This is for the Labour left, sensibles, pls keep out of my mentions. Ta.
So, on the leadership question so far, I'm assuming we're all for Dawn as deputy, right? Right? If you're not, you should be - she's excellent.
So, on the leadership question so far, I'm assuming we're all for Dawn as deputy, right? Right? If you're not, you should be - she's excellent.
For leader so far I'm seeing the left splitting between RLB, Lavery, and Starmer, so let's talk about that.
Okay, so Starmer. Yeah, that was a good video but it didn't tell you anything about ideas/policy, it was just Keir selling himself as a left candidate, which we know isn't exactly true. He resigned in the coup and backed Owen Smith for starters.
It's not that I think Keir is super rw, I think he's pretty centre ground. The problem is that he has no ideas, no policies, just platitudes, which makes him vulnerable to the right pecking at him until he moves in the direction they'd like. He's weak in that respect.
Just imagine who he'd put in the shad cab. It'd be very bad and all that talk of left politics would soon give way to protecting the establishment status quo, which incidentally happened a fair bit during his DPP tenure. (See threads on this).
As for the looks-like-a-leader shtick, does he? Beyond the nice suit/hairline, do you think he can inspire, sustain + mobilise the movement? Personally although I don't dislike him, he's the furthest thing from being a charismatic leader. He's forensic, yes, but wooden and boring
Moreover, as the architect of our Brexit policy do you think that will be forgotten and he can go on to win back the seats we lost? He'll go down like a cup of cold sick in leave seats. Lammy understood this which is why he realised this is not his time to stand.
What about brexit? While i think most of us are resigned to the fact Brexit is now happening, Lib dem/fubpees are joining the party, creaming their pants over Starmer's candidacy, thinking they can get him to go full on rejoin or agitate again for 2nd ref. Here's a few examples👇 
☝️I think we can all agree that this would just be very bad. @JennieGenSec I hope compliance are checking new members twice, seems to be a few libdems joining!
That's probably enough on Starmer. So what about Lavery and RLB? Well, those who follow me know I've had a few wobbles between the two. I understand the arguments for both, if I'm being honest, and at least they are both solidly left, so I wouldn't be upset with either.
I can see the appeal of Lavery kicking Boris' arse every week, I get it. After being polite for so long it feels like the gloves need to come off and he would certainly do that. The issue for me is a)he needs to give a full apology for the photo with his son in blackface...
And b) he needs to tell us how he's going to handle the union issue. It doesn't matter to the rw press and Tories that he won millions for miners. They're going to dress this up as fatcattery and use it to attack Ian, Labour, and the unions.
There is criticism to be made of unions, but that must come from the left, not the right, and I do feel pretty protective of the TUs rn cos I can see where this Tory shitshow is going.
C) what policy ideas does he have? Would he democratise the party?
C) what policy ideas does he have? Would he democratise the party?
For me, RLB wins hands down on policy/ideas. The green industrial revolution was her policy, after all, which offered a transformative package that delivered both on climate and industry, which importantly went down very well in the so-called 'red wall'
She's also committed to democratising the party, so this is another big tick imo. I know people are worried she's not a scrapper or whatever, but I'm not so sure about that. I think she is and I think she would develop into the role. I think for me, on balance, it's gotta be RLB
That sais, there was a suggestion made that we could elect a leader now and then elect a new leader before the next GE. I think although this could be messy, its also an interesting idea and is perhaps a way to bypass the onslaught of a hostile media.
In that scenario I'd be happy for Ian to deliver Boris a good kicking at the despatch box with RLB as chancellor, continuing to develop policy and, when the time comes, RLB to stand to take us into the next GE. But ultimately, i think i want RLB to take us into the next GE.
What are other leftists thinking?
Ps. If Starmer is left, why do progress love him so much?? Reclaiming Labour indeed🙄
