Westminster Politics

The fact you can say that and it is plausible is bonkers given the scale of the defeat in 2019. Labour should have been in opposition for a decade or two.

But the Tories are in power because of Johnson. He got in with such a large majority because he conned the people, just like with Brexit and lots of people believed him. The Tories won't have a similar figure next time.
 
Don’t underestimate the British public’s ability to be gaslighted into believing the Tory party haven’t been in power for the last decade and thus have zero responsibility for any of the current issues. A new leader, a quick rebrand and off we go again.

For sure, but none of the possible leaders have the same personality to get away with the lies. Plus they don't seem too fond of each other anyway. It's Johnson that's been holding the whole thing together. With him out of the way, it will be much easier for Labour.
 
Hasn't this been accomplished already?

Starmer is no Maggie Thatcher, he will not be able to 'rule the roost' like she did, so he needs to be seen as the 'ideas man'. This is his chance to go first on the campaign trail for the next GE, to set out his stall, to run Labour, and the country. I fear he will spend too much time going over old ground, trying to make the Tories squirm and just force them to make a 'Shield-wall' defence, might even breath new life into Boris!!
The one possible advantage in calling a VONC now, it gives him is a chance to go first and set out the ground for the next GE, then even if he loses the vote he has marked out the battlefield, planted his colours and he first can start recruiting to those colours' tomorrow morning!
However I think (possible like you) he is simply going to use the occasion to stand there and call names and pull faces at the Tories!

You can never repeat enough the failures of government when you are in opposition. We are in the minority here following politics so closely. I have canvassed in a number of seats, and even in the solidly Labour ones Labour members are not following things too closely. Blair's five pledges on the card in 1997 was a good example of what needs to be done - the opposite of Corbyn in 2019. A few simple ideas, repeated ad nauseam.

Policy making in the Labour Party is complicated - the NEC and various forums and sub-forums are developing policy this Summer. If Labour were organised like the Tories it would be easy for a leader to simply say "my focus is X". With Labour there are all sorts of factions to convince, Internal elections to win and NEC meetings to traverse before you actually have a draft manifesto.
 
But the Tories are in power because of Johnson. He got in with such a large majority because he conned the people, just like with Brexit and lots of people believed him. The Tories won't have a similar figure next time.

Exactly, the Tories are kidding themselves all the red wall voters turned Tory over night, the majority just voted for Boris because of Brexit. If Labour stops behaving like an international socialist band wagon and concentrates on its roots, it should get a decent majority. The only problem is Scotland, it has to take back some seats from the SNP and hope Lib Dems do them a favour in the Southern Shires in England.
 
For sure, but none of the possible leaders have the same personality to get away with the lies. Plus they don't seem too fond of each other anyway. It's Johnson that's been holding the whole thing together. With him out of the way, it will be much easier for Labour.

That floppy haired Reprobate created ‘fans’ of the Tory party. They’ll vote blue because all others are the enemy. They’ve been radicalised. Weaponised.

The next tyrant doesn’t need Johnson’s skill set. That work has been done.

Lots of desperately stupid people in this country. Labour will not easily win the next election.
 
Theres no downside of a VONC for labor right now. If you didn't do one it's a missed opportunity.
 
Policy making in the Labour Party is complicated - the NEC and various forums and sub-forums are developing policy this Summer. If Labour were organised like the Tories it would be easy for a leader to simply say "my focus is X". With Labour there are all sorts of factions to convince, Internal elections to win and NEC meetings to traverse before you actually have a draft manifesto.

Yes I know....believe me I know... this is what I mean about being an international socialist organ, it needs to get back to representing the workers (of all classes) and adapting a structure that first of all wins power then does something with it. True Blair got closest but in terms of three election victories his governments got precious little change action that still resonates today. The next Labour government has to move mountains and it doesn't need hundreds of party-hack meetings to determine what to do.
 
Maybe to humiliate them but they have no integrity anyway. When the Tory party is so fractured, why give them a chance to to rally together. Whoever the next Tory leader is ,they will be hopeless and won't have the rallying ability of Johnson.
I personally think it is a good idea to make a VONC and I rarely support Starmers decisions!
 
Yes I know....believe me I know... this is what I mean about being an international socialist organ, it needs to get back to representing the workers (of all classes) and adapting a structure that first of all wins power then does something with it. True Blair got closest but in terms of three election victories his governments got precious little change action that still resonates today. The next Labour government has to move mountains and it doesn't need hundreds of party-hack meetings to determine what to do.

In fairness Blair's government had some pretty big domestic achievements. The Good Friday agreement, the introduction of a National Minimum wage, improved rights for LGBT, big increases in social spending etc and there is plenty more.

The 2 big faliures were Iraq and the lack of referendum's on EU treaty changes e.g. 2005 European Constitution which I think personally led to the Leave vote - Some people felt they'd been signed up to things they'd never voted for.
 
The one possible advantage in calling a VONC now, it gives him is a chance to go first and set out the ground for the next GE, then even if he loses the vote he has marked out the battlefield, planted his colours and he first can start recruiting to those colours' tomorrow morning!
However I think (possible like you) he is simply going to use the occasion to stand there and call names and pull faces at the Tories!

There has been no election called so far, so the priority is finishing off the Tories. The Tories are very good at rebranding themselves under a new leader (although I think this is one time too many regardless personally), so Labour's priority needs to be exposing the Tory leadership frontrunners as hypocritical power-hungry dickheads, and the party as a sleazy, corrupt sham. Starmer still has time to set out Labour's case for government but first he needs to finish nailing the coffin closed on a government that has been in power far too long and which has lost any remaining moral right to lead.

The Tories are fecked. The cost of living crisis is thundering into complete chaos, none of their leadership candidates have any policy ideas to solve it, and every week is bringing at least one sex or corruption scandal. I'd be amazed if there wasn't a general election called before the end of the year, and the Tories are going to get smashed.
 
There has been no election called so far, so the priority is finishing off the Tories. The Tories are very good at rebranding themselves under a new leader (although I think this is one time too many regardless personally), so Labour's priority needs to be exposing the Tory leadership frontrunners as hypocritical power-hungry dickheads, and the party as a sleazy, corrupt sham. Starmer still has time to set out Labour's case for government but first he needs to finish nailing the coffin closed on a government that has been in power far too long and which has lost any remaining moral right to lead.

The Tories are fecked. The cost of living crisis is thundering into complete chaos, none of their leadership candidates have any policy ideas to solve it, and every week is bringing at least one sex or corruption scandal. I'd be amazed if there wasn't a general election called before the end of the year, and the Tories are going to get smashed.
That's what people said when Major took charge.
Inflation will probably peak later this year and the new leader, aided by the press, will get a year or more to distance themselves from Johnson.
I think a hung parliament is the best Starmer can hope for. Labour feels so flimsy in terms of policy and quality of personnel.
 
Nah, this VONC absolutely is the right move for Labour to make at the moment. There's plenty to criticise Starmer's Labour about, not this though.
 
Starmer still has time to set out Labour's case for government

Hope these are not famous last words!

Starmer cannot strike too early, its wasting time denigrating Tories, strike your colours now and take the fight to them, otherwise like Napoleon we will have to hope for 'lucky' generals rather than good generals in Labour's top brass and I don't see many of them at the moment... hope I am wrong but how many of Labour's current senior figures have any real government experience?
 
Hope these are not famous last words!

Starmer cannot strike too early, its wasting time denigrating Tories, strike your colours now and take the fight to them, otherwise like Napoleon we will have to hope for 'lucky' generals rather than good generals in Labour's top brass and I don't see many of them at the moment... hope I am wrong but how many of Labour's current senior figures have any real government experience?

Yvette Cooper, David Lammy, John Healey, Ed Miliband, Pat McFadden, Alan Campbell.

Blair's first cabinet in 1997 had one member who had previous Government experience.

It has been a long 12 years so it is natural that there are few MPs with Government experience. And that is before taking into account the 2019 wipeout which saw many ex-ministers defeated or step down before they lost their seats.
 
Labour feels so flimsy in terms of policy and quality of personnel.

It is flimsy in policy and lacking in personnel, the Tories will regroup fast.

Starmer needs to use the VONC to gain time with a Henry V type St Crispin day speech.... "stiffen the sinew, summon up the blood... etc" or at least a Dr King 'I have a dream" (March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom Speech 1963). He doesn't need to tell us all how bad the Tories have been, he needs to tell us how good his Government will be and what it intends to do.
 
That's what people said when Major took charge.
Inflation will probably peak later this year and the new leader, aided by the press, will get a year or more to distance themselves from Johnson.
I think a hung parliament is the best Starmer can hope for. Labour feels so flimsy in terms of policy and quality of personnel.

This will be the fourth Tory PM in a row though, so that trick is wearing thin.
 
Yvette Cooper, David Lammy, John Healey, Ed Miliband, Pat McFadden, Alan Campbell.

Blair's first cabinet in 1997 had one member who had previous Government experience.

It has been a long 12 years so it is natural that there are few MPs with Government experience. And that is before taking into account the 2019 wipeout which saw many ex-ministers defeated or step down before they lost their seats.

With all due respect, Yvette Cooper is the only one of those I would turn up to hear. Doesn't exactly get the juices flowing, but who knows! The question is with the problems a new Labour Government would face on entering office sooner than expected, Starmer needs to be the big hitter himself, at least for a while.
 
With all due respect, Yvette Cooper is the only one of those I would turn up to hear. Doesn't exactly get the juices flowing, but who knows! The question is with the problems a new Labour Government would face on entering office sooner than expected, Starmer needs to be the big hitter himself, at least for a while.

He has experience of running the CPS, which is something at least.

Labour are choosing their candidates for the next election now. What is vital is that good people are chosen, not inexperienced hacks. Both Labour and the Tories intake for the last two elections has been... subpar, let's say!

People with experience of leadership, be it in business, the charity sector, education, local government are key.
 
He has experience of running the CPS, which is something at least.

*Labour are choosing their candidates for the next election now. What is vital is that good people are chosen, not inexperienced hacks. Both Labour and the Tories intake for the last two elections has been... subpar, let's say!

People with experience of leadership, be it in business, the charity sector, education, local government are key.

Agree, but in such a role he can issue orders and expect a follow through, we all know that in the Labour ranks his would be a request for action not a demand, and would probably be required to signed off at different levels, and all sorts of other issues would pile up. Just hope we get a slimmed down operational remit.

* When are they expecting this to take place do you think? Admittedly from the outside, but they don't look or sound anything like ready, lets hope its just a matter of keeping their powder dry! ;)
 
Agree, but in such a role he can issue orders and expect a follow through, we all know that in the Labour ranks his would be a request for action not a demand, and would probably be required to signed off at different levels, and all sorts of other issues would pile up. Just hope we get a slimmed down operational remit.

* When are they expecting this to take place do you think? Admittedly from the outside, but they don't look or sound anything like ready, lets hope its just a matter of keeping their powder dry! ;)

Trigger ballots for sitting MPs are taking place now, having started in January.

Longlists for target seats (around 130) are also being drawn up and should be finalised by Autumn. Because it is Labour, each CLP is working to their own pace! I think everything (plus outline policies) should be in place by the end of the year, at least from what I have been told via my local party.
 
Trigger ballots for sitting MPs are taking place now, having started in January.

Longlists for target seats (around 130) are also being drawn up and should be finalised by Autumn. Because it is Labour, each CLP is working to their own pace! I think everything (plus outline policies) should be in place by the end of the year, at least from what I have been told via my local party.

Whats that about 'chains being only as strong as their weakest link'... they should have people in place then, even if they have nothing yet to tell the electorate??
 
With all due respect, Yvette Cooper is the only one of those I would turn up to hear. Doesn't exactly get the juices flowing, but who knows! The question is with the problems a new Labour Government would face on entering office sooner than expected, Starmer needs to be the big hitter himself, at least for a while.
In fairness how many Tory MPs would you turn up for over the Labour list.

Not many.
 


That's actually a really dangerous move.

EDIT:

The Government is expected to provide time for a debate if the Official Opposition tables a motion of no confidence in the Government. Erskine May, the authoritative guide to parliamentary practice, states:

By established convention, the Government always accedes to the demand from the Leader of the Opposition to allot a day for the discussion of a motion tabled by the official Opposition which, in the Government’s view, would have the effect of testing the confidence of the House. In allotting a day for this purpose, the Government is entitled to have regard to the exigencies of its own business, but a reasonably early day is invariably found.
 
That's actually a really dangerous move.

EDIT:

The Government is expected to provide time for a debate if the Official Opposition tables a motion of no confidence in the Government. Erskine May, the authoritative guide to parliamentary practice, states:

But since when has this government played by the "unwritten" rules. Johnson will squirm and wriggle for as long as he can. If the public don't know already that the current government is full of liars and charlatans, they never will.
 
Can’t the Speaker allow it?

In response, Nigel Evans, the deputy speaker, stressed that the decision not to allow the debate was the government’s, not the Speaker’s. He told MPs:

Erskine May says: ‘By established convention, the government always accedes to the demand from the leader of the opposition to allot a day for the discussion of a motion tabled by the official opposition which, in the government’s view, would have the effect of testing the confidence of the house.’
I can only conclude therefore that the government has concluded the motion as tabled by the official opposition does not have that effect.
That is a matter, though, for the government rather than the chair.
 
Summary
  1. Eight candidates make it onto the ballot for the Conservative Party leadership contest
  2. The chair of the 1922 Committee, Sir Graham Brady, announces those who have received the support of at least 20 MPs
  3. The eight candidates are Kemi Badenoch, Suella Braverman, Jeremy Hunt, Penny Mordaunt, Rishi Sunak, Liz Truss, Tom Tugendhat and Nadhim Zahawi
  4. Sajid Javid and Rehman Chishti withdraw from the contest just minutes before the deadline
  5. Successful contenders will go through to a vote on Wednesday, with the final two candidates selected before the end of next week
  6. Transport Secretary Grant Shapps earlier pulled out and endorsed former chancellor Sunak, along with Deputy PM Dominic Raab
  7. Meanwhile, Johnson loyalists Jacob Rees-Mogg and Nadine Dorries have backed Liz Truss
  8. The winner will be announced on 5 September
 
This is gas, Johnson was forced out for going woke at the behest of the Euro-elites: