The stuff about Labour leaders being difficult to remove, the stuff about mandate, the stuff about Corbyn's massive self righteousness - this is all true, and yet might be irrelevant.
The Long Walk to Silence shows just what an eggshell personality Corbyn is, how he can't abide scrutiny. He has now turned down Marr and the Today show. He wants to rotate PMQs. He runs away from journalists - he even tries to get the police to protect him from questions.
This is a man without the mental skill set for the job. Therefore his job will be torture. It will be humiliating. Every day in the Commons will be horrible.
What's more, he will have to suffer scorn and loathing from the Tories, Lib Dems, Ulster Unionists and Nats AND dislike and contempt from HIS OWN SIDE.
Who could endure all THAT for five years? Not, I think, Jeremy Corbyn MP.
Politically he should be set to lead Labour into the GE. Psychologically, I don't see it. Though he may surprise yet.
You'd think that someone who has been doing all these rallies, who so strongly believes in what he says he believes in, who so wants to change Britain in the way that he wants, would be itching to get on every news channel he can to spread the good news.
He's been ignored for 32 years. At last people want to hear what he has to say. And he simply runs away. It is most peculiar.
The tv news channels are yesterday. Social media groundswells are where it's at. He won 60% support. Sixty per cent. You might want to stop and think that maybe it's him changing the mix. He's not interested in the Westminster bubble. The first leader since Clement Attlee in that mould, and the first leader since Clement Attlee from an inner city constituency. The comparison's interesting.
He is insulting the public and appearing 'frit' and very arrogant by not conducting interviews with the broadcast media. The result will be that he is 'hounded' more and more and at some point he's going to lose it in a very big public way
Just watched the long silent walk..this fella seems to have a mental problem..
Look, I think that he'll be a disaster for Labour, but he should be allowed to not answer a Sky reporter's question without having his sanity questioned. From his point of view he'll not get a fair hearing from 'the right wing press', so why talk to them. Other politicians handle unwanted questions better, but he seems to have raised stubbornness to an art form.
We want - DEMAND - our own Minister to make sure that our particular views on transubstantiation [...] are properly taken into account in government policy.
Nobody really thinks that the bread is literally the body of Corbyn, do they?
If Corbyn were bread he'd be the sliced bread you buy late at night when you've run out, fit only for toasting, left in the plastic wrapping in the bread bin because you realise that even toasted it tastes disgusting and thrown out a few days later whe it's gone green and smelly.
The Long Walk to Silence shows just what an eggshell personality Corbyn is, .
No it doesn't. It shows how rightly he repudiates Murdoch and the Blairite media love in. But I'm afraid Primposies like you wouldn't understand that. Or, rather, you probably do and you're desperate to cling on to it.
No, the man's a walking disaster waiting to happen. Quite how and when Corbyn loses the leadership remains to be seen but it will almost certainly be spectacular.
Just watched the long silent walk..this fella seems to have a mental problem..
Look, I think that he'll be a disaster for Labour, but he should be allowed to not answer a Sky reporter's question without having his sanity questioned. From his point of view he'll not get a fair hearing from 'the right wing press', so why talk to them. Other politicians handle unwanted questions better, but he seems to have raised stubbornness to an art form.
Well put.
Better than me. Like Corbyn I just get angry at the way the right-wing press have had this country by the balls for so long.
Jeremy Corbyn says: "“We have delivered a unifying, dynamic, inclusive new Shadow Cabinet which for the first time ever has a majority of women. I am delighted that we have established a Shadow Cabinet position for mental health which is a matter I have long been interested in.
Says it all really.
What does? You poking fun at mental health? Or were you making a point about the majority of women?
Nah m8 - just laughing at Jeremy..and you of course
Oh right, because for a second it looked for all the world as if you were making fun of mental health.
I can't be responsible for what you think m8 - way too big a job
"m8" ????!!!
You're right but try and take responsibility for what you think, and how you express it, instead ?
The stuff about Labour leaders being difficult to remove, the stuff about mandate, the stuff about Corbyn's massive self righteousness - this is all true, and yet might be irrelevant.
The Long Walk to Silence shows just what an eggshell personality Corbyn is, how he can't abide scrutiny. He has now turned down Marr and the Today show. He wants to rotate PMQs. He runs away from journalists - he even tries to get the police to protect him from questions.
This is a man without the mental skill set for the job. Therefore his job will be torture. It will be humiliating. Every day in the Commons will be horrible.
What's more, he will have to suffer scorn and loathing from the Tories, Lib Dems, Ulster Unionists and Nats AND dislike and contempt from HIS OWN SIDE.
Who could endure all THAT for five years? Not, I think, Jeremy Corbyn MP.
Politically he should be set to lead Labour into the GE. Psychologically, I don't see it. Though he may surprise yet.
You'd think that someone who has been doing all these rallies, who so strongly believes in what he says he believes in, who so wants to change Britain in the way that he wants, would be itching to get on every news channel he can to spread the good news.
He's been ignored for 32 years. At last people want to hear what he has to say. And he simply runs away. It is most peculiar.
The tv news channels are yesterday. Social media groundswells are where it's at. He won 60% support. Sixty per cent. You might want to stop and think that maybe it's him changing the mix. He's not interested in the Westminster bubble. The first leader since Clement Attlee in that mould, and the first leader since Clement Attlee from an inner city constituency. The comparison's interesting.
He is insulting the public and appearing 'frit' and very arrogant by not conducting interviews with the broadcast media. The result will be that he is 'hounded' more and more and at some point he's going to lose it in a very big public way
Jeremy Corbyn says: "“We have delivered a unifying, dynamic, inclusive new Shadow Cabinet which for the first time ever has a majority of women. I am delighted that we have established a Shadow Cabinet position for mental health which is a matter I have long been interested in.
Says it all really.
What does? You poking fun at mental health? Or were you making a point about the majority of women?
Nah m8 - just laughing at Jeremy..and you of course
Oh right, because for a second it looked for all the world as if you were making fun of mental health.
I can't be responsible for what you think m8 - way too big a job
"m8" ????!!!
You're right but try and take responsibility for what you think, and how you express it, instead ?
Oooh - free speech not a Corbyn thing is it?
It is. Just don't come across as if you're making fun of mental health. Not clever.
To paraphrase Wolowitz, To think of Corbyn leadership is to picture the Hindenburg meets Chernobyl meets Three Mile Island meets Tron 2 meets the Battle of Zama.
IIRC didn't this site or another lead yesterday, actually it may have been MurdochSky, with that hatchet job poll:
'Do you think Corbyn is fit to be PM?'
I mean. Stop and think about that kind of question and see why he might not want to talk to them. There are lots of ways of asking fair polling questions. That's not one such.
Jeremy Corbyn says: "“We have delivered a unifying, dynamic, inclusive new Shadow Cabinet which for the first time ever has a majority of women. I am delighted that we have established a Shadow Cabinet position for mental health which is a matter I have long been interested in.
Says it all really.
What does? You poking fun at mental health? Or were you making a point about the majority of women?
Nah m8 - just laughing at Jeremy..and you of course
Oh right, because for a second it looked for all the world as if you were making fun of mental health.
I can't be responsible for what you think m8 - way too big a job
"m8" ????!!!
You're right but try and take responsibility for what you think, and how you express it, instead ?
Oooh - free speech not a Corbyn thing is it?
It is. Just don't come across as if you're making fun of mental health. Not clever.
I wasn't and you're pathetic smearing won't make it so. Like everybody else I'm making fun of Jeremy.
Jeremy Corbyn says: "“We have delivered a unifying, dynamic, inclusive new Shadow Cabinet which for the first time ever has a majority of women. I am delighted that we have established a Shadow Cabinet position for mental health which is a matter I have long been interested in.
Says it all really.
What does? You poking fun at mental health? Or were you making a point about the majority of women?
Nah m8 - just laughing at Jeremy..and you of course
Oh right, because for a second it looked for all the world as if you were making fun of mental health.
I can't be responsible for what you think m8 - way too big a job
"m8" ????!!!
You're right but try and take responsibility for what you think, and how you express it, instead ?
Oooh - free speech not a Corbyn thing is it?
It is. Just don't come across as if you're making fun of mental health. Not clever.
So we're not allowed to call Corbyn or McDonnell 'nutters', then? How about 'loons'?
Shame you couldn't leave Henry's excellent thread as leader up a bit longer.
Much more interesting is the purge now starting at Labour HQ. There won't be any Blairites left to oust him before too much longer ...
I was thinking this morning about the 1981 split. Traditional thinking has had it that this was a bad thing for Labour. It certainly didn't do anything for their 1983 result but in that calamity also lay their recovery: had Labour not split, there's a good chance Benn would have kept his seat and become leader. Perhaps in order to save Labour, Blairites need first to destroy it.
From his point of view he'll not get a fair hearing from 'the right wing press', so why talk to them.
If he doesn't his opponents will. Basically you are saying Corbyn should only speak to his existing supporters. That's politically stupid.
No it's power to the people comrade. Grassroots up, social media, revolution. All tongue-in-cheek aside he swept to power with 1/2 million voters backing him by 50% to 19% nearest rival. He packed out meetings up and down the country and he has got everyone, including you all on here, talking about him and his policies.
From his point of view he'll not get a fair hearing from 'the right wing press', so why talk to them.
If he doesn't his opponents will. Basically you are saying Corbyn should only speak to his existing supporters. That's politically stupid.
No it's power to the people comrade. Grassroots up, social media, revolution. All tongue-in-cheek aside he swept to power with 1/2 million voters backing him by 50% to 19% nearest rival. He packed out meetings up and down the country and he has got everyone, including you all on here, talking about him and his policies.
We've not seen anything like this in a long time.
That is the same social media and ground-game bollocks that IOS used to bang on about. Despite that the the PM is still a Tory.
The make-up of the new Shadow Cabinet only has a majority of women because new jobs were created for them. You can't really be a shadow minister for jobs that don't actually have a minister to shadow. Creating jobs like this just smacks of tokenism to make up numbers.
It certainly has nothing to do with real equality. Just box-ticking.
Last week Cameron lost his own party support in the HoC and was defeated.
When you've calmed down about the way Corbyn comes over, we're in for a spell of politics the like of which we've not seen for ages.
It's by no means foregone that the Conservatives will last through to 2020. You think the pasty tax was a big issue. Just wait until Europe hits the fan.
For weeks, months, years Corbyn has been pushing the refugee issue..
And NO ONE has been listening.
For weeks, months, years, Cameron has been spending MORE on Syrian refugees than any other EU country - twice the next biggest contributor - Germany - and probably more than all the other European governments combined.
And he did this because a Labour nonentity back bencher raised the topic in a speech few listened to and no one reported?
Arguing his policy was a result of anything other than a response to Merkel's grandstanding is historical revisionism, despite it only being very recent...
Except of course the UK was already spending twice as much as the whole of the rest of the EU put together on Syrian refugees long before Merkel ever thought of hugging a Homsian. If anyone it is the Europeans who have been trying to play catch up with the UK as they saw how shamefully little they were contributing. Merkel was late to the game and her first and most important act has been to make the whole situation far worse. I suspect she and Germany will now reap what she has sowed. Unfortunately much of the rest of Europe will pay the price as well with a massive increase in refugee numbers now they have hope they will be given permanent settlement.
From his point of view he'll not get a fair hearing from 'the right wing press', so why talk to them.
If he doesn't his opponents will. Basically you are saying Corbyn should only speak to his existing supporters. That's politically stupid.
No it's power to the people comrade. Grassroots up, social media, revolution. All tongue-in-cheek aside he swept to power with 1/2 million voters backing him by 50% to 19% nearest rival. He packed out meetings up and down the country and he has got everyone, including you all on here, talking about him and his policies.
We've not seen anything like this in a long time.
Yep, all publicity is good and all that.
Crackpots throughout history have attracted publicity, they sell papers.
The stuff about Labour leaders being difficult to remove, the stuff about mandate, the stuff about Corbyn's massive self righteousness - this is all true, and yet might be irrelevant.
The Long Walk to Silence shows just what an eggshell personality Corbyn is, how he can't abide scrutiny. He has now turned down Marr and the Today show. He wants to rotate PMQs. He runs away from journalists - he even tries to get the police to protect him from questions.
This is a man without the mental skill set for the job. Therefore his job will be torture. It will be humiliating. Every day in the Commons will be horrible.
What's more, he will have to suffer scorn and loathing from the Tories, Lib Dems, Ulster Unionists and Nats AND dislike and contempt from HIS OWN SIDE.
Who could endure all THAT for five years? Not, I think, Jeremy Corbyn MP.
Politically he should be set to lead Labour into the GE. Psychologically, I don't see it. Though he may surprise yet.
You'd think that someone who has been doing all these rallies, who so strongly believes in what he says he believes in, who so wants to change Britain in the way that he wants, would be itching to get on every news channel he can to spread the good news.
He's been ignored for 32 years. At last people want to hear what he has to say. And he simply runs away. It is most peculiar.
The tv news channels are yesterday. Social media groundswells are where it's at. He won 60% support. Sixty per cent. You might want to stop and think that maybe it's him changing the mix. He's not interested in the Westminster bubble. The first leader since Clement Attlee in that mould, and the first leader since Clement Attlee from an inner city constituency. The comparison's interesting.
Last week Cameron lost his own party support in the HoC and was defeated.
When you've calmed down about the way Corbyn comes over, we're in for a spell of politics the like of which we've not seen for ages.
It's by no means foregone that the Conservatives will last through to 2020. You think the pasty tax was a big issue. Just wait until Europe hits the fan.
" We're in for a spell of politics we've not seen for ages". Quite. We're in the thick of it right now.
IIRC didn't this site or another lead yesterday, actually it may have been MurdochSky, with that hatchet job poll:
'Do you think Corbyn is fit to be PM?'
I mean. Stop and think about that kind of question and see why he might not want to talk to them. There are lots of ways of asking fair polling questions. That's not one such.
Seems like a perfectly fair question.
If Corbyn is so thin skinned, and it's clear that he is, he shouldn't have stood as leader of a political party.
He'd be happier remaining a nutcase on the back benches.
The stuff about Labour leaders being difficult to remove, the stuff about mandate, the stuff about Corbyn's massive self righteousness - this is all true, and yet might be irrelevant.
The Long Walk to Silence shows just what an eggshell personality Corbyn is, how he can't abide scrutiny. He has now turned down Marr and the Today show. He wants to rotate PMQs. He runs away from journalists - he even tries to get the police to protect him from questions.
This is a man without the mental skill set for the job. Therefore his job will be torture. It will be humiliating. Every day in the Commons will be horrible.
What's more, he will have to suffer scorn and loathing from the Tories, Lib Dems, Ulster Unionists and Nats AND dislike and contempt from HIS OWN SIDE.
Who could endure all THAT for five years? Not, I think, Jeremy Corbyn MP.
Politically he should be set to lead Labour into the GE. Psychologically, I don't see it. Though he may surprise yet.
You'd think that someone who has been doing all these rallies, who so strongly believes in what he says he believes in, who so wants to change Britain in the way that he wants, would be itching to get on every news channel he can to spread the good news.
He's been ignored for 32 years. At last people want to hear what he has to say. And he simply runs away. It is most peculiar.
The tv news channels are yesterday. Social media groundswells are where it's at. He won 60% support. Sixty per cent. You might want to stop and think that maybe it's him changing the mix. He's not interested in the Westminster bubble. The first leader since Clement Attlee in that mould, and the first leader since Clement Attlee from an inner city constituency. The comparison's interesting.
An inner city constituency: Islington - which is about as representative of the rest of the UK as I am of male marathon runners.
Your comparison with Atlee is fatuous: Atlee did charity work, worked as Mayor of Stepney, served with distinction in WW1. He was out of the bubble. Corbyn has been within the Westminster bubble - his particular left-wing circle of it - all his life. He's had no life experience beyond it, certainly not the sort of impressive public service which Atlee had before he went into politics.
In a democracy he needs votes from the people not just those in his party. And he needs to communicate with them. Since being elected he has avoided speaking to voters other than those who elected him. He's not changing the mix. He's not even participating. And he's letting others define him.
That's a pretty stupid thing to do in any job, let alone in this one.
For weeks, months, years Corbyn has been pushing the refugee issue..
And NO ONE has been listening.
For weeks, months, years, Cameron has been spending MORE on Syrian refugees than any other EU country - twice the next biggest contributor - Germany - and probably more than all the other European governments combined.
And he did this because a Labour nonentity back bencher raised the topic in a speech few listened to and no one reported?
Arguing his policy was a result of anything other than a response to Merkel's grandstanding is historical revisionism, despite it only being very recent...
Except of course the UK was already spending twice as much as the whole of the rest of the EU put together on Syrian refugees long before Merkel ever thought of hugging a Homsian. If anyone it is the Europeans who have been trying to play catch up with the UK as they saw how shamefully little they were contributing. Merkel was late to the game and her first and most important act has been to make the whole situation far worse. I suspect she and Germany will now reap what she has sowed. Unfortunately much of the rest of Europe will pay the price as well with a massive increase in refugee numbers now they have hope they will be given permanent settlement.
Sorry I phrased it badly, I'm actually a tory - I meant the specific policy of increasing the resettlement programme at that specific time he did it.
Interesting market. If corbyn wins the 2020 GE, it could make up 3500!
Or indeed beyond. I had assumed that the maximum make-up would be based on the 2020 GE date. This aspect needs to be writ large as a health warning on Sporting's website.
This really is the riskiest of all spread bets especially as it depends on a whole range of imponderables.
Frankly IMHO, it's more suited to being a fun bet, calculated on the number of completed months, rather than days which Jezza serves as LOTO and certainly with the May GE date being the last make-up date. Probably not the sort of bet to undertake casually over the phone without access to and a clear understanding of all the finer points.
IIRC didn't this site or another lead yesterday, actually it may have been MurdochSky, with that hatchet job poll:
'Do you think Corbyn is fit to be PM?'
I mean. Stop and think about that kind of question and see why he might not want to talk to them. There are lots of ways of asking fair polling questions. That's not one such.
Seems like a perfectly fair question.
If Corbyn is so thin skinned he shouldn't have taken on the role.
Then you know very little, or nothing, about opinion polling. It's a leading question. The normal type of question is a satisfaction / dissatisfaction rating.
Opinion polls need to be put with open questions. One with that question not only anticipates the answer 'no' it's a leading question in the way it's phrased.
Do you think Jeremy Corbyn would be a good or bad Prime Minister? is a little better and fairer.
No it's power to the people comrade. Grassroots up, social media, revolution. All tongue-in-cheek aside he swept to power with 1/2 million voters backing him by 50% to 19% nearest rival. He packed out meetings up and down the country and he has got everyone, including you all on here, talking about him and his policies.
We've not seen anything like this in a long time.
Estobar has a point here. It's certainly true that Labour is dominating the news at the moment, albeit not necessarily in the right way. UKIP and the LibDems are going to struggle to be noticed in this maelstrom.
Just watched the long silent walk..this fella seems to have a mental problem..
Look, I think that he'll be a disaster for Labour, but he should be allowed to not answer a Sky reporter's question without having his sanity questioned. From his point of view he'll not get a fair hearing from 'the right wing press', so why talk to them. Other politicians handle unwanted questions better, but he seems to have raised stubbornness to an art form.
It's the WAY he didn't answer that is so odd, and so telling. Stony silence, and lots of jaw grinding - like he's an inch away from clocking someone. Then after three excruciating minutes he tries to flag down a police car?? What was he going to do, have people arrested for being journalists?
And then, to top it all off, he shouts in this weird, effete, quavery old man's voice - There's People Bothering Me!
Well yeah, mate. You're the Leader of the Bloody Opposition.
And the goading will only get worse. At some point he will have to decided whether he can man up and talk to the media, or he will have to resign. That's all there is to it.
We keep being told Corbyn is a nice person, wouldn't hurt a fly, and is extremely polite and courteous.
I'm not seeing it myself. He seems a nasty piece of work.
He's against HS2, and was one of the few Labour MPs to rebel the whip and vote against it.
And along with Europe, another reason why he may very well be tapping into the UKIP working vote.
Not in the north, he won't. Northern - Labour - councils are very much in favour. For example Sheffield, want it re-routed through the city centre, or even two lines.
Abandoning HS2 would cause Corbyn problems with the northern Labour councils.
He's against HS2, and was one of the few Labour MPs to rebel the whip and vote against it.
JJ, any thoughts on the revelations that HS2 is going to actually reduce capacity on the existing services rather than increasing it because of losing platforms and lines at Euston? Surely this kind of kills one of the last arguments in favour of the scheme.
@FraserNelson: Betway odds on first to resign from Corbyn's front bench: John McDonnell 11/4; Diane Abbott; 7/2; Rosie Winterton 5/1; Andy Burnham 11/2.
Is political betting just a right-wing talking shop? Just wondered because it comes over that way.
If your definition of right wing embraces people supporting the Lib Dems, Blair, Cooper, Balls, Flint & Kendall then yes. Ever thought of joining, Greens, SWP, TUSC or Owen Jones fan club?
IIRC didn't this site or another lead yesterday, actually it may have been MurdochSky, with that hatchet job poll:
'Do you think Corbyn is fit to be PM?'
I mean. Stop and think about that kind of question and see why he might not want to talk to them. There are lots of ways of asking fair polling questions. That's not one such.
Seems like a perfectly fair question.
If Corbyn is so thin skinned, and it's clear that he is, he shouldn't have stood as leader of a political party.
He'd be happier remaining a nutcase on the back benches.
Clearly Corbyn is hoping to 'connect' directly with the voters, scorning the MSM...
@BBCAllegra: 1/ Just asked Jeremy Corbyn to confirm Hilary Benn's belief that Labour will campaign to keep Britain in Europe. He was moved on by handlers
From his point of view he'll not get a fair hearing from 'the right wing press', so why talk to them.
If he doesn't his opponents will. Basically you are saying Corbyn should only speak to his existing supporters. That's politically stupid.
No it's power to the people comrade. Grassroots up, social media, revolution. All tongue-in-cheek aside he swept to power with 1/2 million voters backing him by 50% to 19% nearest rival. He packed out meetings up and down the country and he has got everyone, including you all on here, talking about him and his policies.
From his point of view he'll not get a fair hearing from 'the right wing press', so why talk to them.
If he doesn't his opponents will. Basically you are saying Corbyn should only speak to his existing supporters. That's politically stupid.
No it's power to the people comrade. Grassroots up, social media, revolution. All tongue-in-cheek aside he swept to power with 1/2 million voters backing him by 50% to 19% nearest rival. He packed out meetings up and down the country and he has got everyone, including you all on here, talking about him and his policies.
We've not seen anything like this in a long time.
Here's a simple arithmetic test: half a million voters in the Labour party. How many voters on the electoral roll? What proportion of the latter is the former? Please feel free to express as a percentage or a fraction.
Your last sentence is certainly correct. It's a long time we've seen key people within the official opposition party being so unwillingto say anything in public or answer questions. They're either contemptuous of us, the public. Or scared. Or unprepared. Or maybe all three.
He's against HS2, and was one of the few Labour MPs to rebel the whip and vote against it.
JJ, any thoughts on the revelations that HS2 is going to actually reduce capacity on the existing services rather than increasing it because of losing platforms and lines at Euston? Surely this kind of kills one of the last arguments in favour of the scheme.
I've said on here passim that HS2 lives or dies on Euston.
I've only seen the background information (and skimmed that) rather than any details, so it depends on how they think it'll work operationally. They might be able to make it work, but there is a great difficulty in cutting things like station dwell-time for trains, as I think has been shown at London Bridge recently.
As an example, apparently the Midland Main Line platforms at St Pancras - moved when the Eurostar terminal was built - are apparently already causing operational problems because there are not enough platform faces.
@JGForsyth: Remarkable from @helenlewis: Stella Creasy, who came 2nd in deputy leadership contest, wasn't even offered a full shadow Cabinet position
@PolhomeEditor: I'm told that @stellacreasy was offered the chance to attend Shadow Cabinet - but only when they discussed "youth affairs". She declined.
@isam McDonnell does remind me a bit of Rossiter....
JC is CJ reversed.
"I didn't get where I am today by talking to Murdoch journalists on a Sunday evening..."
Actually the formation of Her Majesty's Loyal Opposition's shadow cabinet does seem to have echoes of Reggie's creation of sales areas by drawing round his secretary's handbag, and the bin at the last minute. Except Reggie's way was more thought through of course.
@JGForsyth: Remarkable from @helenlewis: Stella Creasy, who came 2nd in deputy leadership contest, wasn't even offered a full shadow Cabinet position
@PolhomeEditor: I'm told that @stellacreasy was offered the chance to attend Shadow Cabinet - but only when they discussed "youth affairs". She declined.
wow. like her or not, Stella Creasy is a pretty able politican in labour standards.
.... It's a long time we've seen key people within the official opposition party being so unwillingto say anything in public or answer questions. They're either contemptuous of us, the public. Or scared. Or unprepared. Or maybe all three.
Or perhaps they seek to emulate comrades from times past such as the Soviet Politburo who had no truck with journalists and only issued bland communiques through approved channels.
We can all see the "success" of hard left policies and parties. The history books are full of examples since real world examples are rather thin on the ground these days, for some reason.....
For weeks, months, years Corbyn has been pushing the refugee issue. Cameron has reacted.
Political discourse in Britain is moving left and this is the greatest gift Corbyn has given.
Interesting times ahead. Don't be too cocky you Conservatives. Don't be too cocky.
Here is Cameron in 2012 visiting a Syrian Refugee camp. I guess that was somehow in anticipation of Corbyn's 2015 victory.
"Durham University Syria expert Daniel Newman said Cameron’s visit to the refugees is significant.
“It sends a very powerful message to the Syrian opposition that Britain is very much engaged with the situation and is taking a very active role,” said Newman."
Just watched the long silent walk..this fella seems to have a mental problem..
Look, I think that he'll be a disaster for Labour, but he should be allowed to not answer a Sky reporter's question without having his sanity questioned. From his point of view he'll not get a fair hearing from 'the right wing press', so why talk to them. Other politicians handle unwanted questions better, but he seems to have raised stubbornness to an art form.
It's the WAY he didn't answer that is so odd, and so telling. Stony silence, and lots of jaw grinding - like he's an inch away from clocking someone. Then after three excruciating minutes he tries to flag down a police car?? What was he going to do, have people arrested for being journalists?
And then, to top it all off, he shouts in this weird, effete, quavery old man's voice - There's People Bothering Me!
Well yeah, mate. You're the Leader of the Bloody Opposition.
And the goading will only get worse. At some point he will have to decided whether he can man up and talk to the media, or he will have to resign. That's all there is to it.
We keep being told Corbyn is a nice person, wouldn't hurt a fly, and is extremely polite and courteous.
I'm not seeing it myself. He seems a nasty piece of work.
I'm sure Nick Palmer told us repeatedly that Corbyn would talk to anyone, anyone - no matter how repulsive, no matter how little he agreed with them. I'm sure he never excluded the press from that. Perhaps I didn't remember correctly.
Maybe we missed the bit where he said that he was very polite, would talk to anyone, including IRA leaders, Hamas (check out how they deal with journalists, BTW), rabid anti-Semites etc. But not the UK press - absolutely beyond the pale them.
Corbyn will not last long - if matters continue at this rate. However, even if a sensible leadership and shadow cabinet is installed within a year, the damage that the fiasco of the last few days has effected will already have cost Labour the 2020 election, I fear.
From his point of view he'll not get a fair hearing from 'the right wing press', so why talk to them.
If he doesn't his opponents will. Basically you are saying Corbyn should only speak to his existing supporters. That's politically stupid.
No it's power to the people comrade. Grassroots up, social media, revolution. All tongue-in-cheek aside he swept to power with 1/2 million voters backing him by 50% to 19% nearest rival. He packed out meetings up and down the country and he has got everyone, including you all on here, talking about him and his policies.
We've not seen anything like this in a long time.
A 1/4 million voters backing him, not 1/2 million.
Yes, it was a stunning victory and he's dominated the news cycles since. It's not a route to electoral victory though.
Comments
news.sky.com/story/1552307/corbyns-cabinet-chaos-the-inside-story
Other politicians handle unwanted questions better, but he seems to have raised stubbornness to an art form.
Cameron -33 (+1)
Sturgeon +39 (-16)
Dugdale -15
Davidson =
7-10 Sep
N=1,110
http://t.co/cNyxWMD56Y
Better than me. Like Corbyn I just get angry at the way the right-wing press have had this country by the balls for so long.
Oooh - free speech not a Corbyn thing is it?
Those Ozzies get the knife in quickly.
https://twitter.com/fulljonnynelson/status/643397179437109248?lang=en
Perhaps he should learn form the dear leader's silence.
Like Corbyn you get angry when you have your actions, beliefs and policies scrutinised.
'Do you think Corbyn is fit to be PM?'
I mean. Stop and think about that kind of question and see why he might not want to talk to them. There are lots of ways of asking fair polling questions. That's not one such.
@rosschawkins: John McDonnell pulled out of a World at One interview shortly before they went on air
We've not seen anything like this in a long time.
http://wingsoverscotland.com/the-experts/#more-75409
It certainly has nothing to do with real equality. Just box-ticking.
He's against HS2, and was one of the few Labour MPs to rebel the whip and vote against it.
https://youtu.be/93bWZV3485I
When you've calmed down about the way Corbyn comes over, we're in for a spell of politics the like of which we've not seen for ages.
It's by no means foregone that the Conservatives will last through to 2020. You think the pasty tax was a big issue. Just wait until Europe hits the fan.
https://twitter.com/scotlandvotes/status/643359025963376640
https://twitter.com/scotlandvotes/status/643355963202908160
https://twitter.com/scotlandvotes/status/643340414053974016
Crackpots throughout history have attracted publicity, they sell papers.
If Corbyn is so thin skinned, and it's clear that he is, he shouldn't have stood as leader of a political party.
He'd be happier remaining a nutcase on the back benches.
Your comparison with Atlee is fatuous: Atlee did charity work, worked as Mayor of Stepney, served with distinction in WW1. He was out of the bubble. Corbyn has been within the Westminster bubble - his particular left-wing circle of it - all his life. He's had no life experience beyond it, certainly not the sort of impressive public service which Atlee had before he went into politics.
In a democracy he needs votes from the people not just those in his party. And he needs to communicate with them. Since being elected he has avoided speaking to voters other than those who elected him. He's not changing the mix. He's not even participating. And he's letting others define him.
That's a pretty stupid thing to do in any job, let alone in this one.
This really is the riskiest of all spread bets especially as it depends on a whole range of imponderables.
Frankly IMHO, it's more suited to being a fun bet, calculated on the number of completed months, rather than days which Jezza serves as LOTO and certainly with the May GE date being the last make-up date. Probably not the sort of bet to undertake casually over the phone without access to and a clear understanding of all the finer points.
Opinion polls need to be put with open questions. One with that question not only anticipates the answer 'no' it's a leading question in the way it's phrased.
Do you think Jeremy Corbyn would be a good or bad Prime Minister? is a little better and fairer.
Basics of polling dear fellow.
I'm not seeing it myself. He seems a nasty piece of work.
Abandoning HS2 would cause Corbyn problems with the northern Labour councils.
Voting intention:
YES 45 (+2)
NO 49 (=)
SNP commit in manifesto:
Should 29
Shouldn't 59
Sadly no Westminster VI
There's going to be tears ar the conference...
They usually flounce off after a few months to sounds of it's not fair.
I was told that I'd get a call back tomorrow morning, and I may be offered a price then.
Your last sentence is certainly correct. It's a long time we've seen key people within the official opposition party being so unwillingto say anything in public or answer questions. They're either contemptuous of us, the public. Or scared. Or unprepared. Or maybe all three.
I've only seen the background information (and skimmed that) rather than any details, so it depends on how they think it'll work operationally. They might be able to make it work, but there is a great difficulty in cutting things like station dwell-time for trains, as I think has been shown at London Bridge recently.
As an example, apparently the Midland Main Line platforms at St Pancras - moved when the Eurostar terminal was built - are apparently already causing operational problems because there are not enough platform faces.
"I did get where I am today by not talking to Murdoch journalists on a Sunday evening..."
It all makes sense at last!!!
@PolhomeEditor: I'm told that @stellacreasy was offered the chance to attend Shadow Cabinet - but only when they discussed "youth affairs". She declined.
http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2015/sep/13/jeremy-corbyn-victory-energises-the-alienated-labour
The 'lets invent some pretendy roles for the ladies' is quite something for 2015.
We can all see the "success" of hard left policies and parties. The history books are full of examples since real world examples are rather thin on the ground these days, for some reason.....
Here is Cameron in 2012 visiting a Syrian Refugee camp. I guess that was somehow in anticipation of Corbyn's 2015 victory.
"Durham University Syria expert Daniel Newman said Cameron’s visit to the refugees is significant.
“It sends a very powerful message to the Syrian opposition that Britain is very much engaged with the situation and is taking a very active role,” said Newman."
http://www.voanews.com/content/britain-authorizes-talks-with-armes-syrian-opposition/1540999.html
Maybe we missed the bit where he said that he was very polite, would talk to anyone, including IRA leaders, Hamas (check out how they deal with journalists, BTW), rabid anti-Semites etc. But not the UK press - absolutely beyond the pale them.
Yes, it was a stunning victory and he's dominated the news cycles since. It's not a route to electoral victory though.