The General Politics Thread v2.0 (AKA the "Labour are Cunts" thread)

[BigJag]

Aside from the obvious front benchers. Which members of the Labour party are pulling strings behind the scenes? 

[Carbomb]

3 hours ago, BigJag said:

Aside from the obvious front benchers. Which members of the Labour party are pulling strings behind the scenes? 

The main one being talked about is Morgan McSweeney, the advisor, who advocates the "Blue Labour" approach. Coincidentally, he was also one of the key orchestrators of the anti-Corbyn leadership campaign alongside Luke Akehurst (who's a major pro-Israel lobbyist and is now an MP), and Ian MacNicol, who was general secretary for the Labour party and is now a life peer.

[BigJag]

Cheers. I knew about Akehurst. Will keep an eye out for those other names.

[Fog Dude]

11 hours ago, Carbomb said:

The main one being talked about is Morgan McSweeney, the advisor, who advocates the "Blue Labour" approach. Coincidentally, he was also one of the key orchestrators of the anti-Corbyn leadership campaign alongside Luke Akehurst (who's a major pro-Israel lobbyist and is now an MP), and Ian MacNicol, who was general secretary for the Labour party and is now a life peer.

The other one I sometimes hear mentioned is life peer Maurice Glasman, seen as an architect of the "Blue Labour" concept initially to make Labour electable again, but increasingly now they're safely back in office because it seems he genuinely believes in the less than progressive ideas that group espouses.

He also apparently attended the last US presidential inauguration and to put it mildly, isn't exactly in favour of an equitable solution to current conflicts in the Middle East either.

[Devon Malcolm]

The absolute state of this cunt.

Addressing the important issues in this awful country - who's delivering your Nando's.

[Chest Rockwell]

I don't even understand what incentive the companies have to do anything about it anyway even if they are provided the information. Surely they don't give a shit?

[King Coconut]

I think the only people who could potentially give a shit are those that have to collect their own food.

[d-d-d-dAz]

I know he doesn't trust them, but Corbyn could really do with finding a Comms, PR and branding consultant he can trust.

The distraction over the name that isn't their name but could be their name when they decide on a name is such a needless detour, when actually I think a properly progressive party being launched with someone genuinely popular at the helm is a really big moment for British politics.

The only question I have is whether they have the personality behind Corbyn to take the reins at the general election (presuming Corbyn doesn't stand). Corbyn is very popular. I'm not sure Zarah Sultana will be - for lots of awful reasons, and some genuine ones.

[SuperBacon]

2 minutes ago, d-d-d-dAz said:

I'm not sure Zarah Sultana will be - for lots of awful reasons, and some genuine ones.

Such as?

 

[Merzbow]

I'm curious too, she's easily the most likeable politician I can ever remember having around here. She's constantly boots on the ground in Coventry and open to talk to everyone and on their level.

[SuperBacon]

2 minutes ago, Merzbow said:

I'm curious too, she's easily the most likeable politician I can ever remember having around here. She's constantly boots on the ground in Coventry and open to talk to everyone and on their level.

Good taste in football shirts as well. Always important for me.

[d-d-d-dAz]

16 minutes ago, SuperBacon said:

Such as?

 

She's very combative, to the point of seeming defensive at times. This always divides opinion; David Miliband (weird comparison, but bear with me) was haunted by how chippy he could be under pressure. People expect politicians to absorb shit and keep swimming. It'll make her popular amongst people who already are inclined to her, but it'll put off others.

She lacks experience (again, looking at this solely from the perspective of her being a leader in a general election campaign) and there are people who will be wary of that.

She can be over eager, which can be portrayed as either naivety or over ambition. But announcing a political party led by Corbyn without Corbyn's consent wasn't good.

I'm very supportive of this, I think the political landscape needs a left wing alternative which hasn't been hemmed in by a single issue like the Green's. I just don't know that she'll be the person to take the torch of Corbyn and win the country over.

 

[Lorne Malvo]

So shes headstrong, hasn't been damaged by years of top-level politics and is chomping at the bit to get started?

As if I need another reason to like her!

[SuperBacon]

I'd rather a leader of a party was "combative" than servile to be honest.

[BigJag]

She'll definitely have challenges. I get the impression that she isn't well liked by her peers on the front benches. Similar to Corbyn, they view her as a threat. I'd vote for her. I have family that live in her constituency. They speak highly of her.

Edited July 24, 2025 by BigJag