Why is everyone in the public crazy about Jesus Corbyn/Corbyn Wan Kenobi?

[BeckerLleytonNever]

I mean, WTF? He has disciples (as one journalist observed).

Ive totally gone off Alec Guiness now as all JC -(even the initials!!!!) needs is a long brown cloak with a hood like a bloody Jedi master.

And hell be walking on water next!

What is it about him that has thousands signing up for Labour membership?

I WAS a Labour member but because of him Ive left .

genuine question, what influence is he having, to make him followed like a deity?

Am i missing something? What makes Owen Smith sooooo more electable, especially given that most people havent even bloody heard of him.

There are whole degree courses that explain the 'science' behind politics. Parties spend millions on strategy and image.

Thing is, JC flies in the face of all that. He's open about it. He wants to do politics differently. He wants to change things. Shake things up.

It's a gamble whether it will work or not. And He's gambling with the future of the Labour Party. That's fine, if the Labour Party are supportive. But some members aren't. Hence the current in-fighting.

JCs grand plan might work, against all theory and expectation. But if it doesn't, then it can't just be reversed overnight. It takes years for a prospective MP to be ready to stand. People are being prepared now for standing in 2025.

So if JCs plan doesn't work, labour will never be the same again. And many members are concerned about that risk.

I think my issue with Corbyn supporters is that they seem blind to any faults, so many of them will not admit to being anything less in perfect none express concern about any of his activities. When has this ever happened before?

And many members are concerned about that risk. But not the majority, otherwise Corbyn wouldnt have got the vote he did. And if you are going to overrule the wishes of the majority vote then your pretty much pissing in the face of democracy, and may as well do away with leadership votes altogether. Which is fine if you are upfront with that. Just say we dont trust the labour membership to vote for who we think is the best leader so we (? whoever those elite beings are) are going to choose without a vote. But to have a vote and then claim that the majority voted for the 'wrong' leader is well, just unbelievable. its disgusting. And does far far far more damage to the Labour party than Corbyn ever could.

lucked I think that's a feature of the "doing politics differently" approach.

Making mistakes and having faults is in itself part of his appeal to those who have lost faith in the way politics has always been done. It's a positive that he's not a 'very good' politician.
The whole framework for 'what makes a good political leader' has been rejected by JC and his supporters.

But to have a vote and then claim that the majority voted for the 'wrong' leader is well, just unbelievable

No one is saying that. What many people who voted for JC are saying is that now they've seen him in action, they think they made a mistake. And those that voted against him are still against him.

Democracy allows the party to vote for a leader again - and that is what is happening.

Andrea Leadsom could well have won a vote of Conservative Party members BUT she would have been a gaffe prone right-wing candidate and off-putting to enougj of the electorate. She agreed to pull out. I don't think we are less democratic as a nation because of that.

No one is saying it (because its distasteful) but thats what is happening. And the efforts being put in to circumvent potential Corbyn voters voting in the leadership vote is astounding. (and cements my belief that im probable never going to return to labour). And may i ask if he is voted in again, then will anti Corbynists accept that he is the democratically chosen? Or will they try and oust him again? How many times are leaderships allowed to be challenged? Until all potential Corbyn voters have been denied the right to vote the right (pahahahaha) leader is chosen?

How many times are leaderships allowed to be challenged?

That's a decision for the party. So far, a democratic and legal process has been followed. The rules were changed to allow JC to be elected - but they need to be changed again in order to prevent repeated challenges.

If a democratically elected Leader is unable to secure the support of a significant minority of the Party then it's inevitable that the minority will continue to use the tools at their disposal to try and change things.

wibblewobble8 Corbyn thinks there should be a leadership election yearly

If he has another unproductive year as leader of the opposition (and what has he done in the last year) his support may not be quite what it is now

I think my issue with Corbyn supporters is that they seem blind to any faults I think it's defensiveness tbh, I find myself defending him all the time so it probably comes across as if I think he's perfect. He's obviously not! But there's so much viciousness directed at him (including from Labour MPs I used to really like!!) that I find I'm constantly banging on about how great he is.

there's so much viciousness directed at him (including from Labour MPs I used to really like!!) that I find I'm constantly banging on about how great he is

If you pick a controversial figure as leader, one who secures the respect of only a small majority, and one who chooses not to compromise in order to secure wider support, then it's inevitable that the many voices of those who disagree will be heard. There are so many of them!

JC is single minded but is only taking a small majority with him. Compromising would gain him greater support and the clamour of voices against him would be quieter, if not silenced.

Since Blair, the party has been only marginally to the left of the Conservatives. Many Labour voters want something more robustly left-wing. His politics aren't entirely to my taste - I'm socially liberal and slightly right of centre - but I can completely understand why he's respected.

Now more infighting Corbyn denying the far left are infiltrating the party and Tom Watson is talking nonsense

Anything is nonsense if he doesn't agree with it

let's leave Jeremy to get in with it and start a new party

I don't think the far left are infiltrating the party. I think the moderate left who are sick of Labour being Tory-lite are rejoining (or joining for the first time in the case of young people) because they genuinely believe JC is the right person to protect the NHS, fight for workers' rights etc. But yes, as much as the thought of a split terrifies me, it is starting to look like it might happen. What would be more productive is if we all got behind the existing leader and supported him rather than making him 'unelectable'. The Labour Party has done as much damage to his chances as the right-wing media which is just unbelievable to me. Regardless of how this ends I'm not sure Labour will ever recover. And no, this isn't me saying JC is perfect or will definitely win the next general election - he probably won't now, but there aren't any better options in the Labour Party right now. The whole thing is desperately sad because it means we have no opposition at a time when we need it the most. It makes me realise how incredibly new Labour is really, and that it could disappear again in the blink of an eye

what would be more productive is if we all got behind the existing leader

But you could have said the same thing about the moderate-left getting behind a Tory-lite leader a few years ago!
Instead of leaving the party - which you say they did - they could have got behind their leader and won another election.

The differences within Labour appear to be too great for it to unite anywhere left of centre.

If you pick a controversial figure as leader, one who secures the respect of only a small majority,

A small majority? As opposed to a large minority? I mean come one!

Do you know what the definition of 'majority' is? Perhaps you need to do some research!

No MP wants to risk not being elected at the next GE , and it's all very well saying that the PLP needs to get behind the leader , but by all accounts he is impossible to work with.He has no leadership experience , he is unable to master his brief and so retreats into the same cliche arguments that he has been using for most of his life , he is allowing himself to be manipulated by Momentem to suit their needs because either he doesn't know how to impose his authority or he is blind to it .He wants to be the leader of a movement not a political party , they are two different things .

He reminds me of a small child suddenly put in charge of a business , it is simply beyond him .You can't force people to work with someone who they don't respect and having worked for an incompetent boss I can tell you it's very hard .

doreen I'm sorry, I don't understand?

JC does not have universal support. He has majority support, but there is a large, loud, vocal minority group who disagree.

If he was able to secure their support, or a leader was chosen who could secure universal support within the party (like the Torys appear have successfully done), then there wouldn't be the disagreements, splits and attempts to undermine him.

Time, Theresa May does not have universal support within the Tory party. However the Tories understand the damage infighting can do (they just need to look across the bench to Labour) so keep their grievances under cover. The Tories really understand the importance of a united front (even if it is appearance only).

there is a large, loud, vocal minority group who disagree and it is this group who are damaging the Labour party. If JC doesnt work out, its repairable, what the small minority are doing, well not so much so.

Corbyn has made himself unelectable not labour MP's who have no confidence in him

Can you name anything significant he has done regards to being the leader of the opposition in the last year ? Apart from attend rallies. Interesting article in The Guardian written by Jess Phillips and Emma Rees (senior member of Momentum)

This has been going on for a few months now. How can it have got to the point where mp's are being threatened because they don't support Corbyn and having to call in the police for their own protection and Momentum are making their presence very clear in a threatening way, attacking MP's to the point they are in tears in front of you and you do nothing not taking much of a stand (if any) against your own mp's being threatened how can anyone defend his non actions

And you think it's the right thing for the party to get behind this man

I don't like Corbyn either, I've been voting labour the last few years and initially liked Corbyn because I like some of his ideas.

The problem is he has no concept of compromise. He won't negotiate, he won't listen to the other sides point of view, he is deeply half hearted even when he recognises he does need to compromise.

That's crappy from a leader. It's not good enough. A leader has to respect and represent everyone, not just the people who agree with every word you say.

If he stays as leader I'll vote lib dem next time.

wibble is it really possible that a small minority would be capable of doing such severe damage, all within the rules that have been agreed?

If annual leadership challenges are so damaging, why do the party rules allow them? If court challenges are destructive, then why were the rules so ambiguous to make a court challenge necessary?

And yes, I agree that the Torys understand the need for a united front. But equally, if enough members of the Tory party felt so strongly about a leader that they couldn't unite behind them, then surely the same thing would happen as is happening in the Labour Party? Where the Torys appear to differ is that if a leadership candidate appears to be controversial, they stand down, even if they are popular and have a chance of winning, rather than continue on, regardless.

No, dont believe for a second Tories would self destruct the way Labour has. Tories would like it and lump it publicly no matter how they felt about their leader. Privately, will I can imagine there would be lot of backstabbing, conniving etc within the Tory party. And maybe their leader would have to step down. But the public wouldnt ever know the nitty gritty shitty details. Not like the embarrassing shit storm that Labour has evolved into. And yh I do think that small minorities can cause all that damage. Especially with the help of a Tory lead msm who revel in the mess that Labour has become.

conveniently buried by msm This shows that of those who intend to vote Labour 54% dont want JC to resign.