[davidjay]

They're just like the neo-Tories. Politics isn't about wanting to improve people's lives, it's about having a bit of a laugh and annoying the other side.

[mattomac]

I'm expecting unbridled glee in certain quarters at the results on Friday if the polls are anything to go by. The fact Corbyn (or his favoured replacement) would likely have done no better or more likely worse, and that Hartlepool voted 55% Brexit party or Tory previously and the by-election is only happening because the MP turned out to be dodgy (thus damaging Labour locally) will of course be ignored in the clamour to demand Starmer stand down immediately.

I suspect Burgon may be tempted to have a go at a leadership challenge unless results turn out to be more favourable, because he's the most clueless of the lot and will think nothing of making a situation worse if in doing so he can burnish his credentials.

Might strengthen Starmer in the long run. I think it will be a mixed bag but they already have the narrative, bit like Owen Jones putting out his “why Biden lost” article at 11pm the night of the US election. 2016 weren’t a bad set of results, 2017 were awful so I expect we might have some oddities show up.

[Tubby Isaacs]

Starmer would be well advised not to dwell on Corbyn, I think. Mention the starting point, but stress personal responsibility. That'll be a nice contrast with the likes of Pidcock trying to pin her loss on Tony Blair.

[Tubby Isaacs]

This is a cracker.

[kreuzberger]

I've lost count of the number of leaders who have stood down on the back of one by-election result.

Actually, thinking about it, I haven't event started. Wankers.

[Tubby Isaacs]

Labour's likely to pile up a lot of votes in London and a few more places. That's what it's all about, isn't it? Number of votes. Losses can be waved away.

Or does that not apply any more?

[Boiler]

I've moved on. The Labour Party has moved back. "Centrist" policies will lose again.

Said someone elsewhere...

[Tubby Isaacs]

That was the plan. If the election goes badly, the manifesto gets Labour parked out where Jez and co want it, and anybody trying to tidy up will be sellouts. Win win.

[mattomac]

This is a cracker.

Thing is people are not, I think there is very few people choosing not to vote for Khan because of Starmer alone.

As I said it’s all going be mixed, Wales looked alarming bad in Feb, now it looks like a decent night for Labour.

And that’s probably down to the Vaccine if we are honest, if Starmer generally keeps losses down it will be a decent few nights, the problem is the narrative will be set by Hartlepool.

Also I thought Novara didn’t listen to the polls.

[Tubby Isaacs]

Wales has done eztremely well vaccinating, so far. Would be a bit unfair on Drakeford if he didn't get a Covid bounce like Johnson and Sturgeon. Just a shame the Tories fussed about the second lockdown so much, that Wales reopened too early.

[davidjay]

Looking at all the figures on this page, Napoleon would have loved Johnson. He might be awful but fuck me he's lucky.

[mattomac]

It seems if you look at the polls that Drakeford will, Tories are basically picking the Brexit vote and nothing more.

Be interesting to see what 16/17 year olds do.

[The Weeping Angel]

[Tubby Isaacs]

I think Mason had a point. If Starmer had kept eg the Corbyn policy on adult social care and was emphasizing it now, it would help keep non-crank left motivated. And be popular and topical.

[The Weeping Angel]

I think Mason had a point. If Starmer had kept eg the Corbyn policy on adult social care and was emphasizing it now, it would help keep non-crank left motivated. And be popular and topical.

When did he get rid of that?

[Tubby Isaacs]

I assume it's got rid of because if you don't mention it now, when will you mention it?

Normally that's fine, you avoid big spending commitments early in the Parliament, but I think there are strong arguments to keep it. I quite like the idea of getting money out of house prices, like May proposed, but you'll probably get killed on it like she did. So I imagine Labour will go down a Corbyn general taxation route anyway.

Johnson's kept his policy back, if it even exists. Wouldn't be surprised about it included a big council tax rise. Labour could have been walking around this week making that point.

[davidjay]

[The Weeping Angel]

I've actually read the interview and Williams doesn't mention Corbyn once.

[mattomac]

They are out in force on Twitter tonight, the biggest swing has been to a Lib Dem mind against Labour, in fact two of the biggest gains have been like that, which doesn’t help explain a lot.

If your an mp and you can go on Twitter and seem happy about Labour losing, your not Labour.

Lloyd Russell-Moyle, as for the bullshit Beckett of Unite is spouting.

[The Weeping Angel]

They are out in force on Twitter tonight, the biggest swing has been to a Lib Dem mind against Labour, in fact two of the biggest gains have been like that, which doesn’t help explain a lot.

If your an mp and you can go on Twitter and seem happy about Labour losing, your not Labour.

Lloyd Russell-Moyle, as for the bullshit Beckett of Unite is spouting.

Bastard