Murdoch press in almost even handed, not frothingly anti Corbyn news article SHOCKA!

Does not compute :-/

There’s a couple of sly digs in there and big ups for sky’s staff but yeah, overall that’s pretty even handed and full of actual factual facts. Does not compute.

Why, what’s wrong with Rene?

I don’t know. He got to carry on with Francesca Gonshaw and Vicki Michelle in their prime.

overall that’s pretty even handed and full of actual factual facts

Wait ’til Rupert finds out…..someone’s gonna be in trouble.

Good interview with Huffpo – looks like there will be other parts:
http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2015/12/19/jeremy-corbyn-interview-o_n_8845882.html?utm_hp_ref=uk

part 2
http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2015/12/20/jeremy-corbyn-trident-syria-reselection-galloway_n_8849560.html?1450653104&utm_hp_ref=uk

As 100 days passes, do I detect a very slight softening of the media stance towards Corbs? It’s most unsettling. Like a crocodile that submerges 50yds from where you are swimming…

I’m sure I read that he’d be gone by Xmas, he’s got 4 days left !

I think they are perhaps getting a bit borred of analysing whether eating ready salted crisis make him a dangerous commie

I imagine they’ll start a-fresh in the new year, tho I suspect much fuss will be made over the Tories forthcoming euro implosion, in pretty sure that they’ll manage to blame him for that

tho I suspect much fuss will be made over the Tories forthcoming euro implosion

As ever, the media are mostly interested in juicy stories that will sell papers/airtime and show what an important lynchpin they are in the British establishment. This autumn Corbyn and Labour were undoubtedly the big story. In the new year it’s going to be the tories and Europe, with some supporting sub-plots involving NHS waiting times and financial collapses, teacher shortages and the continuing parody that is immigration. Corbyn can probably go have a well earned holiday I reckon and then concentrate on the Scottish elections.

I imagine they’ll start a-fresh in the new year

They are no doubt aware that the public are likely to become weary of the relentless attacks on Corbyn over what are often complete non-stories.

I’m sure they will keep their powder dry for the onslaught which they plan for in the run-up to the English local and London mayoral elections next May, when it will be absolutely imperative that Labour does extremely badly if the prophecy that Corbyn will be a complete disaster for Labour in 2020 is to come true.

And the only by-election so far in this Parliament doesn’t exactly bode well that this prophecy will be easily fulfilled. There is a reasonable chance that Labour will do quite well in the local English elections, many being fought in Labour heartlands, unless a concerted attempt is made to discredit Corbyn and the party he now leads.

Labour are in with a good chance in the London mayoral election too imo. The Tories have never easily won the London mayoral election it’s always involved a determined effort by them to get their supporters out in the prosperous doughnut ring which encompasses London, while the Labour vote in Inner London has always remained solid and overwhelming.

Sadiq Khan is an excellent candidate and I quite like Zac Goldsmith which suggests that affluent traditional Tory voters in Greater London might not feel the same motivation and determination to get out and vote for him as they did for Boris Johnson – they came out in their droves to vote for him.

I reckon the Tories will have their work cut out in next year’s May elections, despite the claim that Corbyn becoming Labour leader was their wet dream come true.

The Scottish Parliament election next May is a whole different game and one which probably doesn’t interest the Tories a great deal beyond avoiding total humiliation and keeping the LibDems in 4th place.

I quite like Zac Goldsmith

You’ve changed, but I agree that Labour will probably win London – Goldsmith doesn’t have the same appeal as Boris – but few do.

As 100 days passes, do I detect a very slight softening of the media stance towards Corbs? It’s most unsettling. Like a crocodile that submerges 50yds from where you are swimming…

You’ve got to build them back up a bit before you knock them down again.

You’ve changed

In what way? I don’t recall previously saying that I particularly disliked Zac Goldsmith.

Considering his upbringing and his loopy right-wing father I reckon Zac Goldsmith has turned out quite a likable Tory, certainly for me more so than Boris Johnson who I intensely dislike.

And I disagree that Johnson won primarily because of his ‘appeal’. Johnson scraped in last mayoral election primarily imo because the Tories were highly successful in mobilizing their vote in the suburbs, and Ken Livingstone was deeply disliked by traditional Tory voters – this is what happens when a Labour politician walks the walk.

In contrast Sadiq Khan hasn’t, so far at least, achieved anything significant to cause traditional Tory voters to particularly dislike him.

And that added to the fact that Zac Goldsmith is a bit of a Tory maverick which the Tory faithful probably don’t easily identify with means that the determination of Tory Party workers to mobilize their vote, and the determination of Tory voters to get out and vote on the day, will probably be sufficiently weaken imo to mean that the Tory candidate will fail to scrape in this time.

Ken Livingstone easily saw off the challenge from Boris Johnson in Inner London you know. It was the wealthy London suburbs what done it and allowed the Boris Johnson to scrape in last time.

That after all was the reason that a Tory government abolished the LCC and created the GLC, it gave them a vague chance of winning control of the nation’s capital. Although they still kept losing elections far too often in Greater London so they ended up abolishing the GLC as well.

Of course we shouldn’t even be having a discussion about the possible result of next May’s elections because as everyone knows now that Corbyn is leader of the Labour Party the Tories will easily romp home and the Labour vote will collapse……haven’t you heard?

Well it was 5 years ago, but you did say

I suspect however, that Goldsmith is just a little shit

here

Goldsmith has done very well in Richmond Park, must have been in the top 10 of increased majorities, so I think he will appeal but Boris is really very popular – what other politician would have a 60,000 crowding chanting his name as he did before the Olympics. London should be a Labour city and Corbyn’s Labour is London Labour – look at the people in the studios for him, McDonell, Livingstone, and Abbott – all existing or former London MPs – I think he can win in London but be electorally toxic elsewhere. Afterall, the only place Milliband gained seats from the Tories was in London.

They should manage that easily.

TNS Poll
Constituency ballot :

SNP 58% (n/c)
Labour 21% (-3)
Conservatives 12% (n/c)
Liberal Democrats 4% (n/c)

Regional list ballot :

SNP 54% (+2)
Labour 20% (-5)
Conservatives 12% (+1)
Greens 9% (+4)
Liberal Democrats 4% (-1)
UKIP 1% (-1)

was 5 years ago, but you did say

I suspect however, that Goldsmith is just a little shit

Well I’m impressed that you remember what I said 5 years ago, in fact I feel honoured! Although to fair I also said that I would be more than happy if Goldsmith was exonerated. But yes there was a TV interview several years ago in which, in the opinion of some people, Goldsmith didn’t come out of it particularly well.

It seems however that since then he’s exonerated himself a little in my eyes and I quite like him now, as Tory little shits go of course. I would certainly prefer him as London mayor than Boris Johnson who I consider a much bigger shit.

Actually I’ve just come back from having a drink at the local trade union centre with 3 very long term friends who are considerably more hardline than me (and all 3 btw have joined the Labour Party for the first time since Corbyn became leader, just to add credence to the claim that the Labour Party has been infiltrated by the hard-left) I asked them their opinions of Zac Goldsmith following my post, they agreed with me that as Tories go there’s a lot worse than Zac Goldsmith, and they also agree that it’s all the more surprising considering his background/education/family.

Back to Boris Johnson I beg to disagree with your claim of alleged popularity with Londoners. If he was as popular as you seem to suggest then he would surely have won the last mayoral election by a lot more than just 3%.

Neither do I agree that what you call London, which includes the likes of Bromley, Richmond, Sutton, and Kingston, should by definition be natural Labour territory. What tilts London in Labour’s favour are the inner London boroughs, but it’s certainly far from guaranteed.

And I remain unconvinced that Labour will necessarily do badly in English cities outside London. It’s possible of course but very far from certain imo.

And I remain unconvinced that Labour will necessarily do badly in English cities outside London. It’s possible of course but very far from certain imo.

Can Labour win the next election by just winning the cities?

[video]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fMQLSkM1_sU[/video]

ernie_lynch – Member

The Scottish Parliament election next May is a whole different game and one which probably doesn’t interest the Tories a great deal beyond avoiding total humiliation and keeping the LibDems in 4th place.

The polls have the SNP to be first and second and everyone else last tbh.

That Phillips/Mogg video shows exactly why people voted Corbyn imo.
She clearly states that she is a socialist, but doesn’t have the guts to see if socialist values can win an election.
She’s totally believed the hype that you can only win by compromise. Whereas the membership were fed up with MPs who don’t actually represent their views.

What they need to do is work out how to sell what they truly believe to the wider audience.

What they need to do is work out how to sell what they truly believe to the wider audience

You think that the.job of an MP is evangelism rather than representing the will of the electorate

You think that the.job of an MP is evangelism rather than representing the will of the electorate?

…what a strange question. I am not sure you understood the post. Besides, if it was just about representing the will of the electorate we would only have one party, shirley?

Iirc the trick is either to be on the same side on enough issues with enough people to get elected (see renationalsation of railways and other mad loony left ideas that absolutely no one is interested in), or alternatively convince the electorate to vote for policies that don’t actually improve their own personal lives because they believe in a bigger picture or purpse. Lefty parties have been doing this with rich edcuated people and righty parties have been doing this with poor uneducated people for quite some time.

Or just claim you’re going to do something, then don’t. See: long term economic plans, greenest governments, wars on poverty.

Corbyn’s Christmas lunch to be his usual thin soup plus half a potato

Interview with BW:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-35189869

So will he or wont he reshuffle?
Should or shouldn’t he reshuffle?

all leaders reshuffle to enable them to be surrounded by their close confidants, allies and those with a similar outlook and zeal for the “cause”

Corbyn will be no different though the tory press and trolls will try and present this like

1) divided party
2) undemocratic
3) the start of some sort of Stalinist cult of personality
4) hypocrisy- will point out how many times he voted against his party etc
5) weakness

all leaders reshuffle

Not after three months they don’t.

to enable them to be surrounded by their close confidants, allies and those with a similar outlook and zeal for the “cause”

Keep your friends close, but your enemies closer…

“Keep your friends close, but your enemies closer…” That worked out well for John Major.

No offence but I really cannot be arsed being so politically partisan I ignore actual facts to make points

Why dont you and jamby just e-mail each other?

From my PoV
I was pretty impressed when he chose such a mixed cabinet first time around, but it came as a surprise that so many (or at least a very vocal minority) of them seem to be focussing more on Corbyn than the opposition.

If they can be persuaded to calm down a bit and concentrate on their jobs, I don’t think there is a need for reshuffle, but my hopes aren’t very high.

I can’t believe it, my life long tory voting daily mail reading mother is warming to Jeremy 😯 . Seems to be his anti-honours stance that is doing it!

@Klunk well send her round to Bruce Forsyth’s house to get his knighthood back, when she’s done she can go straight on to Maggie Smith. She can even have a chat about Strictly and Downton as she grapples the medals off them. Let us know how that goes 🙂

I guess he must be doing something right.

It’s what I’ve been saying for months, labour MPs can bitch and whine all they like, but they cannot deny or dismiss the seismic changes in the party.

Membership jumped from 201,293 on 6 May last year, the day before the general election, to 388,407 on 10 January.

Just a blip when over 45 million are registered to vote.

The same could be said for Farage, he successfully appeals to his grass roots supporters, didn’t make him electable though.

dragon – Member

Membership jumped from 201,293 on 6 May last year, the day before the general election, to 388,407 on 10 January.

Just a blip when over 45 million are registered to vote.

Membership doubling is not a blip. Nearly at early Blair era numbers.

but they cannot deny or dismiss the seismic changes in the party.

From electable to unelectable.

No one knows how electable Corbyn is yet, comparison with farige is a good one re grass roots support, ultimately it didn’t amount to anything in the election but that was partly due to the fptp system which doesnt matter here unless another more viable opposition party will come along.
Opinion polls all got the last election wrong.
Corbyns electability will be effected by how the EU referendum pans out and its effect on the Tory party, the economic situation and how much of the current governments bullshit the electorate will believe/ accept

Oh and who succeeds dave

Insignificant stats make significant headlines – ’twas ever thus