The next Labour leader must deliver unity and credibility

barrieBarrie Cunning says Labour needs a leader capable of compromise, for the sake of not just the party but the country. 

 

In politics you should always expect the unexpected. Nobody expected Jeremy Corbyn to win the leadership election twelve months ago, and this time around nobody expects Owen Smith to win. But he can.

At the last leadership election I voted for Yvette Cooper, but at the same time I was also taken in by Jeremy Corbyn. I was curious to know why someone who has been a backbencher since 1983 and at times a major critic of the previous Labour government felt he could lead the Labour Party.

“Straight talking, honest politics” was Jeremy’s  mantra from day one. In effect this was a declaration of war on spin, but the irony is that the Corbyn leadership has simply become the architect of a new kind of spin.

Surely “straight talking, honest politics” suggests an open dialogue between all factions of the Labour Party in an attempt to reach compromise to achieve a common goal?

Jeremy sets great store by his being a principled politician, and principles must be respected. But as we have seen over the last twelve months, dogged attachment to a single point of view can result in leadership limitations.

The Labour Party needs a leader capable of compromise, for the sake of not just the party but also the country.

For our democracy to properly work we need an effective opposition to hold the government to account and right now we aren’t getting that. What we are displaying to the country is nothing short of a political Punch and Judy show, and as a Labour Party member and former parliamentary candidate it makes me cringe with embarrassment. It has to stop.

People often seem stunned when they talk about the rise and popularity of Jeremy Corbyn, but you don’t have to have a PhD to understand that the perceived complexities are largely spin based.

The Labour Party in the pursuit of power to 1997 was very much in tune with the national mood. The party could identify with people in Labour heartlands like Sunderland, Glasgow and the home of Scottish socialism North Lanarkshire, and people in those areas could identify with the Labour Party. They knew what Labour stood for. Labour was a trusted household brand that transcended social class and gave people from different backgrounds a reason to believe in politics.

I don’t write this as someone who is completely anti Jeremy but rather as someone who can see the pros and cons.

There is no denying that Jeremy has enthused a large section of people who previously felt that politics had given up on them, that mainstream politics only spoke for the middle classes who are only interested in the consumer benefits of political power to prop up their existing lifestyle, at the expense of pursuing a true radical socialist agenda and at the further expense of those people up and down the country who really need a strong Labour voice.

Irrespective of who wins the Labour leadership contest I want to see the next Labour leader be able to unite the party with a strong collective voice which adopts the principles of socialism but acknowledges that you also need credibility to be an electable party.

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12 thoughts on “The next Labour leader must deliver unity and credibility

  1. “Barrie Cunning says Labour needs a leader capable of compromise, for the sake of not just the party but the country.”

    Meaningless rhetoric as the article goes on in support of Owen Smith.

    Name a single issue Owen Smith would compromise on?

  2. “Surely “straight talking, honest politics” suggests an open dialogue between all factions of the Labour Party in an attempt to reach compromise to achieve a common goal?”

    What common goal exists between right wing Tories and left wing socialists Barrie?

    In order to follow their right wing tory agenda the Red Tories in the Labour party had to become Tories. They couldn’t do it while remaining Socialist or Social Democrats.

    Look at yourself. You’re a Tory not a Socialist. There is no common goal between you and socialists.

    Where is the common ground on issues like Trident? Austerity? The House of Lords? Warmongering? Cash for honours? Means testing? Tuition fees? Prescription charges? Welfare? Benefits? EU membership?

    Like I said nothing but worthless meaningless rhetoric.

    If yer going to blow Owen Smiths horn then at least have the decency to not dress it up in disguise.

    That’s “Unprincipled”. To say the least.

  3. “People often seem stunned when they talk about the rise and popularity of Jeremy Corbyn, but you don’t have to have a PhD to understand that the perceived complexities are largely spin based.”

    And then it was followed by this masterpiece of complete self unawareness or staggering levels of bare faced lying I cant make up my mind which.

    “The Labour Party in the pursuit of power to 1997 was very much in tune with the national mood. The party could identify with people in Labour heartlands like Sunderland, Glasgow and the home of Scottish socialism North Lanarkshire, and people in those areas could identify with the Labour Party. They knew what Labour stood for. Labour was a trusted household brand that transcended social class and gave people from different backgrounds a reason to believe in politics.”

    Since 1997 the Labour PLP employed Alistair Campbell, Peter Mandelson, John McTernan, Blair McDougall to name but 4 to do nothing but “SPIN” who did nothing but “SPIN” and deceive in order to present a right wing Red Tory Labour party as a party of change from the Right wing Tory values the people strongly rejected in 1997.

    Blair was elected on promises he never kept who instead continued with the Conservative legacy of warmongering, cash for honours, cash for questions, cash for access, privatisation, increasing the influence of the House of Lords, increasing the wealth gap, decreasing the standard of living for the so called working classes. He continued to allow the erosion of Union representation within the work force.
    His crimes against the ideals of Socialism were only surpassed by his crimes against humanity as a whole.

    Even today these Red Tories have tried to dress up all opponents of Jeremy Corbyn as Socialists. Why? Because they are too ashamed to present themselves as who they are? No its not shame put self preservation which motivates them to deny who and what they are because they know the ground roots principle of Labour is still Socialist.

    I have more respect for Conservative Tories who at least don’t try to hide or pretend they aint what they are.

  4. “For our democracy to properly work we need an effective opposition to hold the government to account and right now we aren’t getting that.”

    We aint getting it because the so called opposition PLP is Red Tory! Trying desperately to decapitate its Socialist head.

    FFS!

  5. Barrie do never question things? like , why Labour are having another leadership election 12 months after the last one. You think nobody questions the banality of your introduction, “In politics you should always expect the unexpected. Nobody expected Jeremy Corbyn to win the leadership election twelve months ago, and this time around nobody expects Owen Smith to win. But he can”.
    Maybe you think that leadership elections should be an annual event to be entered in your union diary between May Day rally and Durham Miners Gala.
    Barrie, you are part of the reason Labour are about to be a dead party.

  6. Labour has zero chance of winning the next generall election so that means with no credible challengers, the Tories will be inflicted on Scotland
    for at least the next seven years (and even then there’s no guarantee there will be a change). Labour with ‘Better Together’ promised us we’d remain in the EU, now we have Brexit.

    At some point ScotLab surely must begin questioning ‘the Union at any cost’. The Scottish people won’t stand by and let Labour allow the Tories
    to play fast and lose with Scotland any more and ScotLab just sitting there, crossing it’s fingers (writing pieces like the above) and hoping London
    Labour somehow gets it’s act together sometime in the next ten years just isn’t good enough.

    I wonder sometimes if ScotLab is like the alcoholic who has to reach absolute rock bottom before making that life saving change. Maybe with the
    Council elections next year it will, and then we all can do what’s best for Scotland because it’s obvious Westminster and the Tories won’t.

  7. “Irrespective of who wins the Labour leadership contest I want to see the next Labour leader be able to unite the party”

    Barrie are you going to support Jeremy Corbyn if he wins the leadership contest? Or are you going to side with the Blairite Backstabber’s?

  8. “Labour was a trusted household brand”—-in 1997 Labour had three terms to prove where its priorities were. By the time it left office, it had disillusioned most of its natural support. It did nothing to re-industrialise or invigorate those areas considered its heartlands. They remained mired in unemployment, drug and drink abuse and with little prospect of future constructive work or prosperity in their areas.
    This, while Labour Leaders were lauding the virtues of Non Dom status, and how unconcerned they were with accumulations of wealth and power, mostly in London. The same Labour leaders who frolicked and partied with Murdoch and Co, socialising with people who made Peter Rachman look like a benevolent Uncle. But that Labour Leadership also all got very rich, during and after their time in power.
    It maintained the Lords, giving the ermine to creeps, crawlers and cronies, just like the Tories.
    All this without mentioning the war; or wars—against third world opponents with lots of oil but no proper military. Many thousands dead, but George W got re-elected as did Tone.
    We do need an opposition, but Labour have proved themselves utterly incapable, either by voting WITH the Tories, or engaging in endless internal strife.
    If Smith is the answer, then the question must be absurd, and I wont know whether to laugh, cry, or just leave, as I must be on the wrong planet..

  9. ‘Barry Cunning says Labour needs a leader capable of compromise’

    Hasn’t Labour been spoilt for choice ever since Ramsay McDonald/

  10. “Unity and credibility”——–The Deputy Leader of the Labour Party has accused followers of an obscure Russian revolutionary from a previous century, of infiltrating Labour to skew support toward Corbyn, the elected Leader.
    Where all these Trotskyists have been hiding out isn’t explained, nor how, what can only be a tiny number can affect an organisation of half a million members.
    This can only serve to unite the Brothers and Sisters. Not!

    What’s worse is the claim that the annual conference might be banned by the Home Office/police if Labour cannot find a security company to provide the required safeguarding of delegates—–the only one in the running being anti-union; an extraordinary poke in the eye for a so-called workers Party.
    Unity and credibility. You would need to be very gullible to connect Labour with either concept.

  11. It’s as simple as this, Scotland won’t wait however long until London Labour has got itself sorted out enough to challenge the Tories, with Brexit looming, we haven’t the time.
    So ScotLab, instead of playing the waiting game, coming up with ‘treadwater’ policies which it has no power to apply, will have to make a choice – be decimated in the Council elections leading to complete marginalisation of their party or change tack on it’s ‘the Union at any cost’ belief. This has cost ScotLab dearly and will continue to be the main cause of hemmorraging support in Scotland…..

    …but ye’ know, I don’t think, judging by the previous pieces I’ve read on here, that ScotLab will change their actions or their views however much they see the Scottish and UK landscape shifting beneat their feet. It’s sad and ironic – Blair (whatever you think of him) percieved a shift in society and exploited that to the max. ScotLab on the other hand, see the shift and feel it’s damage but will do nothing except hope to survive it.

    Good luck – you’ll need it !

  12. Well that’s new, its Jeremy Corbyn’s fault that he’s popular with the labour members, what a bastard.

    Still I’m sure no one has noticed the backstabbing of the labour leader by certain mp’s, msp’s, councillors and others of that labour ilk.

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