The Modern Labour Party

[DaveR]

The Tory Party is entitled to (and would be expected to) point out that Ed M was not the choice of Labour Party members or the PLP

[Brendan]

It?s this sort of sense of entitlement that is the problem with modern Britain.

[RosieH]

silverfox Wrote:

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> It remains to be seen whether he can shape the

> Labour Party...

I should say it does - he's only been leader for 2 days.

[david_carnell]

I rather like this article from Johann (didn't he used to be Jonathan?) Hari in the Indy today:

Ed, prepare for the fight of your life

[Mick Mac]

Ed looks like a loser to me. So far at least. After a few weeks honeymoon period on the PWQT he is now being presented as weak by the media.

If only it was David. He is wasted now. :(

[DJKillaQueen]

It certainly looks that way doesn't it. He needs to turn it around somehow.

[Loz]

He seems to be hoping the coalition will self-destruct without him having to do anything. That does not look like happening, so he's now actually going to have to step up with policies and ideas, but unfortunately all Labours current policies are so close to the coalitions as to be the same. That means if he puts a good policy forward, the coalition can just nick it. Unless he puts some ideological distance between Labour and the coalition, this will be an ongoing problem.

And, unless he starts shaping the direction of the Labour party soon, then they won't be in a position to challenge at the next election. At the moment the polls look ok, but that is just coalition backlash which won't hold itself without some work on his part.

Unfortunately for Labour, there's not much else in the leaders cupboard.

[DJKillaQueen]

This is why the length of time taken to elect a new leader was a huge mistake (and I'd say the mistake was made as soon as Brown's ego was put before the party - they knew how unpopular he was with the electorate and then buried their heads in the sand). It gave the coalition an unchallenged head start......so as you say...anything that Labour propose now has lost any benefit of the initiative to claim as their own. All that is left is to oppose.....but that's a minefield because all parties were campaigning that cuts had to be made. The Labour party needs to wake up ....and fast.

[mockney piers]

To be honest, Cameron wasn't just thought of as lightweight by Obama,the media held him as a Tim nice but dim with a silver spoon heir to Blair character for a long time, AAAAANNNND he managed to become prime minister without actually having any policies to speak of.

He even wanted to hug a hoodie.

Clearly Ed is thinking what's good for the goose......

[Mick Mac]

I'm impressed with Cameron so far - that probably comes with being depressed by Labour.

[DJKillaQueen]

That's also because the only person we hear from is Cameron!

[SeanMacGabhann]

If miliband was someone you liked you would blame the media for underrepresenting him

The next 12 months or so is not the time to score political points. No opposition leader of any hue is going to get any traction. Sure they could jump up and down and oppose this and that, and that may yet happen but it would be very productive.

[SeanMacGabhann]

But hey. X factor public knows what it does and doesnt like. So vote away.

[DJKillaQueen]

He only has himself to blame for media under representation. If you go AWOL there's not a lot the media can report. I think Labour should be openly challenging the government on some of the balmy and unfair aspects of their proposed policies, at all times, because that's what forms debate. At the moment we have no opposition.

[SeanMacGabhann]

I think the country is still behind the government at the moment. To just oppose will just colour miliband in peoples mind. He also doesn't appear AWOL to me. I've followed him since election. I don't agree with everything he does but you say AWOl, i say playing a long game

[katie1997]

SeanMacGabhann Wrote:

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> If miliband was someone you liked you would blame

> the media for underrepresenting him

>

> The next 12 months or so is not the time to score

> political points. No opposition leader of any hue

> is going to get any traction. Sure they could

> jump up and down and oppose this and that, and

> that may yet happen but it would be very

> productive.

do you mean unproductive, Sean?

I think Ed is finding his feet as leader of the Opposition. He has recently been on paternity leave and thats a private time for people.

As media is now reporting on a coaltion government - its not all about Cameron, there's the Libdems in the spotlight too, could be a factor in people's perceptions?

Cameron can get away without pandering to the traditional right of his party, eg on Europe, in order to 'appease' the coalition and argue the case for strong government.

Perhaps that factor brings less difference between policies of Government and the Oppostion to the fore.

[Mick Mac]

SeanMacGabhann Wrote:

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> I think the country is still behind the government

> at the moment. To just oppose will just colour

> miliband in peoples mind. He also doesn't appear

> AWOL to me. I've followed him since election. I

> don't agree with everything he does but you say

> AWOl, i say playing a long game

Well, Labour supporters may have to play a very long game Sean, I suspect it will be a long time before they see power again if the the economy picks up and the tories ride the wave. The tories may not need the lib dems next time either. Any half decent party that is fortunate to see an economic recovery whilst in power should be able to win an election or two.

And Labour don't have a skilful operator like Tony Blair to turn to now and I'd suggest labour will live to rue the day they chose Ed over David. For me David looked like leadership material and the tories must be thinking how easy it is at the moment.

The Tories have more opposition from the lib dems within the coalition than they have from Ed Milliband. That's how it looks so far.

[SeanMacGabhann]

I did mean that Katie yep. Predictive text wha?

Mick you seem to suggest we are about to turn a corner. I would like to think the same.

[katie1997]

I am about to turn a corner, from North Cross road into Crystal Palace road.

[katie1997]

PS Tony's gone Mick. We don't need "skilful operators" of his sort in these straitened times.

David = connotations of the ghastly new labour that has sickened so many of their traditional supporters.

Ed = you have yet to see him prove himself in his new role but he will. Give him 100 days or whatever its supposed to take.

Anyway, I'd like to think in politics we are moving away from the focus on the leaders of either party.

[Mick Mac]

Tony is king.

[katie1997]

Mick Mac Wrote:

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> Tony is not coming back.

I feel for you Mick Mac. I really do.

[DJKillaQueen]

I think the country is still behind the government at the moment.

You base that on what exactly? Can't think of a single opionion poll that shows any significant movement either way from the split elecotrate that returned a hung parliament.

You might be right on the long game thing (and on the opposition for opposition's sake point) though.

[DJKillaQueen]

Katie's point on paternity leave is a good one too, and as paternity leave for father's was a Labour initiative then it would also have I think, sent the wrong message for him not to have taken it.

[Mick Mac]

I think you will find his wife would have sent him a message if he had not taken it.