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When will David Milliband swoop in and save the party?

29 replies

Janet80 · 25/02/2017 08:13

I'm a long time Labour voter but I cannot stand behind Corbyn! I don't know what it is but he doesn't inspire me, he's like a wet lettuce!
I keep wondering how different the party may have been if David Milliband had been put forward for party leader instead of his brother Ed. I know he's not going to swoop in but I can dream!
So, what does Corbyn actually bring to the party? Give me a reason to stick with labour!

OP posts:
BeachysSnowyWellieBoots · 25/02/2017 08:47

Looks like he had an option to come back shortly, but has chosen to stay in New York.

www.google.co.uk/amp/s/amp.theguardian.com/politics/2017/feb/10/david-miliband-in-running-for-top-un-development-job

UnGoogleable · 25/02/2017 12:37

I came on here to start this very thread!

I have always said that this was the plan all along - I think the Labour party picked Ed over Dave to act as the fall guy - they knew they were in the shit, and didn't want to tarnish their star player (David) by letting him lead when they were clearly going to get trounced. So they let Ed take the trouncing.

Then Jezza happened, and didn't quite work out the way it should. I like the guy, I had high hopes for him, but he just hasn't pulled it off. His potential finest hour was handed to him on a plate when the Tory party went into a 2 week meltdown following Brexit - all eyes were on the Labour party willing them to stand up and be the grown ups when Dave Cameron resigned and Osbourne went and hid under the stairs (where he remains) and instead JC ballsed it up allowing bickering, infighting and the deputy leader escaping to Glastonbury to become the story.

The time is absolutely ripe now for Dave Milliband to swoop back in and drag the Labour party back from the brink. I've said it before, and I'm not afraid to say it again - human beings are fickle and shallow and swayed by looks, youth, charisma and celebrity (just look at how the media swoon over Justin Trudeau). David Milliband has all of those in spades. That's not to detract from his abilities as a politician - but I'm afraid it does matter and he should use it to his, and hopefully our, advantage and come back.

I think he will be considering a return very seriously now.

cdtaylornats · 25/02/2017 16:40

But there is no guarantee that the current method wouldn't elect Corbyn again. David will only come back once Corbyn resigns - even then he has to win a seat. He isn't going to kill off his nice job in the US for anything less than a safe seat and a guarantee from almost all the MPs and Trade Union leaders.

PigletWasPoohsFriend · 25/02/2017 16:42

His time has passed tbh. He may come back but his opportunity has gone.

JakeBallardswife · 25/02/2017 16:48

I've thought the very same all along. I was a staunch labour supporter but Jeremy Corbyn and previously Ed, just didn't sit right with me. I also really liked David Cameron not for his policies but for his presence and personality ( given the limited choice of leadership). If Dave M came back I think he could get the country behind him and could have a few terms as PM.

But the state of U.K. Politics I'm not sure he'd want to come back now.

SwedishEdith · 25/02/2017 16:48

Agree with UnGoogleable's assessment there. Labour knew they were likely to be out of power for 1 or 2 elections (the nature of voting following one party being in power for 2 or 3 terms). And could have taken some time to regroup and work out who/what they stood for. But, they didn't factor in Brexit. And we've never needed them more and they're not there. I'm sure D Miliband is watching very closely, not sure he's the answer - yet. Might still need to get worse first.

Dapplegrey1 · 25/02/2017 16:50

Looks like he had an option to come back shortly, but has chosen to stay in New York
Of course he has. He's earning an absolute fortune there. I can't see him giving that up in a hurry.

QueenoftheAndals · 25/02/2017 16:57

He can't just "swoop in" and take over, surely he has to become an MP again first?

Kaija · 26/02/2017 09:45

I wish he would. But I can't see how. Especially as large numbers of members who would be most likely to vote for him have been abandoning labour for the lib dems since the referendum.

UnGoogleable · 26/02/2017 23:23

I agree that hes only going to do it if he's guaranteed the support, and a very good shot at being PM.

At the moment he has a great job and relative anonymity in the US, why give all that up to come back here for a relatively shit wage to be slagged off by the media and harangued constantly. You'd only make that sacrifice if you desperately wanted to be PM and you knew you had a damn good chance.

If he's got any sense, he'll tell the UK to stick it and stay with his nice life over there. But I do wish he'd come back.

How many former Cabinet ministers are there who the media would consider following abroad to ask them if they were coming back into UK politics, despite them showing no inclination to do so? The UK is almost begging him to come back!

ChardonnayKnickertonSmythe · 26/02/2017 23:27

Didn't he lose back then because he didn't have the unions on his side?

No point of him trying again if he doesn't have their support.

OrlandaFuriosa · 26/02/2017 23:29

Hmm.

Well, he wouldn't unite the party, would he. And he won't want to lose an election. So if I were he, which obv im not, I'd let Keith Starmer do the hard work and then see.and his wife's career is important to him, NY prob better for her.

Nice man.

Kaija · 26/02/2017 23:34

I'm not sure anything can save Labour now. I think they need to split.

UnGoogleable · 26/02/2017 23:39

Didn't he lose back then because he didn't have the unions on his side?

Yes but I'm convinced they chose Ed because they knew they'd lose, so they threw him under a bus so as not to tarnish David.

I base this on nothing but gut feeling and my own incredulity that when faced with who they thought would make the better challenger for PM, they chose Gonky Ed over Charismatic Dave.

UnGoogleable · 26/02/2017 23:40

I also think Alan Johnson could save them from the brink.

TabithaBethia · 26/02/2017 23:53

I would vote for Dave in a swoon heartbeat

If Jezza did stand down he might be persuaded to come back?

OrlandaFuriosa · 27/02/2017 00:37

Dm was never going to get the unions on side, too Blairite. Ed as a Gordon boy had a much better chance. Still an issue for the leadership, made more extreme now by the current nature of the non union membership.

Tanith · 27/02/2017 07:35

I don't think DM will come back and I think they voted Ed in because they believed people when they claimed they'd had enough of charismatic leaders like Blair and Cameron. They forgot that most people aren't that interested in politics and will go for the charismatic, better looking candidate given the choice.

Makes the current shower an interesting proposition, doesn't it?

HappydaysArehere · 05/03/2017 10:10

Charamistic, good looking - Corbyn!!!

Dannythechampion · 04/04/2017 00:03

Corbyn is Labour's IDS.

Miliband E was W. Hague, too young, should have waited.

Miliband D might be Michael Howard.

The leader who wins will be someone not noticed yet.

Should have been Jo Cox.

cdtaylornats · 05/04/2017 07:41

Corbyn is fascinating - surely the first man to head a personality cult without actually having one.

If Labour loses badly at the council elections he might survive - if McCluskey loses at Unite I suspect Corbyn is gone.

user1491323019 · 05/04/2017 07:44

I think Labour might be obsolete. Which is a shame.

Dannythechampion · 06/04/2017 00:28

Labour won't be obsolete.

The Tories have just as many problems in large remain constituencies, but their spat got sorted quick, people seem to forget the Gove power plays but...

The Tories are delivering what the powerful wants.

cdtaylornats · 06/04/2017 06:58

The Tories are delivering what the powerful wants.

Given the number of votes they appear to be delivering what everyone wants as opposed to what McCluskey wants.

Dannythechampion · 06/04/2017 09:51

Well, the problem with that is that people vote aspirationally, if people will behave like temporarily embarrassed millionaires, rather than voting in their own interests its not my fault.