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[Par Score]

Tories probably want the chance to vote for Tristram Hunt.

The party is in a precarious position and they pull this stunt.

'Open primaries' actually have quite a long and successful history, because it forces potential candidates to appeal to more than just the committed base of their party.

Look what happens to the Republican party in America due to their closed system, you end up with rape apologists, people who claim the bottom 47% of the country are parasites, a slate full of candidates who oppose same-sex marriage, etc.

If only the party faithful get a say, that can lead you down some serious dead ends. Of course by opening it up you run into some other risks, but it's not inherently a bad idea or some gimmick.

 

[Tak3n]

It's looking like Burnham being leader for a couple of years is the best bet at the moment. If he's polling terribly then he might have the sense to step aside.

it mind fucks me that a politician who was part of the Mid-Staffs even has a political career at all let alone a leader...

Labour are fucked, now it really is a ten year Con government

 

[PJV3]

it mind fucks me that a politician who was part of the Mid-Staffs even has a political career at all let alone a leader...

Labour are fucked, now it really is a ten year Con government

That's the way it is.

 

[cjp]

So I just came across that AMA on reddit with Bernie Sanders, a presidential candidate for the U.S, and decided to look into him a little further.

He has an older brother who moved to the UK in '69 and has been a councillor for the Green Party as well as running for MP in this election and lost.

His brother, Larry Sanders, was a Green Party County Councillor representing the East Oxford division on Oxfordshire County Council, in England, until his retirement in 2013.[92][93][94] Larry ran as a Green Party candidate for Oxford West and Abingdon in the 2015 general election and lost.[95][96]

Just thought it was pretty interesting.

 

[Nicktendo86]

So Tristram Hunt has just pulled out the leadership race to back Liz Kendall.

It feels like the union man Burnham vs the Blairites of the party rallying agaisnt him a bit, doesn't it? Also looks likely there will only be three candidates in the end.

 

[Psychotext]

Hmm... I didn't mind Hunt on the surface. Didn't know much about him though.

 

[tomtom94]

So Tristram Hunt has just pulled out the leadership race to back Liz Kendall.

Oh thank fuck.

It feels like the union man Burnham vs the Blairites of the party rallying agaisnt him a bit, doesn't it? Also looks likely there will only be three candidates in the end.

Implying that Burnham's not a Blairite at heart as well - there was a great (depressing, from my perspective) bit in Private Eye last week about all of that. I'd say it's less ideology an more that Burnham is the (self-appointed) obvious candidate and everyone else is rallying to stop him.

 

[PJV3]

Hmm... I didn't mind Hunt on the surface. Didn't know much about him though.

That's about all there is, he's a piss puddle in the Sahara.

 

[Psychotext]

Fair enough.

 

[Deleted member 231381]

Implying that Burnham's not a Blairite at heart as well - there was a great (depressing, from my perspective) bit in Private Eye last week about all of that. I'd say it's less ideology an more that Burnham is the (self-appointed) obvious candidate and everyone else is rallying to stop him.

If we're using "Blairite" and "Brownite" to mean "associated with Blair" and "associated with Brown" respectively and not just as weird pseudo-monikers for "on the right of the Labour Party" and "irrelevant" respectively, then Burnham is not a Blairite. He was in Brown's camp, albeit on the fringes of it.

 

[Sir_Crocodile]

Not that surprising, Tristram never had a hope in hell anyway.

It's astonishing to me that the unions are once again pushing for someone who would be unelectable. I'm surprised they didn't ask Jon Cruddas to stand.

 

[Kathian]

weird how these things go. in the nineties the labour party was full of talent and now the best thing they can throw at the leadership is burnham. someone of his calibre wouldn't have even been able to get enough mp's to support him back then

More or less why Power is cyclical. Hence all the talk of blood letting; anyway Burnham is quite good, the attacks on him seem to be hes a lefty but in a lot of areas hes more centralist than Miliband (who again was not some mental lefty).

Burnham will need to build up a strong cabinet well made from the new intakes though; too many old faces but at the same time theres always a risk they won't quite be that successful or good at their jobs - take Chuka, I felt he did a poor job and clearly advised Miliband wrongly and his leadership shambles has been a bit pathetic.

UK Labour are doing well to have a discussion and not jump too hard to the media lovies like SLAB did with Murphy (still find it unbelievable how much praise he gets, his debating style and campaign had a negative impact on Labour, they were not looking to lose this many seats when he took over!); so we'll see what comes out of it.

One big thing though - if its not working, stick on a Tory hat and stab them in the back.

 

[Deleted member 231381]

Murphy ran a shit campaign, but I thought he actually did pretty well in the Scotland debates specifically; the tide of opinion was just far too heavily against him at that point and to be honest he's a shite candidate in every other respect so idgaf.

 

[Polari]

Brown, Miliband now Burnham. Labour just needs to find someone who looks halfway normal.

 

[PJV3]

Brown, Miliband now Burnham. Labour just needs to find someone who looks halfway normal.

Just give it to Skinner, PMQs will at least be fun.

 

[kmag]

So Tristram Hunt has just pulled out the leadership race to back Liz Kendall.

It feels like the union man Burnham vs the Blairites of the party rallying agaisnt him a bit, doesn't it? Also looks likely there will only be three candidates in the end.

Burham's a Blairite he was associated with Brown but positionally he's very Blair centre ground (there's a notion that whoever the front runner is they'll immediately be pegged with the leftist tag by the media). It's just different fractions of Blairites against each other, Ed was a Brownite (as was Balls) but with Balls humilation the Brownites are basically beaten leaderless and resigned to staying quiet.

Cooper has feet in both camps.

Edit: just saw Crab's post. Blairite in that it the big tent not an inch more to the left than is required

 

[Kathian]

Brown, Miliband now Burnham. Labour just needs to find someone who looks halfway normal.

Burnham looks normal. Not quite sure what your definition of normal is. God, Miliband looked normal, he just held himself poorly. Brown was normal but got forced by those around him to be out his comfort zone so he came across strangely.

Quite confused how Burnham is abnormal looking; he looks like an average British person in a suit.

 

[CyclopsRock]

The young guys don't want to commit political seppeku just yet.

 

[PJV3]

Burnham looks normal. Not quite sure what your definition of normal is. God, Miliband looked normal, he just held himself poorly. Brown was normal but got forced by those around him to be out his comfort zone so he came across strangely.

Quite confused how Burnham is abnormal looking; he looks like an average British person in a suit.

Sometime he looks like he's caught his winkle in his zipper. A slightly pained look.


But he looks normal to me as well.

 

[Tak3n]

Burnham is a union pick, so he is fucked there, he was in power at mid-staffs so he is fucked there...he was largely responsible for getting the inquest into Hillsborough so he will get a lot of good will in the Liverpool area...but still it looks like he is a fav, and the tories will have a fucking great stick to start hitting him with......

why oh why don't they find someone non toxic

 

[Spaghetti]

Murphy ran a shit campaign, but I thought he actually did pretty well in the Scotland debates specifically; the tide of opinion was just far too heavily against him at that point and to be honest he's a shite candidate in every other respect so idgaf.

a neocon as the head of the scottish labour party was never going to work, really.

 

[Polari]

Burnham looks normal. Not quite sure what your definition of normal is. God, Miliband looked normal, he just held himself poorly. Brown was normal but got forced by those around him to be out his comfort zone so he came across strangely.

Quite confused how Burnham is abnormal looking; he looks like an average British person in a suit.

It's the eyes - he looks like a Thunderbird.

 

[Deleted member 231381]

Edit: just saw Crab's post. Blairite in that it the big tent not an inch more to the left than is required

This use of Blairite really needs to die. Blair's not even around any more, c'mon. Are we still going be calling rightwing Labour candidates 'Blairite' 50 years down the line?

 

[Mr. Sam]

This use of Blairite really needs to die. Blair's not even around any more, c'mon. Are we still going be calling rightwing Labour candidates 'Blairite' 50 years down the line?

We still use Thatcherite, don't we?

 

[CyclopsRock]

If someone was being a little bitch in our playground during a game of Binball, we'd call say "Stop being a little fucking Chamberlain".

 

[Deleted member 231381]

We still use Thatcherite, don't we?

Good point, fair play.

 

[mclem]

So I just came across that AMA on reddit with Bernie Sanders, a presidential candidate for the U.S, and decided to look into him a little further.

He has an older brother who moved to the UK in '69 and has been a councillor for the Green Party as well as running for MP in this election and lost.



Just thought it was pretty interesting.

Oh my. I remember looking at the lineup for Oxford West (It's the constituency next to ours, and one with a more interesting battle this time around). I think I made a Larry Sanders Show gag at the time. Didn't realise he was related to Bernie.

 

[Sir_Crocodile]

More or less why Power is cyclical. Hence all the talk of blood letting; anyway Burnham is quite good, the attacks on him seem to be hes a lefty but in a lot of areas hes more centralist than Miliband (who again was not some mental lefty).

Burnham will need to build up a strong cabinet well made from the new intakes though; too many old faces but at the same time theres always a risk they won't quite be that successful or good at their jobs - take Chuka, I felt he did a poor job and clearly advised Miliband wrongly and his leadership shambles has been a bit pathetic.

Midstaffs is going to be a massive millstone around his neck though. I think he has too much baggage to do well nationally.

If someone was being a little bitch in our playground during a game of Binball, we'd call say "Stop being a little fucking Chamberlain".

I hate it when players pretend to engage in peace talks they know to be doomed while secretly preparing for war too

It's just not cricket

 

[Nicktendo86]

Burnham is a union pick, so he is fucked there, he was in power at mid-staffs so he is fucked there...he was largely responsible for getting the inquest into Hillsborough so he will get a lot of good will in the Liverpool area...but still it looks like he is a fav, and the tories will have a fucking great stick to start hitting him with......

why oh why don't they find someone non toxic

He was also chief sec to the treasury during 07-08 wasn't he so the Tories will have another stick to beat him there, rightly or wrongly they will say the man writing the cheques as the economy imploded can't be trusted as PM.

 

[Spuck-uk]

Just give it to Skinner, PMQs will at least be fun.

God yes this

 

[War Peaceman]

Have to laugh at this telegraph piece about classism against the well off http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/gen...-Hunt-could-ever-have-been-Labour-leader.html

Yes thank you Mrs double-barreled surname for your complete lack of empathy. Also, Hunt is a wet flannel who could never be leader.

 

[Nicktendo86]

Sadiq Khan does his mayoral hopes the world of good.

Senior Labour MP Sadiq Khan has lashed out at Ed Miliband’s defeat to brand Britain’s voters “bastards”.

The close friend of the disastrous former Labour leader tore into the electorate on polling day night as the scale of his party’s defeat emerged.

In an impromptu speech to local Labour Party members in Battersea, south west London, one of the angry attacks Mr Khan made on the public was: “Voters are bastards”.

The former shadow justice secretary’s bombshell remark angered listening party activists.

http://www.sunnation.co.uk/senior-labour-mp-voters-are-bstards/

 

[Deleted member 231381]

Have to laugh at this telegraph piece about classism against the well off http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/gen...-Hunt-could-ever-have-been-Labour-leader.html

Yes thank you Mrs double-barreled surname for your complete lack of empathy. Also, Hunt is a wet flannel who could never be leader.

Nothing wrong with a double-barrelled surname!

;_;

 

[CyclopsRock]

Nothing wrong with a double-barrelled surname!

;_;

You fucking Tory!

 

[Deleted member 231381]

You fucking Tory!

Says Monsieur Lime Cordial.

 

[Kuros]

Sadiq Khan does his mayoral hopes the world of good.



http://www.sunnation.co.uk/senior-labour-mp-voters-are-bstards/

Up there with Kinnock on election night that is.

 

[Sir_Crocodile]

Up there with Kinnock on election night that is.

I'm sure come the london elections (if khan even manages to make it there) he will be just as "alright" as kinnock was

 

[Meadows]

Voters aren't bastards, they're cunts.

 

[Jezbollah]

Hi all. If anyone's not put themselves up for it, I'm going to create a UKPoliGAF OT for next week's opening of Parliament.

Please fire away with OT names. GO!

 

[JonathanEx]

Hi all. If anyone's not put themselves up for it, I'm going to create a UKPoliGAF OT for next week's opening of Parliament.

Please fire away with OT names. GO!

I've said it before and have said it again, we just need to quote:

 

[tomtom94]

UK PoliGAF |OT| Referendum? Damn Near Killed 'Em

 

[Mr. Sam]

|OT| Voters Are Bastards

 

[anonymous_abc]

Hi all. If anyone's not put themselves up for it, I'm going to create a UKPoliGAF OT for next week's opening of Parliament.

Please fire away with OT names. GO!

UKPoliGAF |OT2| I never asked for this

UKPoliGAF |OT2| It's the EU stupid

UKPoliGAF |OT2| United Kingdom of England and Wales

UKPoliGAF |OT2| Constitutional crisis? What constitutional crisis?

UKPoliGAF |OT2| Close the borders! Problem solved?

UKPoliGAF |OT2| UK does what EU don't.

 

[FlammableD]

UKPoliGAF |OT2| I never asked for this

Perfect.

 

[Jackpot]

"We blue ourselves"

 

[Sir_Crocodile]

UKPoliGAF |OT2| Everyone's feelin' blue
UKPoliGAF |OT2| Labour isn't working part dEUx
UKPoliGAF |OT2| EU are already dead
UKPoliGAF |OT2| blueballed

 

[Corum]

Hi all. If anyone's not put themselves up for it, I'm going to create a UKPoliGAF OT for next week's opening of Parliament.

Please fire away with OT names. GO!

'I blue myself'

Edit. Dammit Jackpot.

 

[Mr Git]

So Eric Pickles is being knighted. I know it doesn't really mean much these days, but honestly I can't see why. He's no David Attenborough or Terry Pratchett.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-32844276

 

[Sir_Crocodile]

So Eric Pickles is being knighted. I know it doesn't really mean much these days, but honestly I can't see why. He's no David Attenborough or Terry Pratchett.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-32844276

for services to the pie industry

 

[Guerrillas in the Mist]

So Eric Pickles is being knighted. I know it doesn't really mean much these days, but honestly I can't see why. He's no David Attenborough or Terry Pratchett.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-32844276

"Sir Eric Pickles" sounds like a pompous aristocratic villain in a kids movie.