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politicalbetting.com » Blog Archive » The NUM backs Nandy
Lisa Nandy has just secured the backing of National Union of Mineworkers, which is big get – there’s also speculation she could get support of the GMB https://t.co/y0ZF7Yg5dj
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<SecondScouseKid>Exactly!</SecondScouseKid>
https://twitter.com/SarahOwen_/status/1215299201170579456
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00LUUAENW/ref=dp-kindle-redirect?_encoding=UTF8&btkr=1#reader_B00LUUAENW
I say that as someone who probably would have voted for Corbyn in 2015, and I would still answer the favourability question with a positive. Mind you, I only joined last month myself (intending to stay long-term) so I don't know how longstanding members would feel.
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On topic, Nandy's nomination may be tiny but it's still great news.
I was actually a bit disheartened by her campaign launch. The only time in the last year that I didn't think she was extremely impressive. She is very strong on specifics but her team evidently decided to be very broad-brush, so bits sounded like management-waffle. But my guess is that she'll handle Andrew Neil very well and then it will be forgotten.
https://twitter.com/tconnellyrte/status/1217210053033447430?s=21
1. The political executive of Momentum is making as strong recommendation to Momentum members to endorse RLB in a members ballot, expecting that this will further enhance RLB's prospect of winning that ballot.
2. The minority of Momentum members who do not vote for RLB will then come under pressure through loyalty to Momentum the organisation to toe the party line and vote for her in the Labour members ballot. (If not, why hold the ballot in the first place?)
That is entirely in accordance with the principles of top down Leninist democratic centralism. Furthermore, it confirms absolutely that Lansman and the Momentum exec is organising Momentum as an entryist party within a party. Even Militant was not as blatant as this.
‘Her reign must, alas, eventually end. When it does, why not pay the remaining royal figures generous pensions and allow them to slip away into the private lives so many of them crave but cannot lead? Why not have a monarchy, but no monarch? Why not select an elderly, unambitious, self-effacing Regent, close to the end of his or her days, to preside over ceremonies and hand out medals? I offer this as a serious solution. For if we continue as we are, the strain between what we want our kings to be, and what they actually are, will prove too great and we will tumble, accidentally, into becoming a republic.’
https://www.firstthings.com/web-exclusives/2020/01/the-strain-on-the-british-monarchy
Personally I've never seen much point in electing a ceremonial head of state, so if we elect one they should be more substantial, and if we're going random then its already pretty random.
Although some jolly clever chap reckons a regency is on the way
https://www7.politicalbetting.com/index.php/archives/2018/04/21/the-palace-is-laying-the-groundwork-for-a-regency/
Edit: I do like this description though:
The monarch, stripped of all ancient direct power, is now remarkably like the king on a chessboard—almost incapable of offensive action, but preventing others from occupying a crucial square and those around it.
For fans of hex based simulations, Joni Nuutinnen has an interesting bunch of games availible as apps on Google play, though novices may find the absence of instructions challenging.
Nobody learns anything.
In theory I'm a republican, but then I look at real world republics like the USA and France and think best not risk it (also the waste of legislating time). It is possible to have a quiet president (e.g. Germany), but I wouldn't trust us to emulate that.
'I do not much like the British royal family...The Queen, though by far the best of them, takes increasingly frequent plunges into political correctness... As I am a monarchist, whatever should I do or think? My obligations to the Crown are strong and unavoidable, but they have been weakened by the decline of my homeland from a great empire into a small, rather puzzled country on the fringe of Europe.... I think the cornerstone of civilized government is the supremacy of law over power, and I cannot see how that supremacy can be maintained unless you specifically summon God into your constitution by something like the English coronation rite.
...But mainly, these days, the monarchy serves to keep our elected politicians away from the grander, more majestic accoutrements and signs of power. We obey these politicians, and the laws they make, in a grudging sort of way. But we do not usually love or much respect them. They do not, unlike the president of the USA, attempt to embody the country, and this gives us a much greater freedom to criticize them at times of crisis, or if necessary defy their unlawful orders. I think we would revolt if any of our elected leaders bought themselves an equivalent of Air Force One, or insisted on a band playing “Hail to the Chief,” or something similar, as they walked into the room. '
Thank you.
I think you only have a 24-hour window to do it, though.
Plenty of countries gain tourist revenue despite not a having monarchy.
If your motives are to help create an electable Labour Party who will be an effective opposition and possibly one day a government - why not? Anything that forces the government to raise its game has the be "a good thing".
If on the other hand you want to saddle them with an unelectable dinosaur - why bother, they're more than capable of doing that themselves.
In my view, Starmer or Nandy (Phillips at a pinch - we'd quickly learn one way or the other, though I am warming to her defence of the Union) could fulfil the first criteria. RLB the second. Thornberry somewhat between the two - smart but "posh north London".
This picture is over twenty years old...
Though France at least effectively has an imperial presidency anyway, with a vast military parade headed by the President every July and huge trappings and power around the presidency not the deathly dull irrelevant German presidency
Buildings are separate from the pageantry you get with royalty
Military parades & pageantry just like Socialist North Korea
Head of State with effective jobs for life just like Socialist North Korea
Everyone is terrible.
Biden is terrible on policy and sounds most times like he's having a stroke.
Bernie and Warren had a very gringy exchange.
And the rest are even worse.
With the exception of Sanders they can all put the crowd to sleep.
Joe Biden's enemy is clearly time, the longer a debate lasts the weaker and more confused he becomes on stage, his physical stamina is clearly an issue.
No one will gain votes, but there might be movement between Sanders and Warren, though in which direction it's too early too tell.
https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1217303398636126210?s=20
It may not be pretty (and it will have all the right people clutching their pearls and projectile vomiting.....)....but if it keeps the show on the road.....
They arrested the guy who took the video:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-51114945