Politics (and other political stuff)

**Adrian** · 08 Jun 2015, 8:20 pm,

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-humber-33054793

It looks like two Jags has become no Jags...

**Adrian** · 15 Jun 2015, 4:35 pm,

Corbyn needed to be on the ballot paper for me. If not only to pull the other candidates left. It'll give Burnham something to think about, as Corbyn's attitudes are closely aligned to the trade unions.

**Adrian** · 17 Jun 2015, 6:36 pm,

Anyone took up the opportunity to register as a Labour supporter? Not bad for a £3 one off fee, when you get a chance to vote in the leadership elections. Perfect for the disillusioned left like myself. Tongue

Andreos1 · 17 Jun 2015, 6:41 pm,

(17 Jun 2015, 6:36 pm)aureolin wrote Anyone took up the opportunity to register as a Labour supporter? Not bad for a £3 one off fee, when you get a chance to vote in the leadership elections. Perfect for the disillusioned left like myself.

I have been looking to see if my union membership would result in active encouragement, in an effort to see me enrolled as a member - yet to hear owt.

**Adrian** · 17 Jun 2015, 6:44 pm,

(17 Jun 2015, 6:41 pm)Andreos1 wrote I have been looking to see if my union membership would result in active encouragement, in an effort to see me enrolled as a member - yet to hear owt.

You can join as an affiliated member for £1.96 a month on the normal join page. The supporter probably remains the best option for most though, if they have no desire to get actively involved in the party at present.

Andreos1 · 17 Jun 2015, 7:01 pm,

(17 Jun 2015, 6:44 pm)aureolin wrote You can join as an affiliated member for £1.96 a month on the normal join page. The supporter probably remains the best option for most though, if they have no desire to get actively involved in the party at present.

Hopefully the people who join as supporters or members, don't have ulterior motives.
For the sake of a few quid, a lot of people can afford to join and have an influence - regardless of their political allegiances.

Is your twitter feed full of Sharon Hodgson rt's? Pretty clear who she thinks should be leader!

**Adrian** · 17 Jun 2015, 7:03 pm,

(17 Jun 2015, 7:01 pm)Andreos1 wrote Hopefully the people who join as supporters or members, don't have ulterior motives.
For the sake of a few quid, a lot of people can afford to join and have an influence.

Is your twitter feed full of Sharon Hodgson rt's? Pretty clear who she thinks should be leader!

Pretty much. Surprised she's got time, in amongst campaigning for the Metro to Washington..............

Andreos1 · 17 Jun 2015, 7:11 pm,

(17 Jun 2015, 7:03 pm)aureolin wrote Pretty much. Surprised she's got time, in amongst campaigning for the Metro to Washington..............

As well as writing articles and posing for photos, for the Washington Star Wink

.

(17 Jun 2015, 7:05 pm)Adam wrote I was watching the Daily Politics on BBC2 at lunchtime (was channel hopping between that and Bargain Hunt), and the journalist Toby Young was being interviewed, and he has "joined" the Labour party so he can vote.

There's also rumours that some Tories (MPs and non-MPs) have paid £3 so that they can vote for Jeremy Corbyn, as they think his direction will lead the party to another loss in the 2020 election, should he be elected leader.

Just said earlier about the fee being affordable and possibly attracting people with ulterior motives.
Who mentioned the phrase 'delicious irony' on the forum? Cos I would love it if their votes actually led to a tory defeat next time out.

#deliciousirony
#hashtagsonNEB

**Adrian** · 17 Jun 2015, 7:15 pm,

(17 Jun 2015, 7:05 pm)Adam wrote I was watching the Daily Politics on BBC2 at lunchtime (was channel hopping between that and Bargain Hunt), and the journalist Toby Young was being interviewed, and he has "joined" the Labour party so he can vote.

There's also rumours that some Tories (MPs and non-MPs) have paid £3 so that they can vote for Jeremy Corbyn, as they think his direction will lead the party to another loss in the 2020 election, should he be elected leader.

There's a 'Conservatives for Corbyn' campaign I believe.

He'll be getting my vote. We need a proper left wing and working class alternative again in this country. In the 2015 election, it turned out we had a choice between Austerity (Tories) and Austerity-lite (Labour), yet in Scotland, they overwhelmingly voted to reject Austerity (SNP).

Andreos1 · 17 Jun 2015, 7:56 pm,

(17 Jun 2015, 7:17 pm)Adam wrote Oh, I can't remember now. I remember it being mentioned though.

'Conservatives for Corbyn'. Rings a bell that...

Careful what yous say about Sharon mind! Don't think I've mentioned this before, but I'm good friends with her daughter. We went to school together.

Must say as well, Sharon does make a decent Chilli con Carne. Had the pleasure of sampling it when the Hodgson's hosted an A-Level results day party last year

I toned down my original comment about posing for photos - thank goodness for that.

You know too many people. First it emerges you know pne of our sleepy commuters and then you tell us you are in the click with local MP's! Wink

MurdnunoC · 17 Jun 2015, 8:16 pm,

I've just this minute signed up so I can vote Jeremy Corbyn in the Labour leadership election.

**Adrian** · 03 Aug 2015, 4:53 pm,

(02 Aug 2015, 9:55 pm)Adam wrote http://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/nort...th-9770973

I notice the Chronicle have compiled a list of the Labour leadership candidates and which North East Labour MPs, constituencies and affiliates are supporting them. Some interesting ones mind.

Note the exclusion of the forum's favourite local MP, Sharon Hodgson

See, this is what annoys me. Surely if a CLP votes (which they do) to endorse a particular candidate, then the MP (that the CLP elect as a candidate) should also endorse/nominate that candidate.

No real surprise that Sharon and Bridget have voted for Yvette, being the leading female candidate.

**Adrian** · 03 Aug 2015, 4:56 pm,

I'm not one to post a Daily Mail link, but I found this article quite amusing: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-...fault.html

Basically, the Tory press are flapping over the thought of the ex-Militant Tendancy/Socialist Party, having an influence over Corbyn winning the leadership contest.

MurdnunoC · 03 Aug 2015, 7:42 pm,

(03 Aug 2015, 6:49 pm)Adam wrote I see what you mean. You would think (and rather hope) that there would be some unity between the two, but there obviously isn't in this example. And consequently, it can insinuate possible divisions between the party's members, with many having different directions they want the party to go in.

There was also talk, albeit nationally, that if Corbyn wins with his far leftwing views, there may be a SDP-style breakaway from the Labour party started by those belonging to the centre-left. It was on some show the other week. I think it was the Daily Politics.

Today infact, the Shadow Chancellor (Chris Leslie is it?) said he will not serve under a Corbyn-led Shadow Government.

Those involved in the SDP breakaway in the early-80's weren't exactly missed. Labour managed to survive without them and I think, if there was another SDP-style breakaway, The Labour Party would be able weather the storm and survive again.

The problem with centrist politics, in my view, is that it becomes deeply undemocratic. Politics is supposed to be dynamic and oppositional, representative of all views contained within the political spectrum. If all the main parties drift towards the centre-ground they begin to alienate people originally sympathetic with their core values. Voters become disillusioned in the process creating a crisis where people don't engage because they don't feel represented. Fringe parties, both left and right, may gain a few voters here and there but, ultimately, voters become more apathetic over time, spanning across generations.

A (threatened) split in the Labour Party may be a good thing as it threatens the status-quo and forces the party to question both who it really represents and who are its members.

MrFozz · 12 Aug 2015, 9:15 pm,

Quick question...

With everything going on with Labour at the moment, is it really possible a vote for Jeremy Corbyn will be the death of the Labour Party...

Anyone think Corbyn will win and will the likes of Blair be proved right about it if Corbyn is voted in

**Adrian** · 12 Aug 2015, 9:27 pm,

(12 Aug 2015, 9:15 pm)MrFozz wrote Quick question...

With everything going on with Labour at the moment, is it really possible a vote for Jeremy Corbyn will be the death of the Labour Party...

Anyone think Corbyn will win and will the likes of Blair be proved right about it if Corbyn is voted in

In my opinion - no. Scare tactics from those to the right of the Labour Party.

BusLoverMum · 12 Aug 2015, 9:39 pm,

(12 Aug 2015, 9:15 pm)MrFozz wrote Quick question...

With everything going on with Labour at the moment, is it really possible a vote for Jeremy Corbyn will be the death of the Labour Party...

Anyone think Corbyn will win and will the likes of Blair be proved right about it if Corbyn is voted in

Blair needs to b... off back to Iraq or wherever he's working miracles, this week.

I'm rather enjoying the Corbyn effect. I was rather crushed when Ed couldn't deliver the votes and all the pundits blamed it on him being too left wing, amongst other things, such as his not uncommon inability to eat an undercooked bacon sandwich gracefully. While I find some of Corbyn's views a little extreme (he'd be all for uniform carbon copy state owned buses, wouldn't he?) I think it's rather refreshing that so many people are saying that the last thing that the labour party should do is give up and become Tory lite.

I do believe there will be some major shakeup as a result of this, but, to be honest, it's necessary.

MrFozz · 12 Aug 2015, 10:10 pm,

(12 Aug 2015, 9:39 pm)BusLoverMum wrote Blair needs to b... off back to Iraq or wherever he's working miracles, this week.

I'm rather enjoying the Corbyn effect. I was rather crushed when Ed couldn't deliver the votes and all the pundits blamed it on him being too left wing, amongst other things, such as his not uncommon inability to eat an undercooked bacon sandwich gracefully. While I find some of Corbyn's views a little extreme (he'd be all for uniform carbon copy state owned buses, wouldn't he?) I think it's rather refreshing that so many people are saying that the last thing that the labour party should do is give up and become Tory lite.

I do believe there will be some major shakeup as a result of this, but, to be honest, it's necessary.

Ed was never going to win the Election, whether David Milliband could have won or not I do not know.

I am sick of it all to be honest, I dont trust any of them as far as I could spit

BusLoverMum · 12 Aug 2015, 10:31 pm,

(12 Aug 2015, 10:10 pm)MrFozz wrote Ed was never going to win the Election, whether David Milliband could have won or not I do not know.

I am sick of it all to be honest, I dont trust any of them as far as I could spit

David was a Blair fan with dodgy facial hair that wasn't worth cultivating. And a career politician. I never trusted him.

MrFozz · 12 Aug 2015, 10:36 pm,

(12 Aug 2015, 10:31 pm)BusLoverMum wrote David was a Blair fan with dodgy facial hair that wasn't worth cultivating. And a career politician. I never trusted him.

I was never keen on Tonys cronies to be honest, I dont trust a man called Balls, everytime I think about Alistair Darling, it reminds me of Tim McInerney in Blackadder Goes Forth...I actually met Tony Blair once years ago at school, and once got into trouble at school because of him...[FACE WITH TEARS OF JOY]