BigRich and Plato re Union funding for Labour
It is not just the visible 2/3 of Labour donations that come from Unions but also the resources supplied to constituencies and the manpower at election time on the doorstep and in call centres that provide the bulk of canvassing.

Tissue_Price said:

Hardly. He was facing Burnham before.

Well, even though Burnham himself is useless, the Labour brand still has credibility on the NHS (for reasons passing understanding)

Enter Diane...

SeanT said:

Diane Abbott. Shadow Health Minister.
Yes.
http://news.sky.com/story/1550955/five-biggest-corbyn-rumours-in-westminster

What I draw from the associated photos in that link is that even Gerry Adams looks more prime ministerial than Corbyn. And Liz Kendall needs a makeover even more than Corbyn if she is to make a comeback.

Plato said:

Oh YES!

Does that mean she can't be on This Week anymore?

Now she can roll her eyes theatrically elsewhere instead.

Toms said:

SeanT said:

Diane Abbott. Shadow Health Minister.

Yes.

http://news.sky.com/story/1550955/five-biggest-corbyn-rumours-in-westminster

Noooooooo.

I can't say that's the reason I have no tv, but it is/was(?) a plus.

flightpath01 said:

SeanT said:

Diane Abbott. Shadow Health Minister.
Yes.
http://news.sky.com/story/1550955/five-biggest-corbyn-rumours-in-westminster

What I draw from the associated photos in that link is that even Gerry Adams looks more prime ministerial than Corbyn. And Liz Kendall needs a makeover even more than Corbyn if she is to make a comeback.

Liz did get the backing of several prominent shodow cabinet members. She is a tough cookie and will get some kudos for putting up a fight for centrist positions. It is rare to get a second chance for leadership, but I think that we have not seen the last of her. She will be back in the shadow cabinet after Corbyn is deposed.

foxinsoxuk said:

flightpath01 said:

SeanT said:

Diane Abbott. Shadow Health Minister.
Yes.
http://news.sky.com/story/1550955/five-biggest-corbyn-rumours-in-westminster

What I draw from the associated photos in that link is that even Gerry Adams looks more prime ministerial than Corbyn. And Liz Kendall needs a makeover even more than Corbyn if she is to make a comeback.

Liz did get the backing of several prominent shodow cabinet members. She is a tough cookie and will get some kudos for putting up a fight for centrist positions. It is rare to get a second chance for leadership, but I think that we have not seen the last of her. She will be back in the shadow cabinet after Corbyn is deposed.

Good. She came across as inept to me.

Big_G_NorthWales said:

richardDodd said:

Hitler used to be laughed at as that funny little man with an odd moustache .. he devastated Eiurope for several decades..Merkel has invited some millions of Muslims into the very heart of Europe, a mainly Christian world.The Muslim religion decrees that non Muslims must be killed..we are about to let millions into the very centre of our Christian world..Once they are fed and warm..with their feet under the table, they will of course assemble in their mosques and begin to take up the mantra again..as planned.. wanna bet....

A real possibility and I cannot understand how the left cannot see it unless they are in denial - and makes Brexit much more likely in the referendum

... and there is a 50% chance of a muslim, who wants to enshrine anti white ethnic quotas in law, running our capital.

"We must be, mad..."

Plato said:

Who's the Ben Elton lookalike top-right?

runnymede said:

Spot the familiar faces...coming soon again to your TV screens...

Richard Stanton (MP ? ) - He claimed the Brighton bombing was a 'justified political act'.

flightpath01 said:

foxinsoxuk said:

flightpath01 said:

SeanT said:

Diane Abbott. Shadow Health Minister.
Yes.
http://news.sky.com/story/1550955/five-biggest-corbyn-rumours-in-westminster

What I draw from the associated photos in that link is that even Gerry Adams looks more prime ministerial than Corbyn. And Liz Kendall needs a makeover even more than Corbyn if she is to make a comeback.

Liz did get the backing of several prominent shodow cabinet members. She is a tough cookie and will get some kudos for putting up a fight for centrist positions. It is rare to get a second chance for leadership, but I think that we have not seen the last of her. She will be back in the shadow cabinet after Corbyn is deposed.

Good. She came across as inept to me.

I don't think that she did herself justice, she is very capable.

But PBers may enjoy tonights Leicester Mercury headlines. First we had a "dwarf free" Snow White but now Dopey has been found:

http://m.leicestermercury.co.uk/Dopey-student-s-online-plea-drug-dealer-numbers/story-27768521-detail/story.html

Incredible scenes from Barcelona on Catalan national day:

https://twitter.com/JuntsPelSi/status/642375748674813952

Excellent cartoon Marf!

(And glad that "assisted dying" has been rejected by parliament)

richardDodd said:

If anyone is in doubt and think the Islamic nutters are playing patacake just watch the news reels today .. 14 years ago when the Nutjobs told the world they were here and deadly serious..

There was tremendous goodwill towards America after that attack (though the Palestinians celebrating in the street showed warning signs of what was to come). One of the worst features of the Bush and Blair attack on Iraq was that it squandered that goodwill and reversed it. It was the most catastrophic mistake in modern international politics.

Typical comment on LabourList:

"He can win elections. He can make London the Labour Citadel it was under Morrison and under Livingstone. He can bring hope. He can show that a bus driver's son who went to an unfashionable university can become a national figure.

While cowards flinch and traitors sneer, the future has parked its tanks on their lawn."

http://labourlist.org/2015/09/sadiq-khan-won-a-significant-victory-over-the-frontrunner-how-did-he-do-it/

Morris_Dancer said:

Mr. NorthWales, and if a volte face is attempted, migrants there will fear being returned, migrants coming will be angry (and in vast numbers), it'll make Merkel, rightly, look stupid, and the rest of the EU will be pissed at Germany.

It was crackers right from the off.

All of us will be really pissed at Merkel when the first atrocity is committed by an IS terrorist who came as part of the migrants.

And it is, I fear, a case of "when" not "if".

@PeterMannionMP: Not triumphalist or complacent, but does anyone know of any decent #labourleadership result celebration parties tomorrow?

Even at this early stage, Goldsmith is only slightly behind Khan with Betfair:

Khan 2.06 / 2.18
Goldsmith 2.26 / 2.3

https://www.betfair.com/exchange/plus/#/politics/market/1.107728324

kle4 said:

How on earth were so many counts necessary in Leith Walk?

Ten candidates, so ten stages with nine transfers (of surpluses of winning candidates, and of the votes of losing candidates).

NeilVW said:

kle4 said:

How on earth were so many counts necessary in Leith Walk?

Ten candidates, so ten stages with nine transfers (of surpluses of winning candidates, and of the votes of losing candidates).

Thanks. I guess I should pay attention

Don't forget we are only talking about the current nutters so far.

When George Galloway and Derek Hatton rejoin Labour there may be some fireworks

AndyJS said:

Even at this early stage, Goldsmith is only slightly behind Khan with Betfair:

Khan 2.06 / 2.18
Goldsmith 2.26 / 2.3

https://www.betfair.com/exchange/plus/#/politics/market/1.107728324

How is Tessa Jowell still in the list to back at 25? To take in the possibility of legal challenge? You can lay her at 1000.

Plato said:

Lewis for Defence rumoured. I'm surprised Team Corbyn needs anyone doing MoD...

And Angela Eagle for Shad CoE via Sky

Also suggested that he'll do PMQs from back benches and rotate the questioners???!! WTF? This is insane enough to be a real idea.

He's genuinely intending to get around the problem of not wanting the job by not actually doing it.

Mr Palmer, the stupidest remark made this week will be 'I therefore declare Jeremy Corbyn is elected leader of the Labour party.' The small problem is, it will not be joke. Very far from it.

The question after today will be whether Corbyn wins (in the first round) by a fair margin or a huge one. If he's only just over 50% on first preferences, then a challenge remains possible when he makes his first crass remark (48 hours). If he's nudging 60% on those first preferences, Labour is more comprehensively and royally screwed than one of Messalina's bodyguards.

As for Khan, there is no word to describe the huge size of this mistake. Even if he wins the mayoralty, putting the most sectarian politician in mainland Britain into a position of real power would be the political equivalent of committing suicide by wiring yourself up a 50-megaton nuclear bomb and pressing the switch, thereby obliterating yourself and everything else within a huge radius.

You know that Labour are in for a seriously bad week when the best news they can have is that Tom Watson is about to be made the deputy leader.

kle4 said:

NeilVW said:

kle4 said:

How on earth were so many counts necessary in Leith Walk?

Ten candidates, so ten stages with nine transfers (of surpluses of winning candidates, and of the votes of losing candidates).

Thanks. I guess I should pay attention

STV is AV on speed. It's great.

isam said:

Philip_Thompson said:

MP_SE said:

kle4 said:

Philip_Thompson said:

MikeK said:

Morris_Dancer said:

Mr. K, I'm surprised Farage hasn't been more visible regarding the migrant crisis.

He - Farage - has been making major speeches all over. It's just that it's not being reported on the MSM.

Farage may think pontificating at the European Parliament is making a major speech but most of the rest of the country does not. He should speak in Parliament if he wants to be broadcast.

Oh wait ...

In fairness, speeches by those who are elected to Parliament are broadcast all the time, clips at least, but I very rarely ever see footage of a speech from in Parliament.

In an increasingly digital age Farage and anyone else who is capable of delivering impressive speeches should be able to increase their profile. Daniel Hannan laying into Gordon Brown raised his profile considerably. Same goes for Farage laying into Herman Van Rampuy.

It will not matter if a speech is made in the HoC or in the European Parliament as long as it goes viral.

No doubt Phil T will be along to claim the only speeches that matter are those made in the HoC and appear on the 6 o'clock news.

Considering I'd already said he should be taking part in interviews in London, no I won't be saying it is only the HoC that matters ...

He'll be on QT next week and everyone will be saying "He's never off the telly!"

LOL some might true! Can't speak for everyone but I'm like Morris Dancer surprised we've seen so little of him.

TCPoliticalBetting said:

BigRich and Plato re Union funding for Labour
It is not just the visible 2/3 of Labour donations that come from Unions but also the resources supplied to constituencies and the manpower at election time on the doorstep and in call centres that provide the bulk of canvassing.

TC Political Betting,

A very good point, and also widely not understood. The trowe value in of the Trade Union Support to the Labour Party is much grater than the head line fingers reported to the Electoral Commotion.

For starters, the Trade Unions reported in there annual reports to the Trade Union Certificate Offices political spending almost 8,000,000 more than they officially gave to the Labour Party. We do not have a brake down of these fingers but I will confidently predict that most was also spent in ways that help Labour politicians get elected.

Then there is the values of having internal publications magazines, emails and so on, sent out regularly to Trade Union members, parsing Labour politicians and critical of all others.

Not to mention all the practical support at election time, borrowed offices and computer equipment that become phone banks or constituency campaign centres.

And the manpower, there are thousands Union reps paid by there employer, normally the government to work full time for the Union, that can be redirected at election time to full time campaigners.

The power of the Union Bosses to tilt the political dial in Labour favour is massive, however the new legislation if successful will only address the official dotation's to the Labour party.

Christ. I'm usually loathe to be one of THOSE people who cry "racism!" about anything, but some of the comments on PB about Sadiq Khan today....

@marthasydenham: We really should get #JezMassEve trending http://t.co/yQbSN2AfHJ

SquareRoot said:

I am feeling quite depressed.

1)
If you look at the D telegraph website it says England beat Australia by 7 wickets. (now corrected to 3 wickets)

WTF is going on when idiots write such crap.

2) I tried to book a holiday to the West Indies with a leading holiday firm who profess to have experts to help you..... When I enquired about the West Indies, the girl told me they don't do holidays to the West Indies.. so I said .. so you don't fly to Barbados , St Lucia , Antigua Trinidad, Tobago.. etc etc .. she responded .. Oh yes we do fly to the Caribbean..


Jeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeez.

There are some really obtuse people out there these days. Some of them are deliberately unhelpful, others just ignorant of the most basic facts.

If Jezza were to win, and make my prediction look silly, there are some who still believe it will turn out less bad than expected. They are dreamers.

They expect a man of sixty six to have an epiphany. To become conciliatory, to embrace compromise and to work with others. To command loyalty and to lead and take others with him. They are not just dreamers, they are as mad as Jezza.

If he wins, then I will quote what William Pitt nearly said ...

“Roll up that electoral map of Great Britain: it will not be wanted these ten years."

Disraeli said:

I believe that the biggest and best will be held at Conservative Central Office.

I think the Treasury one will be bigger

New Thread New Thread

CD13 said:

If Jezza were to win, and make my prediction look silly, there are some who still believe it will turn out less bad than expected. They are dreamers.

They expect a man of sixty six to have an epiphany. To become conciliatory, to embrace compromise and to work with others. To command loyalty and to lead and take others with him. They are not just dreamers, they are as mad as Jezza.

If he wins, then I will quote what William Pitt nearly said ...

“Roll up that electoral map of Great Britain: it will not be wanted these ten years."

Who are the Labour equivalents of 'the men in grey suits' that have served the Tories so well over the years? The gender-neutral persons in grey donkey jackets?

HurstLlama said:

dyingswan said:

Labour. Its time to start saying goodbye. Sadly after 109 years of bringing democratic socialism to the High Street we will be closing our business down on Saturday 12 September 2015.The political landscape has changed so much since we started trading. We now find ourselves unable to compete with the pressure from larger companies such as Camerons, Sturgeons and Farages.The economic climate has greatly affected us and we have seen a long term and consistent loss of trade.We remain grateful for the support of our staff and voters over many years.
We would like to ask you to consider supporting the causes we have had the closest links with - welfare recipients,immigrants, EU and UN. All of those will be grateful for any help offered.
We are very happy to share our closing down sale bargains with you These include- Things can only get better t shirt 1997 Replica Edstone with pledges 2015 and Mugs inscribed 7 days to save the NHS-any year since 1949.You can still Trot along to our website to purchase them.
Goodbye Jeremy and Len.

Dear Mr. Swan,

Thanks you for publishing the views of the Labour elite. who, as always, do not seem to even consider why their brand has gone so far out of fashion. There are of course many reasons for this but the one I would like to draw your attention to seems to have had little exposure outside of, perhap, Scotland.

At the end of WW2 there were numerous areas in the UK that could be considered to be failing economically, largely but not exclusively because of historical tides of trade and industry that were running against them. They were shitty places to live and raise a family, most of those areas voted Labour. Seventy years of those areas that still vote Labour are still, on the whole, shitty places to live and raise a family. Labour's political dominance over decades has done sweet feck all. Its almost as if Labour politicians wanted to keep their core voters poor and in shit conditions, no other explanation seems to fit.

So maybe, just maybe, people have started to notice that Labour are not for "people like us".

Love and Kisses

Wandsworth Lad.

Exhibit A: Detroit. Population 1950 = 1.85 million; 2013 =701,000. During that time it went from one of the most prosperous cities in the US, to bankrupt. Political leadership - GOP dominated until 1962, solely Democrat since.

Sure, some of the problems arose in 1950s, but over 53 years of sole possession of political power, the Dems drove the city into the ground.

So, todays the day.... Whos got the champers on ice?