as him taking responsibility, as the DPP at the time, for the failure of the system.

he's very arrogant I think

Really? I think if he has a weakness he is perhaps a little too diffident and nuanced in his speech for today's shouty politics. Why does he seem arrogant?

Trust me on this we really really do want to win. Why is it considered ok for people to compromise their principles to win? JC will never do that.

Don't get stressed about it just vote for a partyore in line with your opinions.

JC stands for equality, a better standard of life for the poorest people in our community, embracing diversity and proper action on climate change. If these things don't get you geared up because the man standing for them has a grey beard and a history of campaigning for oppressed people's rights then just vote for Swinson.

@saltandvinegararethebest
The previous generation of Labour voters have lived through good times and I don't think many of those who are comfortable will vote to jeopardise that now they have tasted a good life

He only plans to raise taxes on incomes over £80k. How else will the average person living the "good life" be affected? Genuinely asking because it's interesting to hear

but don't see what the point of changing leader would be

Corbyn has failed on antisemitism, failed to unite the party, failed on messaging and is wildly unpopular with a good chunk of the public.

Some of the reasons for that are not his fault, some are- regardless, he needs to go.

Wonder if this chap has any more idea where the Midlands or the North are than JC?

@Sunshine93 I do support those things! I really do! I am just not sure that he can get to the position needed to bring about the policy change for those very specific things, on the political vehicle he has chosen to ride in on. It is that which ostracizes voters.

I think most people get that JC is totally principled and that is rare in politics, but no one believes he can win the election which leaves people with a huge dilemma. Depressing times.

Corbyn has failed on antisemitism, failed to unite the party, failed on messaging and is wildly unpopular with a good chunk of the public

I think they seemed pretty United to me in today's launch. I disagree on the anti semitism thing and think he's been smeared quite a lot. (See pic)

If starmer was as left wing he would be smeared in the same way because the media is run by right wing billionaires. If Starmer took a more centrist view a lot of us who are labour members would be walking away as I said above.

I agree some people aren't fans but many are.

I'm actually not at all centrist - I completely agree with most of JCs views, and like the fact he's principled. I just want the labour party to win the election, and I'm not convinced he will do it. the hard core labour party might love him, but they aren't enough to win the country.

(and I'm not impressed with his approach to brexit at all).

@Sunshine93 - I think they are centrists, the '97 generation of Labour voters who came of age at the time of change and feel they have earned the right to this lifestyle. At the same time, the hard left has identified' the structural incongruities that create poverty for one and advantage for another. How they can manifest a rebalancing of that without ending up in Robin Hood territory, I don't know as big business has been allowed to own much of that centre ground and will not surrender it easily.

I think you will find Corbyn has more support that you think. If we are wrong then obviously a new leader will most likely be chosen after the election

If??? Have you forgotten that he's already lost one election, against an even worse candidate than Johnson, who dangerously has all the charisma that Theresa May lacked. And it will be five years before we have the chance to vote again, by which time I dread to think what will have become of the NHS, workers rights, state benefits.

He's just a boring Blairite. Same old same old neoliberalism.

@BarbarAnna

This reminds me of a meme going around twitter at the moment which is something like

"I like Corbyn but I don't think he will win"
"Why not"
" Because he doesn't command enough support"
"So why don't you support him then"
" Because he can't win the election"
"Why not?
" Because he doesn't command support" ...

@Sunshine93

Why didn't Labour accept the European agreed terms on antisemitism straight away? why argue over that?

Do you think that he will win? Within a minute of putting this post up, there have been so many posters in agreement and they have all said the same thing - that it the direction Labour has gone in that puts them off. Are you gaining more from the hard left than you are losing from the centre?

We'd be reading "Labour Landslide!" headlines.

@Sunshine93 and I don't wish for you to feel under attack or as though you have to answer - I really am interested.

I disagree on the anti semitism thing and think he's been smeared quite a lot.

I mostly agree, but that is itself a failure. He has failed to convince people he takes it seriously, through an initial lack of action and an unwillingness or inability to build links with those not in his cadre.

I think they seemed pretty United to me in today's launch.

MPs have left, half the ones still in don't want him, he has public spats with his deputy. If Labour were united, against a Tory party which has been venal and shambolic for years, they'd be 20 points ahead in the poles.

I like most of his policies. I was very supportive initially. I want to vote Labour. His student-politics-like approach to building consensus and getting things done, his support for self-ID and his failure on anti-semitism make that hard.

Corbyn couldn't win against May (& he should have been sacked for that alone), Boris will be a far tougher ballgame - he's a campaigner of genius.

YANBU. He's very clever and likeable. I would vote for him but not for JC

A new labour after the election is a bit bloody late

Just came on to say where is Ed Miliband?

How did Momentum become such a dominant force in Labour?

Jess Phillips.

I think she would be fantastic. I could just see her going head to head with Boris Johnson at PMQs. In fact, Labour have some great female MPs.

@GrumpyMug2 yes

I hate both the hard left and hard right. I would rather have another tory government than JC being controlled by Momentum. We will not vote Labour whilst JC is at the helm. Either voting Lib Dem or Plaid Cymru.