If 200 of your own MPs and peers disagree with you.....

[Chil1234]

.... are you still in control? [[
www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-12754592 Labour AV rebellion]] If Milliband can't even convince those closest to him including 19 of his front bench, that a yes vote for AV is a good idea, should we regard him as a lame duck leader?

When I clicked on this thread I assumed it was going to be about the NHS reforms...

It is a hard one this.

Why vote for AV if it is a miserable compromise? Is it better for those who wan't proportional representation to vote for or against?

In the past AV might have benefited labour (although nobody knows for sure). Now the few remaining LD supporters will probably but the tories second - so labour might do better at the next election with FPTP.

And of course most labour supporters want to punish the lib dems for getting in the wrong bed.

I like to think I am above voting NO when I think YES is right just to punish Clegg. But if there is a real chance that a NO vote will break the coalition and rescue the country from a full term of destructive policies I have to vote NO.

As for Ed's leadership for all the media like to do him down he is doing what he needs to do. If there were an election tomorrow he would have an 87 seat majority. Over the years new labour turned a bug chunk of left leaning but not absolutely committed labour voters away with their initial support for tuition fees; the Iraq war and more. Ed has got rid of folk like Nick Brown and made a break with the mistakes - those voters are back with him now.