Yesterday evening, Sam Coates of Sky News brought news of a poll conducted among Labour Party members. “YouGov polled 1,059 Labour members. Here’s who they put down as their first preference … shadow Brexit secretary Keir Starmer comes out on top, getting 31% of first preferences. Corbynite favourite and shadow business secretary Rebeca Long Bailey comes out second on 20%”. Only one other name broke 10%.
And that was Birmingham Yardley MP Jess Phillips, who got 11%. Other mooted hopefuls, including Clive Lewis, Yvette Cooper, Emily Thornberry and Lisa Nandy, managed between 5% and 7%. YouGov might not be some Labour members’ first choice as a pollster, but this is a clear indication of how that membership is thinking. And the prospect of Starmer as Labour leader has sent the right-wing press into a spin.
Although Coates reminded viewers “There are plenty of caveats when it comes to working out Jeremy Corbyn’s successor. A poll isn’t a prediction, some candidates may yet enter the race, and it might not include some of the other categories of supporter … eligible to vote”, the news has been taken by the Tories’ media pals as the starting signal.
That’s starting signal, as in starting to sling mud at the likely front runners. As usual, the Daily Mail was in a league of its own in nodding and winking, telling “Sir Keir Starmer is the early front-runner to succeed Jeremy Corbyn as Labour leader, according to the first major poll of the contest”. He’s a Sir, which means aloof and snob! And there was more.
“The centrist shadow Brexit secretary would beat Rebecca Long Bailey by 61 per cent to 39 per cent in a run-off, according to the YouGov survey. The poll, reported by the Guardian, shows Mr Starmer in the lead in every UK region and age group”. Yeah, it’s the rotten lefty Guardian reporting it, not Sky News! And hey Labour lefties, he’s a Centrist, so don’t you dare vote for him! [Starmer is not, as far as is known, a Centrist, but hey ho]
Meanwhile, the Murdoch Sun rants that Corbyn’s “preferred successor Rebecca Long-Bailey sounds like an automated supermarket checkout reprogrammed with Corbynite cliches. Her mate Angela Rayner is a droning foghorn who spreads lies for Twitter ‘likes’. Keir Starmer, the nitwit behind Labour’s fatal Remain position, tells new Tory voters in Leigh that they ‘need’ Labour. Just marvel at that entitlement”.
Giveaway, much? That means the Murdoch mafiosi are frightened of all three of them. And they’re going to portray Starmer as “entitled”, which is a bit rich, given their backing for alleged Prime Minister Alexander Boris de Pfeffel Johnson. But they are in lockstep with their pals at the Guido Fawkes blog, who are trying the same con.
Here, the perpetually thirsty Paul Staines and his rabble have sneered “Despite all the talk of electing a non-London based working class woman to the role, it seems that members currently prefer a male, Oxford educated, inner-London MP with a knighthood”. Bozo The Clown is, er, male, Oxford educated, and represents a London constituency.
The right-wing press pack is frit of Keir Starmer. So they’ll paint him as snobby and out of touch in order to defend Bozo, who is, er, snobby and out of touch.
After alt, they succeeded in calling a lifelong anti-racist a racist. It’s going to get dirty.
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Yes it's going to get very dirty but there isn't much they can hang on Starmer. Those in Labour with reservations should consider that Starmer is the right man for the times and all the criticism from the right are good evidence why.
ReplyDeleteOne thing to his advantage- during all the hatred directed towards Corbyn even from his own side, Keir Starmer supported the leader.
Going to be mildly "interesting" when War Criminal Blair is inevitably wheeled on to propagandise for a New Labour Quisling. Even though his words will be tediously predictable before the bad meff opens his mouth.
ReplyDeleteI couldn't give a solid shit for Starmer's "title", his "education", or where he's from. We'll see what policies he proposes. Also, which part(s) of Labour's last manifesto he doesn't support. The same goes for any other candidate.
Meanwhile, nobody with a free mind believes anything spewed into newsprint and broadcast ether by far right goons at the BBC, ITN, Sky or by the Murdoch/Rothermere Nastzi liars. An entire new generaation holds them in utter contempt and is now well acquainted with their methods - sooner or later this will feed through in democratic results. Always assuming, of course, that we have any democracy left......though I wouldn't make book on that possibility.
This is the predicament: if an intelligent individual argues with an idiot, in a room full of idiots, then the idiot wins.
ReplyDeleteIf two intelligent people argue in a room full of idiots, then the one who appeals to idiots wins. I can't see a way through this predicament.
Less 'right-wing press panic' about Starmer and more 'rehearsing their attack lines' against whoever wins.
ReplyDelete"Yes it's going to get very dirty but there isn't much they can hang on Starmer."
ReplyDeleteThat was always an unfortunate side with Corbyn. Yeah, the press will lie, exaggerate and spin any story to make the Labour leader look bad, but having photos taken with actual terrorist Gerry Adams was always going to make it easier for them. Starmer has less in his closet. Unless he spent his twenties running a "Jimmy Savile appreciation society", I guess.
@ 12:40.
ReplyDeleteYou and New Labour go well together.
Nothing but anti-Corbyn sly weasel words.
Here's a photo of Mo Mowlam with Gerry Adams:
ReplyDeletehttps://www.irishtimes.com/polopoly_fs/1.3451408!/image/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/landscape_620/image.jpg
Which is why any attempt to smear Corbyn is bullshit.
There are plenty of other photos which show other politicians, including Ulster Protestants, with Adams. Same goes for McGuinness and Paisley.
I'm not saying that Corbyn was wrong to meet Adams. Or Mowlam, for that matter. The peace process was an amazing achievement and those were necessary steps.
ReplyDeleteWhat I am saying is that the existence of those photos made it easier for the right-wing press to play the "Corbyn is a terrorist sympathiser" card, and that if they wanted to do the same to Starmer it would take more effort.
I know it's hard to believe but not everything I say is an attack.
@ 21:38.
ReplyDeleteYes it's hard to believe.
Especially when it's framed so slyly. And always, ALWAYS, in an anti-Corbyn manner.
In short, I no more trust you than I do Jess Phillips. Which is to say not at all.
On the same subjecthttps: //www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=https://res.cloudinary.com/dods/image/upload/c_fill,g_center,h_500,w_1120/v1/UK%2520public%2520affairs/martin_mcg_avexjp.jpg&imgrefurl=https://www.politicshome.com/news/uk/political-parties/labour-party/tony-blair/news/84437/tony-blair-pays-tribute-courageous&h=500&w=1120&tbnid=2g5_nk2IZaGMuM:&q=photos+of+gerry+adams+with+tony+blair&tbnh=90&tbnw=202&usg=AI4_-kQzC9kbWhbopJoENsf7WSIM2GzMXg&vet=1&docid=fav2Y2xUO3Ld7M&client=firefox-b-m&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwj-592fkermAhUJGsAKHcItAskQ9QEwAHoECAYQBA#spf=1578147422523
ReplyDeleteWant more?
Mate, Blair isn't running for Labour leader so I don't know what the point of those are.
ReplyDelete@ 20:20.
ReplyDeleteYes, I'm sure you "don't know".
But you fool nobody.