"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?

That would be ideal Harpingon

I agree with this The left of the party have no interest in pulling together I'm a moderate and there was a massive sense of ok all these new people have joined (due to Corbyn), let's try to get them engaged with meetings/canvassing/running events etc and we got a massive "F you, we're doing it our way (and if you don't like it you're an evil Blairite)".

The party I knew and loved was changed, I'd say infiltrated actually. So don't blame those of us who were there before - compromise wasn't possible.

@Justanotherlurker has nailed it for me.

If the more centre left have to toe the line of Corbyn /Momentum then they’ll always be in opposition. The electorate don’t want to vote for what they are proposing.

Haven’t read the article

I’m with Alan Johnson:

"I want them out of the party. I want Momentum gone. Go back to your student politics”

When will Labour learn? Their politics and policies are unwanted. If they carry on like this they will be in the wilderness for 10-15 years. They got a real kicking in the latest election and without the Brexit party the majority would have been more.

If they stupidly appoint RLB they are finished.

Alan Johnson was brilliant with that twat from Momentum who just sat there bleating that they won Putney and of course there is the next election (in 5 years!!)

It's a party of two very separate halves - the side I'm on couldn't agree more with you sunglasses123 but we're now in the minority so can't change much, with the 1 member 1 vote system for choosing the leader.

I was brought up in a family that was Labour through and through. Have changed massively and whilst Boris is by no means ideal the alternative was unthinkable. Every country should have a credible opposition to keep everyone on their toes. For some issues there should be cross party groups, social care, negotiating Brexit etc but with Corbyn et al in place - well up the revolution and stuff the country.

It is such a wasted opportunity at a very important time.

I always wonder why Labour in particular don’t employ a couple of right wing people to come and attend some meetings and HONESTLY give their opinion on what is being proposed. If they really want a shot at being in government then surely you want to run your ideas by people before they are launched to the public?

Thinking of the EDSTONE last election but one. Meaningless words that made Milliband look a bit of a twit. Were Labour in a massive echo chamber where they couldn’t see the wood for the trees or was it something else?

Maybe Labour just didn’t want to win?

I'm a member of the Labour party. The discussions on our branch page since Friday the 13th have been toxic. The left are like a basket full of vipers. Any criticism of Corbyn is rounded upon. I'm sticking around to vote for Starmer but if we get Corbyn 2 I'm off. They will get punished in the locals and the next GE. They will eventually get bored and go back to their bunkers.

quite agree with the earlier comment that Tom Watson quit because he knew he wouldnt win his constituency

"I always wonder why Labour in particular don’t employ a couple of right wing people to come and attend some meetings and HONESTLY give their opinion on what is being proposed."

I am a floating voter so I trudged round the hustings to listen to each candidate. At the Conservative one I was surprised to see some people who I was fairly sure were Labour and LibDem, so I wandered up to them to see if I was right and why they were there. I was and they had been invited by the Tories to come and give their views. They were listened to politely although there were some murmurs of dissent among the Tories.

But what a contrast: the Tories (in my constituency, at least, and I've no reason to think it was their idea and not shared) canvassed the views of the people who they didn't expect to vote for them. Meanwhile on various media, I keep hearing the views of committed Labour voters, who will never vote otherwise, about how the party should ignore dissenting voices.

Does the last election result suggest which is the more successful strategy to win and thus run the country?

Yes and the reluctance (among the majority of members, not all!) to realise that is precisely what will hold Labour back from ever winning again. Could be 5 years could be 15...

TW on breakfast telly this am , what a twat

Well it now looks as though Keir Starmer is the favourite to become the next labour leader

I hope so and would vote for him should he put himself forward but I still think Momentum have too much of a hold on the party and they certainly won’t back him

If he gets it I’ll be really pleased. Finally not feel Labour is in the wilderness so much. Will see what he does but the potential is there.

I couldn’t believe the rudeness and insanity of telling anyone who disagreed with the far left to f*ck off and join the Tories! So they did. Don’t they understand our system, and that you must have policies that attractive enough floating voters/independents/centerists to win elections? If the Tories DO decide to protect and build up the NHS plus attract jobs and investment (including new infrastructure) to the North of England, Labour could be screwed.

However, now the Tories are the party of Brexit and that is likely to bring all kinds of nightmares in the next 5 years.

I have lived outside the UK for 25 years and it does seem that people are voting strongly on cultural issues. I know I am personally stunned to find saying “Women give birth” and “men have penises” is controversial for some on the Left, and some even claim these statements are not true. That’s scary, I can’t vote for anyone spouting that kind of insanity.

Agreeing to the last election was obviously a huge mistake. The Tories were able to communicate one clear message of what they were going to deliver to "Get Brexit Done" while both Labour and the LibDems were unable to clarify a simple message of what they were running on and what they stood for. Voters were very confused as whether Labour was pro or anti Brexit for example. Labour are still split and sending a very confused message of their priorities. People want an alternative to the Tories but the opposition, who should have been able to attack the Tories for the austerity of the past 10 years could not formulate a clear decision of what they stood for.