The Political Thread

[IndigoPrime]

Ghastly McNasty: The hand-wringing op-eds by Polly Toynbee were a highlight. "I agree with almost everything Corbyn is campaigning for, but we should vote for someone else."

[Ghastly McNasty]

The Guardian has been creating clickbait in order to drive up their web traffic, which entails baiting their lefty readership so they keep revisiting pages for the debates in the comments sections, but the end result has been to destroy their reputation for impartiality.

I think you've nailed it there.

To be honest I'd pretty much given up on politics until Corbs came along. I was increasingly starting to believe that we are in fact fucked. That a corporate controlled Blade Runner-esc future was really coming our way. The hope he offered got me interested again and I've been devouring The Guardian and Independent websites daily. The click baiting works but they've sold their soul. Just like the Blairites themselves, who needs a Guardian if they ain't for the left.

I think they've kinda realised that too, IndigoPrime. Already you can see the slight change of tack on the site. Even Toynbee is trying to back peddle slowly. In a months time they'll be claiming they were with Jezza all along. Fuckers.

[M.I.K.]

I see the Conservatives now have grainy black and white footage of Corbyn on youtube being quoted out of context while scary music plays in the background.

L is for Labour - L is for Lice

Video no longer available due to a copyright claim.

[Theblazeuk]

Reading the Standard last night, I am sickened by the blatant hatchet jobs already underway. On the same page as a huge article slamming Corbyn's lack of female representation in his cabinet, there is a smaller article saying "Labour MPs on the Rise" showing two female MPs appointed to senior roles.

The contradiction is right there on the same page. And lets not even get started on a cabinet with more women than any other cabinet, ever. A fact not mentioned once.

[Modern Panther]

An awful lot of mps who joined  socialist labour party now seem convinced that socialism is a terrible idea. Alistair Darling ( former marxist) in the paper today warning the party against moving left, seems to have missed that it already  has. The people who thought they were in charge  just haven't  caught up yet. 

[Jimmy Baker's Assistant]

I genuinely like The Badger, he was a very good chancellor and he led Better Together with considerable fortitude. He backed Liz Kendall for the leadership, though, so it's fair to say he's not a fan of the move from New Labour to New Syriza.

I can understand that Labour moderates are concerned that if the party moves too far left it becomes unelectable. However what I don't get is why anyone would join the Labour party if they genuinely don't believe in social justice.

[Richmond Clements]

What amazes me is that people keep describing Corbyn as Far Left.
He's not even close to being Far Left, which just illustrates hoe far Right the Labour party has drifted.

[Jimmy Baker's Assistant]

What amazes me is that people keep describing Corbyn as Far Left.
He's not even close to being Far Left, which just illustrates hoe far Right the Labour party has drifted.

I should have written "too far to the left", which is what I meant, and I agree that Jezza is not "far left", although I think "hard left" would probably be fair.

[Richmond Clements]

Wasn't having a go at you there - I was merely making an observation about the reporting.

[Professor Bear]

While we're at it, can we stop calling right-wingers "moderates"?  They really aren't.

[Theblazeuk]

If anything Corbyn is a moderate left. It's just left, rather than centre/right.

[ZenArcade]

The time servers and careerists in the Labour Party must be in a blind funk at the moment. Stick it to them JC. Z

[TordelBack]

What the TUC are up to feeding the right-wing media their lines is anyone's guess. I know this EU referendum policy goes back months (although you wouldn't get that impression from the Beeb, who paint it as an anti-Corbyn reaction), but is this a good week to muddy the waters?

[Old Tankie]

Why the fuss about Corbyn not singing the national anthem? Why would he? He is a republican.

[TordelBack]

Yeah, that one is hilarious. Apparently we all prefer our politicians to be hypocrites who play along for the sake of an easy life. As any atheist at a church service knows, you keep your mouth shut, stand and sit as instructed and look respectful. There's nothing more disrespectful than a non-believer chanting along.

I know I should keep my nose out of this whole business, but as a lifelong Irish Labour Party voter I can't help but try to live vicariously. A Labour leader who's left of centre? A wonderful dream to be sure.