Next leader of the Labour Party should be.....

[drat01]

London Buses is a phrase that springs to mind ........

[Richard]

Interesting that the Tory contingent on VT

Is contingent the new MOB ?

Maybe we should be talking about Osborne and his uncanny resembalnce to a window licker, or Camerons and Clegg's massive foreheads. What about May's expression of appearing to have her industrial size dildo stuck up her, or Hague's appreance back in the days of Thatcher at the party political conference, surely that's worth adding to the debate? Gove and his lack of a chin?

Funny as I thought thats what the Labour set (see what I did there given you a new grouping to use when you have grown weary of contingent) have been doing for a while, and not just restricted to the politicians but their wives as well IIRC your comments about David Cameron's wife.

Not that I expect an answer by the way, you never do.

[avfc89]

I cannot take a word Ed Miliband says seriously.

Neither will the party voters- it’ll be lil' Dave who'll win it.

Why can't you take him seriously? - his appearance? - Oh dear if it is.

Interesting that the Tory contingent on VT are more preoccupied with the appearance - could that be why marketing people like Cameron and Clegg are now in charge?

It would be very sad if it was because of appearance or to some extent personality.

[Richard]

London Buses is a phrase that springs to mind ........

Post on poster springs to mind...........

[Richard]

I cannot take a word Ed Miliband says seriously.

Neither will the party voters- it’ll be lil' Dave who'll win it.

Why can't you take him seriously? - his appearance? - Oh dear if it is.

Interesting that the Tory contingent on VT are more preoccupied with the appearance - could that be why marketing people like Cameron and Clegg are now in charge?

It would be very sad if it was because of appearance or to some extent personality.

Absolutely, much better because of the school he went to.....

[Awol]

Interesting that the Tory contingent on VT are more preoccupied with the appearance

Or maybe you just can't take a joke and spot when people are having a laugh?

could that be why marketing people like Cameron and Clegg are now in charge?

No, that's because the alternative was the uber nutter Gordon Brown.

Maybe we should be talking about Osborne and his uncanny resembalnce to a window licker, or Camerons and Clegg's massive foreheads. What about May's expression of appearing to have her industrial size dildo stuck up her, or Hague's appreance back in the days of Thatcher at the party political conference, surely that's worth adding to the debate? Gove and his lack of a chin?

If this we're a Tory leadership thread then I'm sure all of the above would have been included by now. But it's not, it's about the assorted dipshits aspiring to lead Labour.

All pathetic comments but if that is the level you want to play at then carry on

Thank you Mr Speaker :winkold:

[drat01]

The past couple of pages comments, especially from those who's political viewpoints are right and far right certainly do fit a certain stereo type and another decent political thread descends into farce because of these actions and petty point scoring.

[bickster]

I thought we could have a genuine debate on this thread; obviously the Tory contingent on VT wouldn't like that to occur.

Which Tory contingent, the blue ones or the red ones?

[avfc89]

Pathetic

Typical Tory voters. No class.

Careful, some Tory voters used to be Labour voters and vice versa.

In addition I thought you socialists were all of the opinion that the trouble with Tories was that we enforced the class divide too much, how can that be if it is typical for a Tory to have no class?

From what I've seen on this forum it is a Tory trait to make personal assaults; I suppose it's the only way to debate when your party's policies are vacuous and outdated.

[Richard]

The past couple of pages comments, especially from those who's political viewpoints are right and far right certainly do fit a certain stereo type and another decent political thread descends into farce because of these actions and petty point scoring.

Who is far right then? I think it only fair you explain?

[Richard]

From what I've seen on this forum it is a Tory trait to make personal assaults;

I guess you see what you look for dont you.

From my perspective I think the first time any personal comments are made they are generally from one, or two, people in the main who would not , I think , describe themselves as Tory.

[LJRM050389]

Back on topic. Balls would make the best opposition leader, if only for the fact that he makes a good bully boy impression. I mean that as a compliment in that I think he'd get under the Coallitions noses a lot bue he would never make a PM.

Hence Ed M, David M is just Blair mark two, whereas Ed M would have 4/5 years to grow into the position.

[bickster]

Can we get this back to the actual debate please as opposed to all the silly bickering, thanks

[drat01]

Back on topic. Balls would make the best opposition leader, if only for the fact that he makes a good bully boy impression. I mean that as a compliment in that I think he'd get under the Coallitions noses a lot bue he would never make a PM.

Hence Ed M, David M is just Blair mark two, whereas Ed M would have 4/5 years to grow into the position.

Quite right about being on topic

Ed Balls gave a fair statement out in the Times

The coalition’s honeymoon is over, the Lib Dems have collapsed in the polls and Labour membership is up by more than 25,000. David Cameron’s weakness without a script has been exposed on his gaffe-ridden foreign tour and Michael Gove’s reputation has been seriously damaged.

But while Labour has exposed the coalition and scored some early hits, this is also a dangerous time for our party. There are three traps we must avoid in the coming months: one laid by Mr Cameron, one by the media and one that we risk laying for ourselves.

First, we risk falling into Mr Cameron’s trap by focusing our fire too much on the Liberal Democrats. Yes, they have ditched their manifesto and sold their principles for power — and done so on the backs of the unemployed, public sector workers and the poorest in our communities.

But while we must win back voters lost to the Lib Dems, we must not let the Tories off the hook. Even if Lib Dem ministers are wheeled out by Downing Street to defend the most unpopular decisions, we must not forget this is fundamentally a Conservative Government. The reason why the fiasco over school building cuts and the rushed Academies Bill is so damaging for the Government is that a senior Tory is in the frame. So Labour must focus its fire on the Tories, not just on the Liberal cannon fodder shielding Mr Cameron.

Second, Labour must avoid the media trap, encouraged by the coalition, that the first and most fundamental question in British politics is cutting the deficit.

This is what happened in the 1930s when the media and political elites, backed by the Governor of the Bank of England, insisted that the Government cut spending as quickly as possible. The economy spiralled into depression and we paid a heavy price. Yet this Government seems intent on repeating these deflationary mistakes, describing its decisions as unavoidable.

Labour needs strong leadership to make a credible argument against slashing public spending and raising VAT, which will increase unemployment and risk a double-dip recession. Labour must have the confidence to set out an alternative based on a more sensible timetable for deficit reduction, fairer tax rises and a plan to boost jobs and growth.

The third trap is the one we risk setting for ourselves. In the best of our 13 years in government, we dominated the radical centre ground of British politics, and we must not cede that territory now.

There is no doubt that Mr Cameron wants to use his alliance with the Liberal Democrats to achieve what he failed in opposition — to detoxify the Conservative brand in the public mind. At its heart, this will remain a neo-liberal government of the Right, but Mr Cameron will seek to present the coalition as dominating the centre ground, while caricaturing Labour as irrelevant, reactionary and retreating to the left.

That’s why all of us as leadership candidates, as we seek the votes of Labour and trade union members and the praise of leftwing think-tanks and newspapers, must beware of departing from the centre ground, by making unwise promises or losing touch with our constituents on issues such as crime.

But there are risks in the other direction too: the idea that to be centrist and credible we must return to safety-first triangulation and hanker after the approval of the rightwing press and conservative business groups. We’ve ridden that tiger before and it didn’t get us very far.

Neither should we fall for the myth that our biggest challenge is to “win back” middle-income voters. They largely stuck with us at the election while we lost the support of too many people on lower incomes who felt we were no longer on their side.

If we are to win back those voters, Labour must be clearer about what it stands for, bolder about whose side it is on and which vested interests it is prepared to tackle.

We must set out radical policies — such as a graduate tax to replace top-up fees and starting the top rate of tax at £100,000 — but make sure they are realistic and in touch with the aspirations, concerns and values of ordinary working people.

It’s no good simply being credible if we reach the next election and nobody can distinguish between David Cameron, Nick Clegg and our new leader; but it’s no good just being radical if we lose touch with the mainstream views of working people.

The Labour Party must not fall into the trap of thinking it needs to choose between the heart and the head. Our next leader must have the judgment, strength and experience to be both radical and credible. Otherwise we will play into the Tories’ hands — and languish in opposition.

All fairly expected for someone going for a leadership election

[Ads]

I cannot take a word Ed Miliband says seriously.

Neither will the party voters- it’ll be lil' Dave who'll win it.

Why can't you take him seriously? - his appearance? - Oh dear if it is.

You’d think it was his natural guy liner, but it’s actually his voice. He is a comedic character sent back from the future to entertain on the political stage.

[avfc89]

From what I've seen on this forum it is a Tory trait to make personal assaults;

I guess you see what you look for dont you.

From my perspective I think the first time any personal comments are made they are generally from one, or two, people in the main who would not , I think , describe themselves as Tory.

I don't look for anything personal from any poster, I will react when people are being personal without reason. I came on this thread to see a genuine discussion about the potential Labour leader.

[avfc89]

I thought we could have a genuine debate on this thread; obviously the Tory contingent on VT wouldn't like that to occur.

Which Tory contingent, the blue ones or the red ones?

The only ones that exist

[blandy]

It would be very sad if it was because of appearance or to some extent personality.

They actually have personalities? Apart from Diane Abbot don't they all look exactly the same?

It's the same with Clegg, Osbourne, Cameron and the Tories - Politicians turned into polished and modelled family friendly, voter friendly say nothing of any consequence (or get shut out of the way while there's voting to be done).

[Ads]

From what I've seen on this forum it is a Tory trait to make personal assaults;

I guess you see what you look for dont you.

From my perspective I think the first time any personal comments are made they are generally from one, or two, people in the main who would not , I think , describe themselves as Tory.

I don't look for anything personal from any poster, I will react when people are being personal without reason. I came on this thread to see a genuine discussion about the potential Labour leader.

Don’t be so humourless. You’re on the internets for crying out loud, none of its real.

[avfc89]

It would be very sad if it was because of appearance or to some extent personality.

They actually have personalities? Apart from Diane Abbot don't they all look exactly the same?

It's the same with Clegg, Osbourne, Cameron and the Tories - Politicians turned into polished and modelled family friendly, voter friendly say nothing of any consequence (or get shut out of the way while there's voting to be done).

Maybe so, I just judge politics on policy.