Who will be next Labour leader?

[justbecause]

Why do you think that?

I think that Starmer is basically a clone of Corbyn and that under him nothing will change. Boris must be thinking all his birthdays have come at once.

[Toodles McGinty]

I think that Starmer is basically a clone of Corbyn and that under him nothing will change. Boris must be thinking all his birthdays have come at once.

It's odd, the impressions we get, isn't it?

Starmer is generally regarded as 'soft left', far more central than Corbyn ever was. He supported Andy Burnham in the first leadership election against Corbyn, and he supported Owen Jones' attempt to unseat Corbyn a few years later. He was Director of Public Prosecutions under Blair. And head of the CPS under Labour and Tory governments. He's about as far removed from Corbyn as you can get within the party.

He's also in favour of tightening up immigration. Unlike the outgoing leader. There are some similarities, but that's because he's Labour. He's in favour of nationalisation of certain industries and he's anti-austerity. But who isn't right now?

Now if you'd have said Rebecca Long Bailey, I'd have absolutely agreed with you. Definitely a Corbyn clone. The only difference would have been the beard and allotment.

I'd have thought Starmer was the last one Johnson would have wanted across the dispatch box.

[Desert Region]

It may just have slipped your notice, but apart not being too well at the moment,

The first major world leader to test positive for the virus. Everyone noticed.

Boris has been tied up with more pressing items.

Has he. It's been difficult to tell. Most of his daily briefings seemed to consist of him belatedly giving reluctant advice while chattering about what was going to be done at a future unspecified point.

[Hamble]

I love the BBC headline "Corbyn's leadership in 2 minutes".

[The PNP]

It may just have slipped your notice, but apart not being too well at the moment, Boris has been tied up with more pressing items. Perhaps you could do us all a favour and ride your bike over that cliff edge you mention.

Yes indeed, Boris has plenty on his plate. And as a leading brexiteer, it's a plate of his own making....But putting our permanent EU trade deal on the back burner is a bad move. Because long after this virus is over, we'll be stuck indefinitely with whatever deal/no deal we end up with this September.

[sandGroundZero]

Mr. Starmer may have achieved the penultimate post for any opposition MP hoping to become Prime Minister. But as has been noted in this thread, overturning the parliamentary seat-count from Labour's current deficit, in one election is improbable. Add to that the fact the government is unlikely to call another general election for four years, Keir Starmer must placate Labour's tribes and otherwise keep the ship afloat for — who knows how many years?

In the meantime, things will move-on. The repercussions of this current economic setback will not be easily smoothed-over. The new Leader of the Opposition will have no shortage of opportunities to call-out the government.

• Is Keir Starmer tactically astute?
• Is the Labour Party likely to survive in a recognizable form? A contingent of Labour MPs favour adopting PR and forming a progressive alliance.
• Is that the end of Labour as we know it?

My guess is there will not be a Labour party per se and that Mr. Starmer will never be a Labour PM. That of course, is NOT to say he will never be Prime Mininister. Only that a large number of recent Labour voters will be disappointed and/or disillusioned.

[The PNP]

A contingent of Labour MPs favour adopting PR and forming a progressive alliance.[*]Is that the end of Labour as we know it?

It's a great shame Labour didn't bring in PR years ago, back in the day when they had a majority. Problem is, once a party 'gets'in' under our present system, they're very unlikely to agree to introduce PR.

[sandGroundZero]

The PNP's post #23:

"It's a great shame Labour didn't bring in PR years ago, back in the day when they had a majority. Problem is, once a party 'gets'in' under our present system, they're very unlikely to agree to introduce PR."

The Labour party as we have known it will cease to exist, if a proportional representation system is adopted. Labour has only ever been an ill-assorted coalition of disparate factions. It has persisted only because FPTP is our way of electing our representatives.

[grassroots]

Heard the new labour leader speaking today on TV, what a welcome change from Jeremy.

[local]

Starmer has the charisma of a small snail.

Why pretend he is a good choice.

Boris needs some competition to make him raise his game.

[Hamble]

Starmer has the charisma of a small snail.

Why pretend he is a good choice.

Boris needs some competition to make him raise his game.

Expectations were low.
Just find one not antisemitic or publicly declaring solidarity with Hamas.

[sandGroundZero]

local's post #26:

Starmer has the charisma of a small snail. — Why pretend he is a good choice.

You had better hope snail-like charisma is not his only deficit. On the face of it, Starmer is Boris Johnson's antithesis. He is serious and accomplished. …and Starmer does not have Corbyn's long backbench political career, nor Corbyn's association with highly unpopular causes to parody.

Boris needs some competition to make him raise his game.

It's certainly true to say "Boris needs …to …raise his game".
'Why has Boris' game been so mediocre for so long?

1. He is a buffoon who has benefited from privileged background; or
2. comic shtick apart, he's just not very good.

In either case, Boris'll need to take care; he's on thin ice!

[Alikado]

Yes indeed, Boris has plenty on his plate. And as a leading brexiteer, it's a plate of his own making....But putting our permanent EU trade deal on the back burner is a bad move. Because long after this virus is over, we'll be stuck indefinitely with whatever deal/no deal we end up with this September.

Boris was hoping to skip the negotiations and go no deal claiming no progress had been made at the end of June but nobody will wear that now he will have to extend.

[Alikado]

Expectations were low.
Just find one not antisemitic or publicly declaring solidarity with Hamas.

Pro Palestine does not equal anti Semitic.

[Toodles McGinty]

The PNP's post #23:

"It's a great shame Labour didn't bring in PR years ago, back in the day when they had a majority. Problem is, once a party 'gets'in' under our present system, they're very unlikely to agree to introduce PR."

The Labour party as we have known it will cease to exist, if a proportional representation system is adopted. Labour has only ever been an ill-assorted coalition of disparate factions. It has persisted only because FPTP is our way of electing our representatives.

I'm curious. Why do you think the largest party in the country, previously the largest party in the EU, will cease to exist?

I'm wondering, as Starmer was voted in pretty much from all different factions of the party. From Momentum to those considered 'Blairites'. I'm not sure how PR will break it up.