"I quit because of Labour brutality"

[IdaBWells]

Tom Watson resigned as Deputy Leader of the Labour Party in November during the lead up to the election, this was after Jon Lannsman tried to eliminate his position at the Party Conference with no previous discussion.

www.theguardian.com/politics/2019/dec/27/tom-watson-i-quit-because-of-labour-brutality

I do think Labour is forcing out centrists and refusing to be a "big church" party, leaving the center to be captured by the Tories. I also see a lot of macho posturing on the left that is alienating to women voters.

I am being unreasonable?

Opps sorry typos! 🤭

Nope, not being U.

Extremists of any shade are to be deplored. The first victim of political left or right is 'wrong' thinking. Party line...

do think Labour is forcing out centrists and refusing to be a "big church" part

Some would say it cuts both ways and the more centrist Labour members MP’s aren’t willing to co-operate with those further left (this doesn’t have to mean hard left). We need a strong opposition to this current govt so I hope that Labour can manage to work better as a broad church. Conservatives had their own internal party conflicts resulting in what I still think will be bad for the UK Brexit so I don’t want Labour’s internal conflicts to have such huge effects.

Labour and Lib Dem under our FPTB system probably need to find ways to co-operate with each other too. They haven’t managed so far though :(

I think a lot of it has to do with Momentum and the toxic attitude the core of the party has exuded under Corbyn, never mind the anti-semitism.

Do you think it has a male macho cast or no?

I think it cuts both ways. Both the left and the right/centrist part of the party have been dicks to each other, briefed against each other in the press, made accusations that MPs on the other side are traitors etc. I just hope the new leader manages to unify the party (and that they all grow up a bit).

I wonder if all these whining centrist/Blairite MPs will ever look inwards and admit that the primary factor in Labour failing to gain ground in the election was the constant display of internal bickering and dissent.

Blairism (and neoliberalism in general) failed the working classes and the 'hard left' (aka anyone left of the Lib Dems) took the party back. Any MP who didn't get in line with the new agenda, at least in public, should have been quickly and quietly replaced.

Most of Labour's policies would have been mainstream left back in the 60s, and would probably be considered standard social democratic left in much of Europe.

I think the whole spectrum of politics in the UK has moved to the right over the last 40 years or so. This Tory government is more right-wing than Thatcher's was, and she was considered very right wing at the time.

I am from very traditional Labour background and I have to say the party has not been successfully communicating with my extended family. They have been moving to the right.

Yes, I think society has changed a lot, ideas that would once have been considered sensible and fair are now treated as shockingly radical.

People have lost sight of fairness in society, they seem to have just accepted deprivation and inequality.

And Tom Watson is a terrible example, he was always trying to put the boot into Corbyn and undermine him.

Have you seen Corbyn talking about being the resistance? Disgraceful. This I why the left is the way it is right now

Was talking to a friend yesterday - he'd been out canvassing for Labour, but he was told that he needed to recruit for momentum.

The problem is that the centrist don't want to admit they are center right economically, generally pro neolib with being pro EU.

They are so wrapped up in being anti-tory that they ignore their own political compass.

It's part of the reason labour lost the heartlands, it's a combination of being pro IDPOL, pretending your not center right economically, the centre left need to grow up in the political discourse of just being anyone but Tory because they have loose ties to some northern heartlands because of Thatcher.

You have 5 years to sort it out

*Yes, I think society has changed a lot, ideas that would once have been considered sensible and fair are now treated as shockingly radical.

People have lost sight of fairness in society, they seem to have just accepted deprivation and inequality.*

I suppose most people under about 40 can't really remember Labour pre-Blair, and may mistake New Labour for true Labour.

Harold Wilson (and John Smith) are probably turning in their graves at hearing the last Labour manifesto described as hard left. I think we'd be living in quite a different country if John Smith hadn't died so suddenly.

And Tom Watson is a terrible example, he was always trying to put the boot into Corbyn and undermine him.

Yes, he comes across a bit "the big boys are bullying me" when he's never been shy of a bit of rough and tumble himself.

He's getting out of politics, I don't see why he needs to try and stir shit now. Anyone would think he'd just had a book published and wanted some publicity.

This is interesting. I agree with most actual comments, along the lines of Labour not being hard left and the centrists needing to cooperate with actual socialists. The vote is massively the other way though. Does this mean that those agreeing with the OP can’t actually explain why?
@Newmetoday why is it disgraceful for the opposition to talk about resistance? It’s their job to resist the government...

I loved John Smith. I was out of the country when he died and was shocked to find Blair had become leader as up to then I had only seen him do BBC soundbites and thought he was very squeaky and nasally and unappealing. When I found he lead New Labour to victory I was very surprised. But I guess that was one of the turning points of Labour leaders no longer being working class and coming up through the unions, with lots of hard work and needing to convince ordinary workers of your ideas and leadership qualities. Instead, politicians became a unique class that were on a treadmill from Oxford straight into various consulting roles, and then the Commons, with very little work experience or understanding of the country outside the M25. Although they won three elections that really seemed to be the point where the constituency which had created and built the Labour Party - the white working class - were no longer celebrated by Labour but began to be mocked and derided.

The left have before taken over the party and what happened consecutive Tory majorities

The left have always been militant ffs calling each other comrade (yes thats how Corbyn addressed me in emails when I was a party member) like they are fighting a revolution that no one else is.

Why should all MP’s pull together when the leadership has acted so disgracefully in regard to the anti semitism within the core of the party that has lead to long serving labour MP’s leaving. Of course they were biding their time until the left are back on the back benches planning their next revolution.

Labour unfortunately will have another few years in the wilderness while the left of the party and Momentum are in control. Rebecca Long Bailey is likely to be the next leader Corbyn and Co’s pick need I say more ?

Extremes in either party are a terrible thing. Both need to learn from each other and have a simbiotic relationship. That way we will get social change and economic growth

All governments need a balancing (not challenging) opposition. We need to get away from out current division and tribalism and start pulling together. Society as well as politics

Tom Watson quit because he knew he was going to lose his seat. Labour is a broad church and we will be ok.

The left of the party have no interest in pulling together - they never have look at how they have tired to push out centrist MP’s and read up on how Keir Starmer was left on the sidelines during the election campaign

We never had any of this nonsense under Blair and Brown the left kicked up a fuss occasionally voted against their own government often and complained about Labour being Tory lite (yet thankfully were in power)

In an ideal world yes this would be best but that not how things play out in the Labour Party and recent leadership has done nothing to change that it is what it is and Labour will once again have a weak leadership

OP as it currently stands I think you are correct. There is a broad church of sorts in the parliamentary party but that will dwindle if the party as a whole continues in the same direction as it appears to be going in.

Momentum need to branch off and take the far left militants with them, I'm not sure they will even keep the union support until they go.