Warning
This is going to be either hard-going or side-splitting for you, depending on your point of view.
I could only watch it once, but from memory this is the nuts and bolts of it (in case the sight and sound of her is more than you can take) :
According to Ms Eagle:
Jeremy has lost the confidence of the members of the Labour Party in the country. Well, on the other hand, I'm not so sure about that, Angela;
Her constituency party backed Corbyn, but according to her this was due to "disruptive elements" in the "new" membership. She has, she says, more support that it seems... However, according to this article, the vote of her constituency party was 40 for Corbyn, O against and 4 abstentions. So it seems there are rather a lot of parvenus and no possibly 4 "Longtermers" (who didn't vote against Corbyn) on her executive, or she's got that a bit mixed up;
She says Labour Party rules demand that Corbyn get 50 nominations regardless of the fact that he is the sitting leader (and was roundly elected with just shy of 60% of the vote less than 1 short year ago), but that is certainly open to debate (as can be seen above extract of the rule changes);
When Peston challenges her on this she says that they will decide on the rules on Monday. Damn it. I thought rules were rules;
She goes off on a tangent trying to recruit new members (who presumably she images will back her... and Peston lets her), and then she blames Jeremy for the fact that England (and Wales) voted to leave the EU;
She refuses to answer a question about whether, should she lose to Corbyn, she will serve in a shadow cabinet of his should she be asked to;
She also refuses to answer if she would lead Labour into a 2020 General Election, saying that she is sure that there will be an election soon (despite the fact that Theresa May has said that, if she wins the prime ministerial election currently being played out by the other bunch of inward looking self servers, as she almost surely will, there will be no election);
Angela then wants to talk about how living under the Tories has been a tragedy for the poor, which is perfectly true. She doesn't mention, though, that many of the harsh things that the Tories did originated in Blair or Brown's governments... Anyone remember ATOS for example?
It strikes me that Peston may or may not have been a reasonably good reporter on financial matters for the BBC, but he's a relative lightweight when it comes to political interviews. Unless, of course, he favours the wing of the party, like DAME Margaret Hodge and LORD Kinnock, that wants to see the back of the kind of Labour that Jeremy Corbyn represents, and one more in keeping with their own elevated and aristocratic status.
Anything which helps to keep Labour unelectable in Scotland for the foreseeable future is good for Scotland.
ReplyDeleteIf Mr Corbyn stays, the establishment will keep up the pressure a la Michael Foote on him. If he gets stabbed the plotters will struggle to keep the rank and file members out there fighting for them.
If the party dissolves into infighting they will be weakened for years. All of these outcomes are right now in Scotland's interest.
The conservatives are about to elect a right wing Maggie mark 2. Loathesome is getting trashed in the media, but the old shires Tories could elect her anyway. And from the odd interview I've heard, she will be as popular as a poll tax here in Scotland. Ms May is the woman who wants to read your email. She is probably the better of the two candidates, but I can see her being another thorn in our flesh here.
So we are now in the best position for years wrt Scotland voting to get out of this burning building.
The economy is in deep doodoo. Confidence measures are diving. People are being left for a minimum of two months to even know what course is to be steered. Unemployment will soon start to climb. A perfect storm is brewing.
I know Nicola would probably have preferred to wait for a few more years before going for it. But Brexit looks likely to force her hand. You can see from the rhetoric - vow 2, the federal state solution, at every unionist rag today - the misreporting of EU news, the desperation of the "winners". They know we are going to win next time. And if that is to be May 2017, then lets fire the starting pistol and get it over with.
Saor Alba.
Alba Gu Brath!
Can't disagree with any of that, SA.
DeleteI notice the pound has been downgraded; it's the worst performing currency at the moment against the dollar.
I don't know accurate this is, but if it is, then we are in a very desperate place and need out!
http://tarffadvertiser.blogspot.co.uk/2016/07/a-letter-to-electorate-of-england-and.html
Tris
ReplyDeleteThe Labour Party may well be on it's last legs, and no party has a right to exist. Eagle is a loser, I never thought she was very good even when people were talking her up on many blogs. If they try to keep Corbyn off the ballot, they pee off the members. If he is on the ballot he will probably win, peeing off the PLP. If that comes about then I suspect we could see defections to the Lib Dems, less the Tories but you never know. Dugdull will pay a price in Scotland now that she has come out as anti Corbyn and the membership like him. It's a mess and they have been played by the Tories all the way, they have tried to dance to the Tory tune for years and are now paying the price. The PLP are toilet scum, or many are and they deserve all they get. With the impending election of May it's like Christmas coming early, we have got to have another independence referendum and none of the sharing pound shit this time. Scottish pound, strict financial regulation to build up our own banks etc. Now is the time in the next few months to have the vote in Holyrood and get on with it, we won;t ever have a greater opportunity.
Bruce
Well first Dugdale was against him. He would be bad for the country she said.
DeleteThen he was elected and suddenly he was the best thing that could have happened.
Now he's being challenged by Mrs Eagle, he's bad again.
Really, she must think we button up the back.
But someone told me she's off to America to learn how they do politics. That'll wok in Scotland!
Yes, I think we have to go for it... and as you say, no pound.
I wonder what we could call our currency...
Suggestions on a postcard to Munguin!
The Merk, let's get away from the pound, after all everyone else seems to be dropping it.
DeleteWe "shadow" the $ or Euro for a maximum of 2 years then the Merk becomes as strong as the Krone.
The Blairites should join the Tory Party, and become a centre right Party. The right wingers in the Tory Party should join UKIP in a renamed extreme right Party, the BNP perhaps? The remaining Labour Party should rename itself the Socialist Party.
ReplyDeleteThe Liberals should have the bouncy castle franchise at the other parties national conferences. English politics sorted!
Bouncy castle? Oh yeah, the slide in Willie's
DeleteWhen is whatever the Liberal leader is called, going to stand down or be challenged?
Everyone else seems to be having elections
Is Angela Eagle England's answer to Johann Lamont? Seriously though, I quite like Corbyn. He is polite, reasoned and civilised compared to Cameron's sneering Public School bully. If he only had the same respect for Scotland as he does for Ireland, then he would (almost) get my vote.
ReplyDeleteI take a grim satisfaction from the mess the Unionist parties find themselves in. Labour must die for Scotland to live.
The Pink jacket suggests she may be... or England's answer to Ms Goldie?
DeleteDidn't they all turn up in pink jaikets at one time?
I like Corbyn as you do but wish he took a more progressive attitude to Scotland.
I can't help but look at them and think... this is where it all has gone wrong.. and is going to go more wrong.
Out of Europe;
UK falls apart;
Parties break up;
What will the world do without Britannia to show it the way?
Yes I think they did all turn up in pink at one time. A fail for their spin doctors maybe?
DeleteAt least Annabel Goldie had a bit of character (and a more realistic attitude to the SNP - part of the reason she was booted out). Eagle seems to share the same soulless politics as Johann.
Good point about everything being on the verge of splitting up. How will Europe (and World) manage without the UK? Probably a lot better!
But can we manage without the protection of Trident???
johann Lamont has moved south this woman will do as much good in the UK as Johann did in Scotland the DEath of the Labour party takes on step closer
ReplyDeleteI fear so. She talks about him not being a leader, but she comes over a wishy washy, inarticulate, and liable to bust into tears. She also lies. Her website Angela Eagle for leader was set up BEFORE Benn's sacking. And she gave that as the reason for her on/off challenge.
DeleteI think she is being used and I hope Jeremy grinds her into the dust.
All this just goes to show how undemocratic governance is in England's parliament.
ReplyDeleteWhen a relatively small group of (s)elected MPs can seek to overturn the democratic will of their membership then accountability becomes a joke.
If the matter of electing their leader was a matter for their constituents to decide,then I might have some sympathy for their position but it isn't,so I don't.
I notice that apparently 1000 lawyers have written to Cameron to tell him that the democratic referendum just held is illegal and the result should be ignored.
The culture of elite entitlement and unaccountability derives from having an unelected head of state who,in theory,has unlimited powers and subsequently her representatives in parliament.
Patronage is everything in the English state and democratic process something to be seen but not adhered to in order to keep the masses in line.
Nothing will change until England has a written constitution which gives power to the people (yes,a blast from the past!).
Only Scotland can initiate this process by electing to stay within the EU family of nations and rejecting the ugly sisters in London who are hell bent on returning us to the dark ages.
At that point,people in England will realise that their system of governance is not "normal" and that they truly are Little England with their Monarch,pomp and ceremony but not much else.
Apologies for going off topic a bit but it all seems to be tying together at present.
No apologies needed bringiton.
Delete"I notice that apparently 1000 lawyers have written to Cameron to tell him that the democratic referendum just held is illegal and the result should be ignored."
I hadn't heard that. How can it be illegal? It's fair to say that referenda results are advisory to rather than obligatory on the government, but it was presumably legally held, with the right amount of notice and with a question approved by the Electoral Commission.
I don't see how it can be illegal.
On the question of whether or not it will be implemented, that's up to parliament. It's true that the majority was small, but as I understand it 50% + 1 is a win. It means more people who care enough to get off their backsides and vote, voted that way.
In any case May has said the result will stand. But hers is not the final decision.
Apparently it needs to be approved in Edinburgh too, and of course it is very unlikely that it will be. That could cause a furore.
Long may Corbyn hang on!
ReplyDeleteMrs May can bed in for a year, go to the country in a year and force a disunited Labour (which is also financially bust) into a GE they are ill prepared to fight.
The opportunity for a fresh Tory decade of power under the IronMayDen beckons. Coupled with a tory revival under our Ruth in Scotland, the fates are aligning in our favour.
I say let Labour keep Corbyn - he's our very best asset.
Tory revival?
DeleteIron May-den, the UK's last PM.
You obviously discount the large numbers of voters, in the English electorate, that do not vote as they only have Tories to vote for; there Corbyn could find a ground swell of support, which it seems he has, be carefully what you wish for re: an election, you may be surprised again by the English voter.
If i lived in England, i would have been voting Green for the last 30 years, if i voted at all. Red Tory, Blue Tory, meh. Labour under Corbyn would get my vote now though, and there might be millions that feel the same. The establishment is terrefied of that of course, as can be seen by the attacks on him.
DeleteI think you'll all be surprised by Mrs May.
DeleteShe's going to go after the 'left behind' voters hard. She isn't stupid. She's already talked up the idea of forcing companies to put workers on their boards, and creating a 'stakeholder capitalism' with higher wages and more stable employment conditions.
She isn't Mrs Thatcher mkII, May is a different more humane breed altogether.
Don't underestimate Theresa-Ruth axis. The Tories girls are coming for you Nats :P
Having - and I'm purring like relic of a bygone feudal age here - predicted weeks before the referendum that Theresa May was the next primeminister I'm feeling rather smug.
DeleteMs May is not to be underestimated, but there isn't a Tory revival. You are reading the wrong runes. Ruthie sold herself as the RDP. There was no mention of the toxic brand. She garnered the support of the orangist hard unionists, and - judging from where her voters were - she is liked by a lot of the white settlers. Most Scots are none of the above.
The exit from the EU will damage the economy. It is doing so already. I do actually believe that it was national interest which caused Ms Loathesome to chuck in the towel. The economy is tanking. I am glad we at least have functioning government again.
I rather hope we are rid of Gideon at No 11. He is a failure. I wait to see how they play Scotland. I hope we have seen the last of IDS too. I don't think Ms May is an idiot, but she has some testing times coming. There won't be an election until 2020. And the tories will win it in England. I do so very much hope that England has full independence by then, and that independent Scotland continues to have cordial relations with them.
S.A.
I'd not be so ready to label 23% of the Scottish voters 'orangist hard unionists'. There really aren't that many silly orange order twits about anymore.
DeleteGiven the farm payments fiasco, the increasing shift to the left-central belt under Sturgeon - we're seeing a real revival in the old heartlands the Tories lost to the SNP during the 80s/90s (ie tayside, N.E-- proof being Swinney's majority collapsing by over half, and SNP losing aberdeenshire west to us)
As for seeing the back of Gideon and IDS - yes, I'm in agreement. We need Theresa to focus on social justice issues. But then, I think she actually will. She's a grammar school girl raised by a reverend father. She doesn't 'do' ideology, she does morals. And Theresa was the one who kicked off the 'modernising' movement with her 'nasty party' comments way back.
Thank Christ it isn't Leadsom!!
I don't doubt that there has been some return to the Tories, Dean.
DeleteFirst of all Ruth cleverly buried the brand at the last election, which is interesting, because she used to say that no one remembered Thatcher. Of course what she meant was that at 30 something SHE didn't remember Thatcher.
Secondly, there were areas of Scotland where hard right wing Labour candidates stood. Knowing that Tories would never be elected, people like Jim Murphy and Tom Harris stood in basically Tory seats. The current unpredictability of Labour may have encouraged people to vote for the Ruth Davidson Party. But yes, under Nicola the SNP may have moved a little more to the left. And that will affect the vote in the county areas.
Theresa doesn't have a very good record on social issues, but I'm prepared to give her a chance.
It will be good to get rid of Osborne. He's paid down the debt as he promised from £800,000,000,000 to £1,600,000,000. IDS looks like getting a plumb job, as possibly does Patel. You may still be stuck with the man who says that being gay can be cures by prayer.
Grammar school is a deal better than Eton though. At least she will have seen a poor person in her life, that wasn't a parlour maid.
So let's see what her cabinet is, and let's see what she does.
She appears to be uncompromising on Scotland, Jim. She says she will unite the UK.
DeleteBut Scotland voted overwhelmingly for the EU and in fairness England voted to leave. It would be folly to go back on that. No referendum would ever be respected again.
And she'd tear the Tories apart.
How can she unite us when something as fundamental as the EU stands between us?
I think I'd have voted Green in England too Jutie. But like you, if I thought that Corbyn would remain leader I'd probably be Labour.
Delete"Don't underestimate Theresa-Ruth axis. The Tories girls are coming for you Nats :P"
ReplyDeleteNo wonder you stuck your tongue out, that's the silliest statement I've read in a long time.
I was looking to stir you pot there. Had hoped for a more explosive slap down. teehee
DeleteI'm getting calmer in my old age, besides the Tories of all shades are doing the "Nats" work for us.
DeleteWhat's your thinking re: Scotland in Europe but not the UK versus Scotland and the rUK out of Europe?
Honestly, no idea. Hoping Theresa & Ruth can provide me with an answer.
DeleteI fail to see how I can reasonably choose between British & European. They, alongside being Scottish are central to how I see my identity.
Suppose I'm saying I'm waiting and seeing.
Though the economics of separation still scare the heck out of me.
You really need to stop reading the Daily Fail. Scotland is more than capable of standing on her own two feet. The biggest winners of all will be the middle classes. The London-centric rentseekers at the top of society will be sliced out, leaving room for the bushes below to grow up into the sunlight. The people who will do best are those who fill that ecological niche. Those will be educated, business orientated and nationalist minded.
DeletePlenty very wealthy Irishmen. And they so often self made.
Come on board Mr T. We will need a right of centre party in the new Scotland. And I'm sure it can thrive so long as it ditches the union, the aristocracy and the dead hand of oligopoly on land ownership in Scotland.
S.A.
May has already stated brexit means brexit.
DeleteYou'd still be British, in an independent Scotland, the term refers to the archipelago of the British isles, and not the Union of the parliaments.
The economic argument is a non-argument, there is plenty of evidence proving Scotland's fiscal health, ignoring the faulty if not down right skewed GERS figures; that blatantly misdirect Scots revenues.
Which separation, Dean?
DeleteI've noticed i Twitter, Jim, that the export figures that are bandies about are skewed.
DeleteApparently Scotland exports only £20 million of Scotch whisky. England exports £550 million.
So England is doing very nicely out of Scotland making all that whisky.
Serious question. Is it possible that dear Angela is nothing more than a stalking horse? She must realise that she has no chance, and in a straight challenge neither would anyone else. But she could kick start the fight so that someone else can come through the middle, it's happened before has it not?
ReplyDeleteTrue, a stalking horse began the beginning of the end for Maggie. He stood, knowing he'd never win. Cleared the way for Hesseltine who destroyed her.
DeleteI reckon she's the stalking horse for Hilary Benn.
DeleteS.A.
Well, now Owen Smith has put his hat in the ring. You wonder, seriously, if these people could run a bath. Wasn't it John McDonald who said they were incompetent plotters?
DeleteUnderstatement. Split the right wing vote.
Clever strategy what?
McDonnell*
DeleteHere's what the Eagle had blanded previously...
ReplyDeletehttp://www.leftfutures.org/2015/07/angela-eagle-political-elite-need-to-lay-off-jeremy-corbyn/
You couldn't make her up. They all lie. We know this from the statement of Mr Bruce http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/politicians-lie-a-lot-admits-liberal-democrat-politician-10275934.html
DeleteBut she's so bare faced about it...
Hi all.
ReplyDeleteJust seen all the new comments on here. There's a few points I'd like to take up... but I'mm off my feet just now. Will comment later. Good discussion though. :)