Labour Watch

[roffeys money]

How do the lefites feel about Andy Burnham?

Seems to be the candidate the left are coalescing on with ex-Corbynites looking to coup if they lose Batley & Spen

Would be rather amusing given he was considered a centrist in 2015 when I voted for him as leader.

Lefites?

Levites.

[Dunners]

Oh Dawn, you walked right into that one.

[Millennial Snowflake]

As twitter polls are highly conclusive in determining voters’ views, I assume Dawn will be accepting the result of this one

[Dunners]

It's totally unfair to plonk this on the Labour thread, but.... heh

[Dunners]

Underwhelming summer signing by Labour.

[Orientinoz]

Now Labour is really f...ed... You couldn't make this stuff up

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-06-20/ ... /100229710

[Dunners]

Hitler invades moment there.

Back here in the UK we've moved on. We've since been treated to some weapon-grade sh*t stirring from Dan Hodges that's even provoked Anneliese Dobbs to issue a statement.

[Jack]

Now Labour is really f...ed... You couldn't make this stuff up

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-06-20/ ... /100229710

Not sure of your logic. Mr Bercow isnt the first person to switch parties, and I'm sure he'll not be the last.

The tory party has moved a million miles to the right, since Mr Bercow joined it, and its not for him anymore.

As i said, not the first, and wont be the last

[Ronnie Hotdogs]

Hitler invades moment there.

Back here in the UK we've moved on. We've since been treated to some weapon-grade sh*t stirring from Dan Hodges that's even provoked Anneliese Dobbs to issue a statement.

He’s probably got you on foe as well.

[Millennial Snowflake]

Think Bercow joining Labour is a sign that Starmer is able to attract voters from the centre ground, which will be a good thing

[Admin]

Hitler invades moment there.

Back here in the UK we've moved on. We've since been treated to some weapon-grade sh*t stirring from Dan Hodges that's even provoked Anneliese Dobbs to issue a statement.

Hodges is a weapons-grade fanny.

Regardless, looks like Labour aren't going to hold Batley & Spen. Not sure where the party goes from here.

[Dunners]

Hitler invades moment there.

Back here in the UK we've moved on. We've since been treated to some weapon-grade sh*t stirring from Dan Hodges that's even provoked Anneliese Dobbs to issue a statement.

Hodges is a weapons-grade fanny.

Regardless, looks like Labour aren't going to hold Batley & Spen. Not sure where the party goes from here.

It's not all bad. They should at least get their deposit back.

We're in the middle of a realignment of UK politics that has similarities to what is happening in the USA. Over there it's having all sorts of strange outcomes, such as the GOP becoming the party of choice for some unions. This is clearly tearing Labour apart, but it will also have an impact on the Tories. A large proportion of their base is as dissatisfied with them as Labour's.

Such realignments happen very rarely, but when they do they are messy. Where does this leave Labour? There are many way this could yet play out, but from what I can see they probably have two choices:

1. Consolidate their current base - be the party of choice for University-educated, middle to high income earners (basically, middle to senior management) with safe seats in metropolitan centers, and prioritise social justice issues over meaningful wealth distribution. But this will mean they need to give up ever having a Commons majority ever again. Instead, they can hope to be the majority partner in a coalition government, but that be a one-time only deal as it will almost certainly require a legal commitment to electoral reform. After that we can expect further fracturing of the main parties.

2. Go Blue Labour - the Tories do have a weakness, in that there is no way they are going to deliver on all of their levelling-up agenda. Labour can eventually exploit this by making economic policy front and center of their approach, and being ruthless on cutting all fringe stuff. They will also need leadership that can communicate and relate with their target voters really well. But quite frankly, given the make-up of the PLP and the wider membership, they just do not have the personnel to grasp this approach, never mind deliver it. So this wont happen any time soon.

Whatever happens, this will not be resolved by the next General Election.

[JimbO]

Think Bercow joining Labour is a sign that Starmer is able to attract voters from the centre ground, which will be a good thing

After the back end of his stint as speaker I'd forgotten that he used to be a tory MP

Me and the missus both said that's a non news story as we thought he was originally from the labour party.

[Max B Gold]

Think Bercow joining Labour is a sign that Starmer is able to attract voters from the centre ground, which will be a good thing

After the back end of his stint as speaker I'd forgotten that he used to be a tory MP

Me and the missus both said that's a non news story as we thought he was originally from the labour party.

Ooh! Everybody look at me I'm a thick IMBECILE.

[Ronnie Hotdogs]

Hitler invades moment there.

Back here in the UK we've moved on. We've since been treated to some weapon-grade sh*t stirring from Dan Hodges that's even provoked Anneliese Dobbs to issue a statement.

Hodges is a weapons-grade fanny.

Regardless, looks like Labour aren't going to hold Batley & Spen. Not sure where the party goes from here.

It's not all bad. They should at least get their deposit back.

We're in the middle of a realignment of UK politics that has similarities to what is happening in the USA. Over there it's having all sorts of strange outcomes, such as the GOP becoming the party of choice for some unions. This is clearly tearing Labour apart, but it will also have an impact on the Tories. A large proportion of their base is as dissatisfied with them as Labour's.

Such realignments happen very rarely, but when they do they are messy. Where does this leave Labour? There are many way this could yet play out, but from what I can see they probably have two choices:

1. Consolidate their current base - be the party of choice for University-educated, middle to high income earners (basically, middle to senior management) with safe seats in metropolitan centers, and prioritise social justice issues over meaningful wealth distribution. But this will mean they need to give up ever having a Commons majority ever again. Instead, they can hope to be the majority partner in a coalition government, but that be a one-time only deal as it will almost certainly require a legal commitment to electoral reform. After that we can expect further fracturing of the main parties.

2. Go Blue Labour - the Tories do have a weakness, in that there is no way they are going to deliver on all of their levelling-up agenda. Labour can eventually exploit this by making economic policy front and center of their approach, and being ruthless on cutting all fringe stuff. They will also need leadership that can communicate and relate with their target voters really well. But quite frankly, given the make-up of the PLP and the wider membership, they just do not have the personnel to grasp this approach, never mind deliver it. So this wont happen any time soon.

Whatever happens, this will not be resolved by the next General Election.

You think their current base is University educated, middle to high earners, middle to senior management?

[Bluecap]

I left the Labour Party after being a member for over 40 years.
I feel cleaner for it.
What the PLP did to a decent man, agree or disagree with his views, he did not deserve that.
They no longer represent this old died in the wool Socialist.
As a very wise man once said ``they are truely bollocked now``

[Dunners]

You think their current base is University educated, middle to high earners, middle to senior management?

Not exclusively, and that description is a tad flippant as many will not yet be middle to high earners (due to their younger age profile). But I reckon you know the kind of person I'm trying to describe.

But (outside of the affiliated unions - which is a whole other issue) I'd argue that the above now have more influence over the future direction of the party than other identifiable groups.

[Ronnie Hotdogs]

Most university educated, middle to high earners, middle to senior management are absolutely not nor ever will be Labour voters, in my experience.

The likes of you and slacker are outliers.

[Currywurst and Chips]

Most university educated, middle to high earners, middle to senior management are absolutely not nor ever will be Labour voters, in my experience.

The likes of you and slacker are outliers.

In rural Essex maybe

[Dunners]

Most university educated, middle to high earners, middle to senior management are absolutely not nor ever will be Labour voters, in my experience.

The likes of you and slacker are outliers.

I'm not talking about voters. I'm talking about members and activists.

Also, I make you wrong. Labour is very much the party of choice for us woke metropolitan elite.

[Millennial Snowflake]

Most university educated, middle to high earners, middle to senior management are absolutely not nor ever will be Labour voters, in my experience.

The likes of you and slacker are outliers.

Past generations sure

But there’s more than a fair share of twenty/thirty something high earning labour voters now (myself included)

It’s pretty nauseating how many privileged middle/upper class 28 year olds who earn 6 figures or thereabouts I see on my social media reposting soundbites about nurses’ pay and similar stuff

[OyinbO]

Past generations is right. For boomers, when c5% of school leavers ended up with degrees, that relationship is true - they ended up being largely Tory.

But now, with nearly 50% of school leavers going up to Higher Education, different ballgame. This also casts doubt on the claims (based on historical data going back decades) that going to university guarantees you £x,000 uplift to your lifetime earnings. This was true in the era of the academic elite only attending - and very dubious now that anyone from the top c75% can go, and the range of courses available extends to those that are more for self-actualisation rather than vocational.

There are very cynical reasons for the current government seeking to rollback Blair-era reforms to HE - it has recognised that universities are churning out Labour voters in big numbers, and our failure to offer them housing that they can afford to buy is likely to keep them that way for much of their lives. But it only seems to have a response to the first part of that problem.

[Millennial Snowflake]

Higher Education is a complete scam anyway unless you’re doing a STEM subject or something like Law

Other than wanting a three/four-year piss-up for 9k a year, my advice to anyone not wanting a career in those fields would be to get all the experience you can now and you’ll be comfortably out-earning most graduates by your mid-20s

[Ronnie Hotdogs]

Most university educated, middle to high earners, middle to senior management are absolutely not nor ever will be Labour voters, in my experience.

The likes of you and slacker are outliers.

I'm not talking about voters. I'm talking about members and activists.

Ah, fair enough, I was talking about voters. I’m old fashioned, winning millions of votes is all I’m interested in, not gaining a few thousand members.

[Dunners]

Most university educated, middle to high earners, middle to senior management are absolutely not nor ever will be Labour voters, in my experience.

The likes of you and slacker are outliers.

I'm not talking about voters. I'm talking about members and activists.

Ah, fair enough, I was talking about voters. I’m old fashioned, winning millions of votes is all I’m interested in, not gaining a few thousand members.

Then you'll be advocating for the Blue Labour approach then....