Beginning of the end of the Labour Party?

Sonic67

I don't think anyone else knows who she is anyway.

Enki

Tells me despite the adversity of Blair years, he stuck with the Constituents Democracy and his principles, so what if it's not bottom line politics...?

Cliff

So he shouldn't grumble if a significant number of his MPs do just like he did, and stick with their principles? Why the 3 line whip then?

The Dude

I dont think its 'respect my authority' cliff, i genuinely think he's trying the only thing he can think off to save the party from further self harm.

I dont think he'll take any action whatsoever against those defying the whip, its symbolic and political in this instance.

Ministers from remain constituencies may resign, reaffirming their bond with their voters. MPs from remain constituencies will defy the whip and stick uo for their voters...

Its all good politics on his part and the noise is all a clever smokescreen in my opinion.

mikeybabes2

If I were Corbyn, I would have told his MP's that they should vote for Article 50, with the exception of those who represented a constituency that voted to remain. It would have taken all the heat out of it, dodged the situation he now finds himself in, would have demonstrated a respect for democracy, and the vote would still have been passed.

Instead, he has created another firestorm.

Corbyn does not appear to be very politically astute. (Frankly anyone who puts Diane Abbott on the front bench is not politically astute - I think she is a self important fool, with a spectacular lack of self-awareness).

In addition, for a man who was supposed to me a conviction politician, he principles seem have taken, ahem, a 'far more flexible approach', than I think most people were expecting.

Still, having the labour party is such disarray will be helpful in the short term whilst the government gets their ducks lined up for article 50. I'll bet the government can't believe their luck that the labour party can't cause too much chaos - the fact that a private citizen (Miller) has caused more problems for the government than the official opposition says it all quite frankly.

Hopefully he will stay in place until after the 2020 election, by which time we will have the basis of leaving the EU sorted out, without anyone trying to throw even more nails on the highway to leaving the EU. It's going the be difficult enough and we certainly don't need any more saboteurs.

One thing, however, is that this has been even more entertaining than House of Cards. I bet Netflix or HBO would be extremely keen to sign up whoever is writing the script...

The Dude

It could also be argued this is his attempt at herding Liberal brexit voters?

Enki

I would imagine he will have great deal of sympathy, particularly those MPs who have majority remain constituents.


Part and parcel of being in opposition apart from key shadow positions, not many could name the Welsh secretary's full stop, unless it's married Christian, I want to kiss you everywhere Stephen Crabb, the less said about that the better.

Pacifico

Really?. If his purpose was to save the Party from harm why the need for the 3 line whip, why not simply make it an open vote and everyone votes the way they want?

All he has done now is push another couple of Shadow Ministers to resign which simply reinforces the view that he cannot put together a Cabinet that doesn't fall apart within months - he's had more people refuse to serve and resign in the past year than any other Labour Leader since WW2

The Dude

Without pressure from the top theres every chance we'd have MPs from Brexit constituencies voting against article 50 and getting themselves unelected?

(Milliband syndrome)

Shadow ministers resigning means very little at the end of the day, theyre easily replaced.

Im just trying to explain my take on things, youd hope theres some kind of logic somewhere in what Labour are doing currently so I'll give him the benefit of doubt and assume he has a plan.

Keeping the party from further harm ( im talking electoral harm rather than infighting) and keeping egos happy are not neccesarily the same thing?

I don't think current Labour strategy is geared around becoming the next govt, I think they're trying to cement their position as the opposition.

Sonic67

Might be so he can say it is Labour policy to leave. Perhaps trying to prevent a further leak of voters to Conservatives/Ukip.

Might be to test loyalty.

Might be because he really has no idea and came up with it off the cuff and never thought it through.