The last few posts in this thread highlight everything that is wrong in modern politics and represent the reason why so many people get turned off. It is all about image, how do we present ourselves and no substance. This is a direct consequence of the first past the post system. I want genuine people who believe what they say to stand for election - if they don't get the votes they don't get in. It's quite simple really, it's called having principles, something which is sadly lacking in most front line politicians these days.
Chukka will not get votes in the North. He is the epitome of the metro London centric Neo-Lib in the PLP that the Northern voters are turning away from. Hilary Benn has a chance but ruled himself out earlier today if that means anything.
Dianne Abbott is even worse. She is blatantly anti white on occassion and riles people across the country when she starts to go on her racist rants. With Chukka it is nothing to do with his colour. He would struggle to get votes in the North because he is full on Blairite.
Would it be wrong to say I find Nandy's face quite irritating? ha, politically she is about right and a fair bit better at PR than Corbyn. Does she really seem like a leader? I don't know a lot about Jarvis, really. I will read up on him and get back to you!
Spaced. Do some research on Diane Abbott. She is very anti white and raacist with no apologies. She and Yasmin Alibih Brown think they can say what they want because they are not white and only white people can be racist.
What are you talking about? We're discussing political ideologies and you say we're only discussing image?
Read Peter Hitchins article in the Mail today about the North and his assessment of the left / right and then wonder. Although I don't like Hitchins or the mail it is on the money and a very good assessment of the virtual merger of the Tory and Labour moderates where the Tory right and Labour left are far closer in opinion to each other. It may be a case where some should swap sides with each other. Well worth a read but won't help you with choosing a Labour leader.
Shame about Hilary Benn, if he can't be persuaded otherwise. Perhaps he can be; it's been said that a reluctant leader is often the best leader.
By the time I had got my post in the thread had moved on. Look back a few posts before and it was about image, getting someone in from Spain etc etc to try and sell a message. If the message is right it doesn't need to be dressed up.
With people like Chukka it isn't about image or race. It is about policies. He is a full on Blairite and would struggle to persuade the country outside London to vote for him.
You have a point though. Principles should come before personalities, and content should triumph over style; but politics is a selling job, and shiny things that look good are easier to sell than quality things that look bad.
Principles are fine IF the policies are attractive to voters. Image is nothing if the policies are unattractive. Both the main parties are struggling on policies because they are both trying to spread their policies to please everybody in business and the public. It is a long way from the old Labour attractive to working class and Tory attractive to upper middle and upper classes with whoever gets the middle class coming out the winner. They are now both ignoring the working class while trying to spin their policies as being for the "working man". Both parties are so similar in policy even if they do try to make their policies sound different.
Did you not wonder why someone like Tom Watson chose this moment to become trendy diggin the bands at Glasto? Just remember he was the overwhelming choice for deputy from that last vote and he would get the union backing too. please log in to view this image
This is the Hitchins article and he does go off on one a bit but the section about the Left / right merging together is what Labour need to avoid to regain the heartland vote: (and he mentions Lincoln Cathedral) http://www.dailymail.co.uk/debate/a...me-finish-revolution-says-PETER-HITCHENS.html
