[Archived] The General Election 2015

[thenodrog]

Funny how when mud is slung at Farage and Ukip, Labour supporters holler for weeks to try and make it stick. When it's flung at Corbyn, the very same people are suddenly overcome with perspective, leniency and not attributing blame for someone else's actions. The hypocrisy of the left truly knows no bounds.

Same with the great pretend socialist principles of democracy and freedom of speech. Just about every left wing regime around the globe forbids such.

[K-Hod]

Me too! btw Gav you are in support of Corbyn so are you anti semitic and a holocaust denier too?

As far as his opposition. It's just about every Labour heavyweight thats strongly against him with the exception of Little ed who must still be sulking after all the knives that were stuck in his back after the election. He's conveniently gone on holiday. So gav given that you have stoutly praised them all just a few short months ago why are you so strongly against them now?

Oh dear Gordon, you'll have to do better than that! Most of this mud-slinging against Corbyn is from fearful fools from political parties who fear him, as he seems to be a massive departure from Milliband and that side of Labour that catastrophically failed in the last election.

If Cameron and co are still the answer, I don't want to know what the question is!

[RibbleValleyRover]

The Labour 'heavyweights' know that Corbyn can't win a GE. Elections are won on the political center ground and Corbyn is far left from center.

I hope they do elect Corbyn, for one it makes their members and Union barons feel better that Labour have got back to some of their old roots/beliefs and at the same time it makes them unelectable. Win win I say.

[K-Hod]

Edit.

[Mike E]

The Labour 'heavyweights' know that Corbyn can't win a GE. Elections are won on the political center ground and Corbyn is far left from center.

I hope they do elect Corbyn, for one it makes their members and Union barons feel better that Labour have got back to some of their old roots/beliefs and at the same time it makes them unelectable. Win win I say.

It makes them more electable even to a right-of-centre voter like me.

I'm more likely to vote for someone who says what he thinks and means it, whether I agree or not. An election consisting of Corbyn, Farage, Sturgeon will be an honest and very well-fought one.

Not that my vote matters in the grand scheme, mind.

[jim mk2]

Funny how when mud is slung at Farage and Ukip, Labour supporters holler for weeks to try and make it stick. When it's flung at Corbyn, the very same people are suddenly overcome with perspective, leniency and not attributing blame for someone else's actions. The hypocrisy of the left truly knows no bounds.

Pseudo intellectual psycho babble. Are you ill ?

[Mike E]

Pseudo intellectual psycho babble. Are you ill ?

What an intellectual response to a perfectly valid point...

[jim mk2]

What an intellectual response to a perfectly valid point...

What a silly reply.

[Gav]

Me too! btw Gav you are in support of Corbyn so are you anti semitic and a holocaust denier too?

As far as his opposition. It's just about every Labour heavyweight thats strongly against him with the exception of Little ed who must still be sulking after all the knives that were stuck in his back after the election. He's conveniently gone on holiday. So gav given that you have stoutly praised them all just a few short months ago why are you so strongly against them now?

You wont want me to go near that first line Gordon, I've got a long memory my friend

The problem with this site is people represent your views incorrectly all the time, but for the record I wanted a Labour government over a Tory one ant day of the week, but hardly anyone in the Labour party filled me with any confidence to bring about change, even Chuka has now blotted his copybook sadly. The rest of them in contention have turned to slagging off their opponents, despite knowing full well they'll be working with them going forward, its a short sighted approach in the pursuit of power, typical really and disheartening, Gideon's doing the same with with Boris.

Corbyn hasn't resorted to name calling, he's kept his dignity throughout and for that reason alone I'd have him in charge. Many Labour big hitters say he'll make the party unelectable, maybe they've been on Mars for the last 8yrs, but Labour have been unelectable following the same model as they're advocating.

Corbyn seems very popular with the younger voters also which says allot, I'd have no problem if he gets the nod.

[jim mk2]

It is astonishing to see so many Labour politicians launching such visceral attacks on one of their own. Where was this passion in the last five years? Why didn't these people attack the malice and incompetence of the Tory led coalition government with such determination ? The Daily Mirror columnist Kevin Maguire referred to the Labour politicians making these attacks as "David Cameron's useful idiots" and he's absolutely right.

[Gav]

It is astonishing to see so many Labour politicians launching such visceral attacks on one of their own. Where was this passion in the last five years? Why didn't these people attack the malice and incompetence of the Tory led coalition government with such determination ? The Daily Mirror columnist Kevin Maguire referred to the Labour politicians making these attacks as "David Cameron's useful idiots" and he's absolutely right.

Absolutely, such a short sighted approach Jim.

[yoda]

Labour are doing a fine job of making themselves un electable, which is no good for the UK.

The system relies on an effective opposition to try and keep the government of the day honest.

This could be Labour's obituary

Failed the UK

[Steve Kean's Hypnotoad]

It's the opposite of short-sighted. Farage looked just as imperious after the 2014 european elections and a year later Ukip won 1 seat at the general election. The anti-Corbyn labour supporters are the only ones not being short-sighted and thinking about what happens when Corbyn-mania starts wearing off.

One of Labour's major problems at the last election was that the threat of a coalition with the SNP scared any moderate voters off. I imagine Corbyn will do the same. The main reason he'll be unelectable though is he doesn't seem to think mass immigration is a problem and a large majority of the country does.

The 2 major parties tend to have to bring over a decent number of opposition voters to their side to win an election. I just can't see Corbyn being remotely attractive to almost anyone who voted Tory last time. Although no doubt the likes of Jim still think all you need is the unions and a lot of shouting to win an election.

[jim mk2]

It's funny that the more attacks there are on Corbyn, the more popular he becomes. Maybe it's because people like him for his honesty and are sick of the unprincipled, expenses scamming, cash-for-access offering, self-serving careerist class of politician who have come to completely dominate Westminster politics.

I'm pretty sure that many thousands of natural Labour Party supporters would come back to the party were he to win and wrest control of the party from the right wing. The most important reason that a Corbyn victory would be good is because unlike over the past 5 years he would finally bring some kind of clear and coherent opposition to the cruelty of the Tory government.

As for "mass immigration", on a day when it was revealed that Germany will take 800,000 migrants this year (yes, 800,000) the few we take here shows the immigration "problem" to be nothing more than a myth. Most voters aren't daft and will see through the right wing rhetoric.

[Mike E]

-

[Mike E]

It's funny that the more attacks there are on Corbyn, the more popular he becomes. Maybe it's because people like him for his honesty and are sick of the unprincipled, expenses scamming, cash-for-access offering, self-serving careerist class of politician who have come to completely dominate Westminster politics.

I'm pretty sure that many thousands of natural Labour Party supporters would come back to the party were he to win and wrest control of the party from the right wing. The most important reason that a Corbyn victory would be good is because unlike over the past 5 years he would finally bring some kind of clear and coherent opposition to the cruelty of the Tory government.

As for "mass immigration", on a day when it was revealed that Germany will take 800,000 migrants this year (yes, 800,000) the few we take here shows the immigration "problem" to be nothing more than a myth. Most voters aren't daft and will see through the right wing rhetoric.

Corbyn is particularly clever in that he has highlighted a number of the left-wing ideas that even right-wing voters want, such as renationalisation of rail, gas and electric.

The beauty of him standing for Labour (as I mentioned earlier) is his honesty. I see a lot of proper leadership in him (just as I do with Farage). He'd make a very interesting choice opposite Farage (it's the Tories and LibDems who are unelectable at this stage imo).

Only thing the Tories got right is the economic recovery which is in black and white for all to see. Unfortunately I believe they targeted the wrong people to do it.

[Gav]

It's the opposite of short-sighted. Farage looked just as imperious after the 2014 european elections and a year later Ukip won 1 seat at the general election. The anti-Corbyn labour supporters are the only ones not being short-sighted and thinking about what happens when Corbyn-mania starts wearing off.

One of Labour's major problems at the last election was that the threat of a coalition with the SNP scared any moderate voters off. I imagine Corbyn will do the same. The main reason he'll be unelectable though is he doesn't seem to think mass immigration is a problem and a large majority of the country does.

The 2 major parties tend to have to bring over a decent number of opposition voters to their side to win an election. I just can't see Corbyn being remotely attractive to almost anyone who voted Tory last time. Although no doubt the likes of Jim still think all you need is the unions and a lot of shouting to win an election.

Complete and utter bunkum with respect.

Labour lost the election under Browns leadership, haven't been electable since and you think Corbyn makes Labour unelectable? doesn't really make an sense does it......

[jim mk2]

Labour weren't "unelectable" in May - in fact they increased their overall vote and by significant margins in many parts of the north and in London. They lost because of very clever Tory campaigning in marginal constituencies and scaremongering over the SNP and a character assassination of Ed Miliband by the Tories' friends in the media.

[Baz]

Corbyn is particularly clever in that he has highlighted a number of the left-wing ideas that even right-wing voters want, such as renationalisation of rail, gas and electric.

The beauty of him standing for Labour (as I mentioned earlier) is his honesty. I see a lot of proper leadership in him (just as I do with Farage). He'd make a very interesting choice opposite Farage (it's the Tories and LibDems who are unelectable at this stage imo).

Only thing the Tories got right is the economic recovery which is in black and white for all to see. Unfortunately I believe they targeted the wrong people to do it.

I don't see that Corbyn is going for the politically easy votes, I think it really is his opinion.

However much it appeals to the traditional labour voter, the crucial part is how many votes will it garner from the general population, and in particular the swing voters who actually decide the result. I could see Labour doing well with Corbyn under a PR system, but not under a first past the post system.

[Gav]

Labour weren't "unelectable" in May - in fact they increased their overall vote and by significant margins in many parts of the north and in London. They lost because of very clever Tory campaigning in marginal constituencies and scaremongering over the SNP and a character assassination of Ed Miliband by the Tories' friends in the media.

They got murdered Jim which ever way you slice it.

[ultrablue]

If a strategy of not being Tories worked wonders in 1997 it was clearly a disaster by the last election. Labour need to push a more progressive agenda from the opposition benches and Corbyn is the man to lead it.

They need to set themselves apart. Just another parliament of negative centre ground politics could spell the end for the Labour Party.

[Paul]

I've only heard sound bites of what Corbyn has to say, much of the R4 focus seems to be on the other candidates. I feel these three sound very uninspiring, say all the right things without offering anything new or radical and spend too much time dismissing Corbyn.

I don't know if JC(!) is the right man to lead Labour or the country but if he is offering something different and inspirational it's easy to see why so many want to support him.

[Mike E]

I've only heard sound bites of what Corbyn has to say, much of the R4 focus seems to be on the other candidates. I feel these three sound very uninspiring, say all the right things without offering anything new or radical and spend too much time dismissing Corbyn.

I don't know if JC(!) is the right man to lead Labour or the country but if he is offering something different and inspirational it's easy to see why so many want to support him.

Apparently he's a hit with the ladies as 'Phwoarbyn' was recently a trend on twatter.

[Paul]

Ah well. Hope for me yet! 😃

[thenodrog]

If a strategy of not being Tories worked wonders in 1997 it was clearly a disaster by the last election. Labour need to push a more progressive agenda from the opposition benches and Corbyn is the man to lead it.

They need to set themselves apart. Just another parliament of negative centre ground politics could spell the end for the Labour Party.

Really? Even though the electorate appear to much prefer 'centre ground politics'?