Next Leader of the Opposition

[Bilo]

My gut feeling is that Ed Balls losing his seat has changed the complexion of this leadership context.

 

I imagine the Blairites will want Labour to return more to the centre ground to ensure the party can be electable again, so Burnham would probably benefit from that. More important still, in the context of Balls losing, I think the point about Umunna being pro-business is spot on but will mean that he's likely to be elevated to Shadow Chancellor rather than leader.

 

There again, the more I see of Dan Jarvis, the more I like him. He's certainly no career politician, which could only aid his connection with the public, He speaks well and, by all accounts, is a very good MP in a challenging seat.

 

It also appears that the bloke is absolutely hard as nails!

 

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3002847/Hard-man-Labour-MP-served-Special-Forces-stares-mugger-threatened-kill-him.html

[Guest]

It's Chuka, he's not a period of time in a polo match

I don't think he would get torn apart by Cameron at all. As Webbo said he's more pro business than someone like Burnham.

And I do actually thing being young and black will engage certain people. He'd get Sol Campbell's vote for staters

 

Sadly there's as much racism in the white labour vote as in the conservative vote. 

[Guest]

Personally I don't mind if they stay in opposition forever but if they want to win they've got to realise that England,on the whole, isn't yearning for more socialism.

That's your belief. I think you overestimate BRITAIN as a whole!

 

The British, on  the whole, have no idea what socialism really is, they understand economics and policy consequences hardly at all and are swayed by lies and paper headlines. They understand celebritiism far more than they understand politics.

 

The population as a whole is an ass.

[Guest]

Elaborate

 

Despite great improvements in Britain and an exemplary multi-cultiral society there are still too many people with underlying racist views. Look at how easy it has been for the Tories to stir up Scottish "hatred".

[Rincewind]

Don't know much about any of them. I'd like to see a vocal leader. One  that listens to people from all walks of life.They need the core vote which will always be there but as the country changes and people move up thesocial ladder priorities change and people will always vote on how policies affect themselvesand their families  before others. Nothing  wrong with that  but communities  are more spread  and people engage less with their neighbours.

It will take a leader that can build a strategy over the next five years to gain support.

[Guest]

I can't believe so many of you are hoping for a pro-business, pro wealth leader (I understand many saying that are Tory voters but not all).

 

That would not differentitate the Labour party from the Tories and would be a death knell for the party.

 

They need to move back towards the left (when I say that I probably mean Centre since they are right of centre now). They need policies for the communal good, they need to look at efficient nationalisation in order to reduce the deficit and generate "profit". They need to look at jobs for everyone (thus removing the unemployment benefit and benefit cheats which annoy middle England). They need to find a human face and not a business face.

[MooseBreath]

That's your belief. I think you overestimate BRITAIN as a whole!

The British, on the whole, have no idea what socialism really is, they understand economics and policy consequences hardly at all and are swayed by lies and paper headlines. They understand celebritiism far more than they understand politics.

The population as a whole is an ass.

What nationality are you, Fif? Have you ever lived in England?

[Guest]

What nationality are you, Fif? Have you ever lived in England?

 

You are a prime example of our population as a whole.

[MooseBreath]

You are a prime example of our population as a whole.

Just wondering. You refer to the British as "they", don't live in Britain, are completely out of touch with British culture, and the way you write is just a bit off. It struck me that maybe you're not actually British. Either that or you've psychologically renounced your citizenship. Was whatever happened to you over here really that bad? The bullying, was it?

[davieG]

David Lammy could be a dark horse.

 

 

Why do I feel doubtful about using that phrase in the context of this guy?

[sphericalfox]

Eddie Izzard

 

At least then the debates might be funny.

[Guest]

The New Stateman's take:

 

http://www.newstatesman.com/politics/2015/05/ed-miliband-resigns-who-will-replace-him-labour-leader

[Nick]

I can't vote without watching a youtube video of each candidate.

 

Christ, voting without such information would be like giving an opinion of linked Andorran player in transfer talk who I've never seen play.

 

In truth though anybody with an ounce of charisma and public speaking skills could run away with it in five years irrespective of policy.

[Strokes]

That's your belief. I think you overestimate BRITAIN as a whole!

 

The British, on  the whole, have no idea what socialism really is, they understand economics and policy consequences hardly at all and are swayed by lies and paper headlines. They understand celebritiism far more than they understand politics.

 

The population as a whole is an ass.

Celebritism is a consequence of socialism.

[halpart]

Chukka Umunna would be a massive mistake.

Just because he's young and black, doesn't automatically mean people will engage with him.

Dave would tear him apart at PMQ's. The man for the job was David Milliband but that wont happen.

Cooper is the beat candidate but it will probably be Burnham.

 

As a solicitor, he's probably well-versed in arguing; I wouldn't worry about Chuka Ummuna at PMQs. I do have my reservations as to his age and relative inexperience, but he's probably one of the more sensible politicians I've seen on QT or anything of that ilk

[Bilo]

Eddie Izzard

 

At least then the debates might be funny.

 

The foreign policy would be pretty special!

 

[David Hankey]

None of the above. How about Brand?

[Guest]

Chukka or Stella.

[Steve_Guppy_Left_Foot]

Burnham

[ADK]

Chuka has to be involved, maybe shadow-chancellor with Jarvis or Burnham as leader. Tristram speaks eloquently but he comes across as a bit of a wet flannel.

[BlueSi13]

I think the Labour party will be desperate to have Chuka Umunna.  Right now they are scrambling for a reason to exist.  They will see Umunna as they perfect way out.  Young, black, looks sharp in a suit, if it worked for the Democrats in the States with Barack Obama then Labour will naturally think it will work here.  They will almost dare the electorate not to vote for him ('we're all racists if we don't')

 

However, let's not forget to gargantuan influence the unions have over the Labour party.  

[Bilo]

I think the Labour party will be desperate to have Chuka Umunna.  Right now they are scrambling for a reason to exist.  They will see Umunna as they perfect way out.  Young, black, looks sharp in a suit, if it worked for the Democrats in the States with Barack Obama then Labour will naturally think it will work here.  They will almost dare the electorate not to vote for him ('we're all racists if we don't')

 

However, let's not forget to gargantuan influence the unions have over the Labour party.  

 

You've become really odd over the course of this election.

[BlueSi13]

You've become really odd over the course of this election.

 

Considering Labour have been an absolute calamity since Blair resigned, you really don't think Labour would push the race angle at all if they were to select Umunna?

[LJS]

It has to be Jarvis. Great personal background, Blairite, not associated with the last Labour government, not a smug metropolitan like Umunna. Absolute no-brainer.

[Bilo]

Considering Labour have been an absolute calamity since Blair resigned, you really don't think Labour would push the race angle at all if they were to select Umunna?

 

No, why would that even be the case?

 

It's pretty clear that a fresh start is needed and the pursuit of the centre-left is Labour's route to power in 2020. Trying to push the race angle is something that'll succeed only in pushing Labour further away from power and definitely won't be happening. There are several very good potential leadership candidates who've been mentioned on this thread who would be more than capable of challenging for power - Burnham, Jarvis, Cooper and Hunt are among them. There's plenty of talent on the Opposition benches, which is why I'm pleased Miliband has stood down when he has. It'll give the new leader more than enough to garner support, fight by-elections, local elections and boost the Labour vote again.

 

If Umunna takes the mantle, it'll be because of his policies rather than his skin colour. The idea that Labour would smear people who voted other parties as racists is the kind of narrative even the Daily Mail would reject out of hand.