[Youngian]

Starmer’s never had a proper job. Aaron’s been spending time with his new mates on GBNews. What would a former state prosecutor know about government at the highest level?

[Dalem Lake]

And what sort of a career did the sainted Corbyn have outside politics? FUCK ALL! Yet that's enough for him to be considered fit to run Britain by the likes of Bastani.

[Tubby Isaacs]

Corbyn was passionate about Education and Health, but he'd never been a teacher or a nurse.

[Malcolm Armsteen]

I don't know about health but he never made any sensible contribution to any debate on education.

[Andy McDandy]

He's for it, I assume. Law of ridiculous reverse applies.

[Malcolm Armsteen]

If he is for it, it seems perverse that he has availed himself of so little of it.

[Tubby Isaacs]

I don't know about health but he never made any sensible contribution to any debate on education.

He was in favour of bringing all schools back into LA oversight and abolishing Ofsted. Whether LAs want or these schools back or to take over from Ofsted, is another question.

Beyond that, I don't know. I suppose everything fixes itself because accountability. Lots of leftwing people don't really bother with policy beyond that. I've got more time for academies than I did have because local accountability is fine with lots of bad stuff, like dumping all the poor kids in one school.

[Malcolm Armsteen]

Those aren't the big issues facing schools, that's about budgets, DfE interference, staff retention, teacher training and much more.

[Crabcakes]

Slightly off topic (but sadly, only slightly), I can recommend the 2-part Origin Story podcast on the history of Zionism. I learned a lot, and a lot of it was surprising too.

https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/o ... 0618863154

https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/o ... 0619512519

[Youngian]

Most of the Israeli founders like David Ben-Gurion were secular socialists and it was a distinct possibility in the late 40s that Israel would become an NAM state leaning towards the Soviet camp like Nehru or Castro. The whole geometry of the Cold War liberationist left would have been turned on its head. Corbyn and George Galloway would be wearing St David’s Star badges as nation liberation symbols while the PLO would be seen as CIA financed lick spittles.

[Crabcakes]

Looks like Jez has come up with a cracking wheeze to get out of his awkward ‘now I’m deselected I might be turfed out of my cushy seat’ problem - stand as London mayor, and fuck over the vote share of someone who’s been doing a great job in difficult circumstances.

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/p ... 77313.html

[Abernathy]

The difference between Livingstone running successfully as an independent candidate in 2000 and Jezza attempting to emulate that in 2024 is that Livingstone already had a very popular public profile in London from 5 years leading the GLC. Umpteen years as a troublemaking backbencher/hopelessly duff failed Labour leader isn't quite as good a platform.

[Watchman]

And I guess he would wave goodbye to the Golders Green vote

[Malcolm Armsteen]

I really don't think he would.
He didn't like the pressure of being a very inactive LOTO, he'd come apart under the stress and scrutiny of being mayor.

[Tubby Isaacs]

Me neither. Khan has his own profile, not least being more Remainer friendly. Assuming there's no no enormous high profile exodus from Labour, Jez will struggle for presentable supporters. Good luck with doing "Real issues NATO" with Lindsey German in a high profile campaign.

[Youngian]

Have the Tories done away with second choice voting for London mayoral elections? If so then a Corbyn candidacy would just be bitter spite on his part.

[Youngian]

Comrade Bastani is reinventing himself as Voltaire liberal contrarian. A Kipper Tim Farron

[Youngian]

Liz wins Twitter this week

[Tubby Isaacs]

Jez was doing his "you're spending £50bn on Defence, what are you doing for peace?" in the Commons the other day.

This Imagine stuff isn't going to win the London mayoralty, though it's a better bet than the full "respect Russia's sphere of influence" stuff.

[Crabcakes]

Always amazed that defence spending isn’t seen as peace spending. Granted, I don’t want proliferation of nukes. But pretending if we have no military then would-be ne’er do wells will simply respect our pacifist stance, give up their own arms and join us in starting a solar-powered vegan restaurant is utterly deluded. Plus we know Corbyn’s definition of ‘peace’ is very selective, and for some people would be indistinguishable from outright capitulation to a dictator.