next labour leader

sun_tzu

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It's inevitable that ed has to go... But who will replace him
Andy burnham 5/2
Yvette Cooper 4/1
Chukka ummuna 4/1
Dan jarvis 7/1
Tristam hunt 16/1
Liz kendal 18/1
David milliband 20/1
Rachel Reeves 25/1

My initial thoughts are not Mrs ed balls mainly due to her husband and his public image.
Tristam sounds as Un labour as you can get
Milliband Snr won't try again after last time

Andy Burnham is early favourite is not bad on TV and relatively young... Seems a sound bet but Chukka has been widely tipped before.

I think Ed will step down very soon and it is clear labour needs to do something to re-engage with the electorate
 

bishblaize

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Meh, nothing to choose between them in terms of general vision for the party - none of them have one. So for no other reason than he's good on camera, I'd go for Chuka. We saw this election how important it is to have the right face, even if it galls that this is the reality of politics now.
 

Flying_Heckfish

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Burnham or Milliband, pick your flavour. Having read up a bit more on Burnham I would be a little hesitant if I were a staunch labour supporter, but he always come across well on QT and the like.

Besides the Catholism, there's this:
Burnham was criticised during the 2010 election campaign after leaflets were sent to 250,000 women - some of whom turned out to be cancer patients - featuring a message from a breast cancer survivor who praised Labour's health policy. Burnham, the then government Health Secretary, denied that specific cancer patients had been targeted
Which is that bad Ianucci used it as the basis of a plotline for Veep (I am guessing but it appears very similar)
 

bishblaize

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Am I missing something here? How is David Millband even an option?
 

Flying_Heckfish

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I'm guessing Labour will pick some pro-EU, because there will now be a campaign to stay in it. They should start by assessing the candidates on that basis. Someone with a history of being pro-EU, a good orator, negotiator..
 

Drifter

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Like to see Alan Johnson short term .But out of that list Chuka Umunna.
 

PlayerOne

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I pretty much don't know anyone on that list but Chuka because he's always on TV. Who has the most charisma? With leaders image being so important and TV debates playing such a big part the new leader would need be charismatic IMO. I liked Ed but he seemed a little clumsy
 

Sam

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I don't think there is anyone on that list that you think 'yeah, I could see them as PM'.
 

FromTheBench

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More pressingly, why would any Labour voter want a Blair MK II :houllier:
Seems popular opinion from a while that traditional labour supporters picked the wrong Miliband to present to rest of electorate no ?
 

PlayerOne

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Seems popular opinion from a while that traditional labour supporters picked the wrong Miliband to present to rest of electorate no ?
At the time I thought they picked the wrong one, but again, I have no clue when it comes to this kind of stuff.
 

Kag

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Burnham regularly behaves like a child. The Labour party might as well pack in for good if they let him lead.

Cooper is competent. Ummuna will probably bring in the most votes and that's what it's all about. He's their best bet.
 

bishblaize

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Whatever happens, the party must avoid a further lurch to the left. That would be suicide.
 

bleezy

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The next leader needs to be an inspiring choice. I don't think Burnham is that at all. After Miliband and Brown, it's hurt Labour's image having people you can't buy as Prime Minister against a statesman looking Cameron. Lets not forget that Cameron won't be running in five years, so the Tories will have their own fresh face in charge, which I think reinforces the need for Labour to stick in someone who has the look of a leader to run against a Tory candidate who hasn't had the chance to prove they are a leader themselves (unless it's Boris...).
 

sun_tzu

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Whatever happens, the party must avoid a further lurch to the left. That would be suicide.
Indeed... as unpalatable as some labour supporters find it the truth is that they have not had a leader other than Tony Blair win an election since 1976... and the world has changed a lot in the intervening period!
Elections are now mainly won from the middle ground, perceived economic competency and a telegenic leader certainly helps...
Essentially they need another Blair - though if such a candidate would get through their internal election procedure is the issue... or will they end up with another compromise like Ed Milliband who nobody really wanted but the left of the party really really didn't want his brother and the right really really didn't want Balls.
 

bishblaize

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Indeed... as unpalatable as some labour supporters find it the truth is that they have not had a leader other than Tony Blair win an election since 1976... and the world has changed a lot in the intervening period!
Elections are now mainly won from the middle ground, perceived economic competency and a telegenic leader certainly helps...
Essentially they need another Blair - though if such a candidate would get through their internal election procedure is the issue... or will they end up with another compromise like Ed who nobody really wanted but the left of the party really really didn't want his brother and the right really really didn't want Balls.
They need to get over their problem with Blair & the centre ground and quickly.
 

bishblaize

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Indeed - probably easier said than done though - particularly in what could end up being quite a rushed election?
In all honesty I would say that the next general election is a foregone conclusion. So whoever they elect as leader now is probably only going to be a holding figure anyway.
 

ThierryHenry

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Future direction of the party needs to be decided first, a leader who can then successfully push and promote that image second.
 

sun_tzu

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Future direction of the party needs to be decided first, a leader who can then successfully push and promote that image second.
sadly I think it will be the other way round with most party members pushing for a centre left leader, the affiliated membership pushing for a much more left leaning option and the MP's trying to align themselves with whoever they think can actually win. - big old bunfight probably dividing the party more than unifying it
 

bishblaize

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Why IS 2020 a Foregone conclusion ?
Mainly because the Tories will be in power as the economy returns to normal. The party that's seen as the safer pair of hands with the economy is by far the most likely to win.
 

sun_tzu

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Mainly because the Tories will be in power as the economy returns to normal. The party that's seen as the safer pair of hands with the economy is by far the most likely to win.
well with an eu-refferendum to come I'd wait to see what effect that has on the economy before presuming it will be just fine...
 

PlayerOne

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Mainly because the Tories will be in power as the economy returns to normal. The party that's seen as the safer pair of hands with the economy is by far the most likely to win.
Unless the Tories cock something up big time then I can't see Labour winning the next election tbh. Their best bet would be a leader who can attract voters.
 

ThierryHenry

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sadly I think it will be the other way round with most party members pushing for a centre left leader, the affiliated membership pushing for a much more left leaning option and the MP's trying to align themselves with whoever they think can actually win. - big old bunfight probably dividing the party more than unifying it
You're probably right. Hopefully there's at the very least a clear-out of the current front bench as @Antisocial said.