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The Labour Party are unelectable. Can they turn it around? What would they need to do to gain your trust?

528 replies

flashbac · 06/11/2021 10:38

After another week of corrupt shenanigans from the Tories (last week was allowing literal shit pumping into watercourses, this week attempting to set aside a finding of dodgy dealings) we would still be stuck with them if there was a snap election tomorrow.

The Labour brand has become far too toxic. Keir is next to useless and all of them listen to the wrong people instead of instinctively knowing what to fight for. If they can turn it around and rebuild trust it won't be a quick or easy job. They have lost all credibility.

What do they need to do to rebuild trust or is it too late?

For me they need to start with the following:

  • Get a leader with charisma and strong values surrounding fairness. The current one just doesn't cut it.
  • know wtf a woman is. Stop trying to erase natal women as a sex class.

What's on your wishlist for a credible alternative to the Tories?

OP posts:
Elephantsparade · 06/11/2021 11:54

I think labour dont want to be in power thoug. They want to be right in their own view of a moral framework.

Biker47 · 06/11/2021 11:54

Tone down the "Comrade" shit at their party conference, it's laughable when that highlights video of them all saying it pops up every year, it makes them look like the "right-on" 1st year university students sitting in the students union all frothing about "Eating the rich" while their investment banker parents are paying for all their uni fee's and living costs.

And in the same vein, seriously tone down the Palestinian shite at the conference as well, by and large I'd say majority of the people who vote to get them whatever measly seats they end up with don't give a shiny shit about some state 3000 miles away in the Middle East, I bet Bob working in a heavy industry in Barrow-in-Furness cares more about his rising energy bills and how he's going to afford one of these new heat source pumps than he does about Israel bulldozing a few more houses on the West Bank. I've been in a few working mens clubs where I live, I don't think I've heard the words "I'm really worried about what's going on in the Gaza Strip..." uttered before.

Maireas · 06/11/2021 11:55

Starmer is fine, he does lack charisma though and unfortunately with sm and soundbites it's gone against him a bit.
Labour need to be far more vocal on women's rights and get working class white people behind them again. They need to demonstrate that they're not the privileged talking shop of the middle class left, and rebuild that red wall.

Konstantine8364 · 06/11/2021 11:56

You need someone who can be popular with the traditional working class labour voters (who have turned away from labour in droves) that can still hold the big city, middle class left wing voters.

Your typical builder from a poor northern town isn't going to vote for Corbyn or Starmer. This is not my personal view, but there seems to be a feeling amongst non-professional working people that labour give too much away to immigrants and the unemployed and are useless with money. They need to transform this perception.

I think you need someone like Andy Burnham, he did a good job during the pandemic of standing up for Manchester and seems like a normal bloke who could appeal to a fairly wide range of people. I also think he could get the press onside. As much as I'd like it to be a woman, I don't think there are any good candidates within Labour at the moment.

Narutocrazyfox · 06/11/2021 11:56

There's too much wrong now, there's no coming back.

I've emailed my Labour MP many times with genuine suggestions for improvement and each time have received a condescending response, mostly just attacking the tories and not taking responsibility for anything. I've given up now.

The petty infighting and pathetic pandering to 'gender politics' is the absolute nail in the coffin. Not to mention people who should have been sacked years ago like the horrendous Jess Phillips, that awful Diane Abbott and many others.

Labour are a complete joke. There's no coming back without sacking the lot and starting again!

Maireas · 06/11/2021 11:56

@Biker47 - excellent points about Barrow in Furness and the Palestinians.

LondonTan · 06/11/2021 11:57

Agree with @PermanentTemporary. I really like Keir.

I think the biggest problem is the constant assertion that 'Labour are unelectable'... Especially odd coming from people who purport to not like the tories. It was the same shtick re-Corbyn being 'unelectable'. It literally makes no sense to me as, as far as I can tell, we have essentially two options and one of them is the cunts we currently have! I'm very happy to accept the electability of labour and give them a try.

(and I consider myself to be a GC feminist too...).

Maireas · 06/11/2021 11:59

Also, I have a Labour MP who doesn't reply to my emails, I just get a generic reply about how busy they are because of the pandemic.
The tragic case of David Amess actually enlightened me about how hard some MPs work.

CounsellorTroi · 06/11/2021 12:00

I think the biggest problem is the constant assertion that 'Labour are unelectable'... Especially odd coming from people who purport to not like the tories. It was the same shtick re-Corbyn being 'unelectable'. It literally makes no sense to me as, as far as I can tell, we have essentially two options and one of them is the cunts we currently have! I'm very happy to accept the electability of labour and give them a try.

This. Labour are more electable than the Tories are re-electable. How anyone could think otherwise is beyond me.

Overdon · 06/11/2021 12:00

Rachel Reeves Leader, Andy Burnham Deputy.

I think Rachel is engaging and intelligent, Andy a successful mayor, both are relatable figures.

Theluggage15 · 06/11/2021 12:00

Starmer is the leader of the Labour Party but seems to have no idea how to lead and no real authority. He appears not to have any actual principles, (nor does Johnson but he sells himself well) just jumps on bandwagons and is terminally boring. As was pointed out in a tweet this morning, every time he self isolates, Labour go up in in the polls!

Too much infighting in the Labour Party, they need a new leader and to move more to the centre.

StrychnineInTheSandwiches · 06/11/2021 12:00

that awful Diane Abbott

So many people obsessed with Diane Abbott. She's been voted in to parliament in every election since 1987, so her constituents clearly like her.

BackBackBack · 06/11/2021 12:01

Stop patronising the average person on the street in the working class towns they claim to want to represent but spend all of their time avoiding. Come and actually talk to us, and listen to what we have to say, rather than sitting in London and sneering at the provinces for being out of touch because your Oxbridge degree/private education/London-centric life means that you know what's best for the proles.

The majority want people to be treated fairly but don't want men in women's sports.

Twitter is a disproportionately loud echo-chamber that is made up of a tiny number of people, who by and large do not represent the views of the average person on the high street. Stop running scared of what's on social media and stop giving it so much head-room.

The NHS needs to work for its patients, treat its staff like human beings, and not be privatised by stealth. Public sector key workers - NHS staff, fire fighters, dentists, bin collectors, cleaners, drivers and so on, need to be properly recognised as valued and valuable occupations.

University degrees shouldn't cost the earth, but at the same time shouldn't be peddled as the only route to work. Vocations and apprenticeships need to be equally valid and valued.

Trickle down economics is a con and does not work. The taxation system needs to be completely overhauled and applied proportionately and fairly. People should be encouraged into work, but the social safety net needs to work humanely and sensitively for people who cannot work - whether that's temporarily or permanently.

The effect and impact of large corporations needs to be recognised. It should not be allowed that a low wage is propped up by the tax-payer when a multi-national is raking in billions. Likewise the ability of private equity firms to come in and asset-strip firms, loading them down with debt and then passing the buck to the taxpayer when the pension scheme collapses, should be outlawed.

Certain key functions should be under national control, so that they are non-profit making because the rewards are driven back into the function, ensuring it runs efficiently and pays staff properly. Energy, water, the NHS, public transport and education should all come under this remit.

Private schooling should have its charitable status abolished and they should also be subject to the national curriculum - which should be set by a board of nominated teaching staff on a fixed tenure basis. Private enterprise should not be allowed to profit from a child's education - or as is so commonly the case, creaming off NT children and leaving the 'difficult' ones to be off-rolled.

That's off the top of my head. I believe in a meritocracy, but with safeguards and controls. The Labour Party needs to stop trying to make everyone happy and go back and remember who is the base - and it's not the people kicking off on Twitter, waving flags and shouting loudest. It's the quiet people in the industrial towns and cities who feel completely abandoned, and who express their frustration at the ballot box. Brexit being a perfect case in point.

Maireas · 06/11/2021 12:01

@Overdon

Rachel Reeves Leader, Andy Burnham Deputy.

I think Rachel is engaging and intelligent, Andy a successful mayor, both are relatable figures.

I agree, I'm always impressed with what Rachel Reeves says/writes.
saleorbouy · 06/11/2021 12:02

The Labour Party will only be elected when they show first that they are an effective opposition. This won't happen until those within the party actually work out what the party stands for and which direction they will collectively pull together. The party suffers from not actually having many MP's being representative of the electorate that they purport to stand for. Many don't know what a manual low paid job is never mind having work in one,
Since Tony Blair changed to direction of the party to claim the middle income conservative vote the party has been left following it's own tail like a lost dog with a variety of poorly picked leaders at the head.
The party should forget about winning an election a go one of two ways, ditch the union influence and therefore appeal to the middle England voter or turn to its roots and represent those in labour jobs and be dictated the agenda by the unions.
I find it hard to respect the party and the multi millonaire, Blairs, Millibands, Corbyn, and Khans who are so out of touch with the reality of daily life and making ends meet.
Labour lost my vote when they introduced tuition fees and made Uni education a costly debit for many youngsters.

Walkingwounded · 06/11/2021 12:03

Keep on with the work to shift to the. Centre left - with a clearly articulated position they’ll gain more votes than they lose.

Clear policy statements, not just objections.

Better quality ministers with charisma. Bring some of the heavyweight experience back.

Keir more visible and articulating sensible statements with honesty and integrity.

Then I can vote for them again.

MrsWooster · 06/11/2021 12:03

Solid investment plans for NHS and education.
Solid, simple social security, be that a living UC or UBI.
Solid equality rights, securing the separate rights of all groups with simple, clear legislation to make it workable.

balonsz · 06/11/2021 12:05

I think the biggest problem is the constant assertion that 'Labour are unelectable'... Especially odd coming from people who purport to not like the tories. It was the same shtick re-Corbyn being 'unelectable'. It literally makes no sense to me as, as far as I can tell, we have essentially two options and one of them is the cunts we currently have! I'm very happy to accept the electability of labour and give them a try.

Look at what the Tories are doing & people will still vote for them. It's perception & about people voting for things that they perceive will benefit them. Look at how many switched their vote just because of Brexit.

EmpressaurusWitchDoesntBurn · 06/11/2021 12:08

Keir doesn’t have enough integrity to publicly support Rosie Duffield. Unless I’ve missed something recently.

I wouldn’t vote Labour unless I could trust that they’d ditch the idea of self-ID & support women’s single sex spaces (especially in prisons & DV shelters) And I can’t.

TreaslakeandBack · 06/11/2021 12:08

My DH used to work with Rachel Reeves and isn’t impressed by her at all!
I have to say my newly elected Tory MP is very present within the constituency and seems to be working hard. He votes according to the party line though. If I were voting for the person, not the party I would vote for him purely because he seems to be working for his constituency.

FourTeaFallOut · 06/11/2021 12:09

They would have to abandon the identity politics and not show utter contempt for their former voters. They would have to operate as a grown up party and jettison the Momentum rhetoric.

notimagain · 06/11/2021 12:11

@LondonTan

I think the biggest problem is the constant assertion that 'Labour are unelectable'... Especially odd coming from people who purport to not like the tories.

You’re not the only one that find’s it strange, especially in the light of events of the last week..

OhWhyNot · 06/11/2021 12:11

Labour are unelectable when they move too far to the left

These has happened before

They need to be more centre to be electable but many don’t want to be as they are too tied up in ideology. You work with what you have not what the desired out come is (for us to be a more left leaning country we are not)

doublemonkey · 06/11/2021 12:11

I can't imagine myself ever voting for them again actually.

First Corbyn and now the woke facism and misogyny. I don't think they're interested in being in Government. If they were they might actually listen to their voters and former voters.

OhWhyNot · 06/11/2021 12:13

This weeks news will mean nothing come the election if anything will be used to show the Tories listened to public opinion