The Labour Leadership Debate!!

[NickFaulks]

And, Tom Watson is the deputy leader - he took a number of rounds to get over the line.

But it was never in any doubt from the first round.

I'm looking forward the the coming PMQs. For the first time in decades it won't just be two chaps trying to score a few points while actually being pretty much in agreement about everything.

[Matt Mackenzie]

I think that is unfair on the previous Labour leader, tbh.

That is precisely why he was so monstered by both the media and the Blairite nostalgics in his own party.

Still, unlike Ed, Jez's mandate leaves no room for argument. Interesting times......

[Mick Norris]

Thanks for that, Angus. So now we know: the £3.00 mob make all the difference

Um, no they didn't. And there is a good chance they won't tomorrow, either......

Spot on, Corbyn got 49.6% of votes from Members, and 57.6% from Affiliated Supporters - over 250,000 votes in total is impressive

Will be interesting to see how many members Labour has in a year's time

[Brian Towers]

Will be interesting to see how many members Labour has in a year's time

If you mean how many of the "£3.00 mob" will renew their subscription in a year's time then I think it depends on what happens in the interim and who they are. Are they mostly disaffected Greens (DGs) who see a chance to move a more electable party towards their preferred policies? Or are they mostly troublemaking Tories (TTs), out to sink the Labour party and make it unelectable for a generation, perhaps for ever?

If in a year's time Corbyn is still firmly ensconced as Labour leader having consolidated his power then the TTs will be off and the DGs will pay up and settle in for the long haul. If there has been a coup or Corbyn has resigned because he can't square his conscience with Labour party policy and a more centrist candidate has won the position then both groups will be off.

Corbyn very much needs the "£3.00 mob" to stay engaged and active for the next few months regardless of whether they are DGs or TTs. His job as party leader is to implement party policy as determined by the National Executive Council. Current Labour party policy is in support of both Trident and NATO, in diametric opposition to the policies on which Corbyn campaigned and which he has espoused for the last 40 years. He desperately needs the "£3.00 mob" to elect fresh, hard-left faces to the NEC (if that is possible) and bring Labour party policy more in line with his campaign policies. If that doesn't happen then he faces a choice between a principled resignation and return to the backbenches or soldiering on through the ensuing personal political dissonance and the scorn that will attract from his former supporters as he demonstrates that he is as two-faced and spineless as the "business as normal" politicians he campaigned against.

As an aside it is worth mentioning that Corbyn was very much the "None of the above" candidate, a concept with which ECF members appear to be very familiar at this time. It would be wrong to slag off his election or write off the Labour party just yet. They simply need to find a more creditable candidate and perhaps Corbyn's election will be the spur they need.

[Mick Norris]

No, by Members I meant Members, not anything else like Affiliated Supporters or Registered Supporters