Hilary Benn - the next PM?

One 15 minute oratory (with which I profoundly disagree however well articulated) is not suddenly going to elevate him to front rank. He has never been seen as ambitious or even particualry interesting before now.

Corbyn has huge support in the party membership, but not the parliamentary party. The latter cannot move against him unless Corbyn himself somehow alienates the members who put him there-which I don't see any time soon. I predict a cabinet reshuffle and de-selections taking place to enhance the Corbynistas hold on the party, and moderates including Benn quietly sidelined or just quitting. Simple maths mean a huge swing would be required for Labour to win next time and I dread to think what shape Labour will be in come election time-and indeed afterwards. Divided parties don't win elections.

I'm not a Labour supporter but I do want a strong opposition to unfettered Toryism.

The next PM will be Osborne. Shudder. He will be passed the baton before the next Election I suspect as well.

Bruce

I agree with the shudder... urrgh!
But what a desperate choice Osborne or Corbyn?

In general British elections are won in the middle ground, so maybe that opens the door for Farage...

So, Osborne, Corbyn or Farage?   ...   Still no better!

The Lib Dems?

Who they? (sadly the case now in my view). I always felt we'd appreciate their influence in coalition when they were not there-and so it maybe proves.

The big change in UK politics will come with the EU vote-that just might see the Tories party shredded too!

Bruce

I don't think the EU membership plebiscite will have a lasting effect on party politics; those who campaign for the opposite view can always say "Well that's how the majority want it, so I'll respect their views".  So unless the Tories decide to launch a round of pogroms the party will be able to heal itself quite quickly.

If the vote goes in favour of remaining in the EU, that hangs UKIP out to dry; if it goes against the EU that bolsters UKIP and gives the Tories a problem.

In respect of Syria, the Labour party just doesn't have that option for recovery.

Speakers that use the device of evoking emotions through well-controlled oratory with poor intellectual coherence and no regard to the possible dangerous consequences don't get my vote. History is full of leaders with good oratory that inflict pain and suffering on millions due to non-critical analysis of what they are actually saying.

I listened to a bit of the speech live and had to turn off as it was so contrived to bypass mind and work on emotions that it made me feel a bit ill.

Not a big fan of any of the party leaders: Cameron is a dangerous imbecile with foreign policy decisions, Corbin has no command of his position and the others have not really emerged with any ideas that are not narrow-minded party-political and focus-group orientated.

Real Leaders have vision, can be dangerous and are really needed right now in the West, but I don't see any. Europe is asleep and needs to wake-up and change from where it is sleep-walking into. There is a need to look at facts and not live in fantasy and what would be 'nice' - this is an infection of thinking in European and UK politics right not - enfeebled thinking at the top.

It will change - I just hope for the better.

Hear endeth my first and probably last comment about politics!

DB.

Could be worse...

Or better, depending on your persuasion I suppose

I'm a member of the Labour Party and proud of it. I didn't vote for Jeremy, but he's got my admiration for trying to do things in a different way. I don't agree with Hilary and don't think we should be bombing Syria. One speech does not a leader make - all fur coat and no knickers. 

JamieWednesday posted:

Could be worse...

Or better, depending on your persuasion I suppose

Beware, they took about a third of the seats in France's regional elections. 

Yep.

My parents live in Languedoc, not far from Beziers which has been in FN control for some time.

According to my mother the trains now really do run on time. As do all the Nord-Africains around there...

Jeremy Corbyn is a good man and has my support. Not sure if he's a good leader, though. I'm still giving him the benefit of the doubt, but will so called middle England (or middle Scotland, for that matter)?

As for Hilary Benn as next leader, he will need to gain the support and affection of the party grass roots. Speaking and voting in favour of bombing Syria isn't an obvious tactic to achieve this. The party elite have ceded the power to elect leaders to the ordinary members. Hilariously, it took success of the Corbyn campaign for the consequences it to dawn on them.

Keith

I don't think we should be bombing in Syria which I think is something of a half-measure (and half is being generous). In my view we should either stay out or properly commit with substantial ground forces.

That said, I was impressed by Benn's speech.  It was pre-prepared of course - he made no attempt to hide his copious notes - but it was well-argued, passionate, and left me feeling he believed in what he was saying.  Something of a rarity in the House these days.  The spontaneous applause by many members on all sides was remarkable. 

However, I can't see him becoming leader of the Labour party any time soon, let alone PM.  It takes more than the ability to deliver a stirring speech to achieve that.

Mike

A persuasive orator, but wrong minded in my view.

Recent history shows us this is not a good combination.

G

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-35035190

Proof it can be worse than Mme Le Pen.

He cannot ......can he?

Seems like many Republicans are distancing themselves from him, though that doesn't guarantee they don't agree with his views.

Still, the Redneck Cousinfkrs, as the more liberal parts of the voting populace refer to them, may still push him up. But I doubt it.

Politics !

Its all about staying in power and the benefits that come with power, as an individual.

Greed would be another description.

Using a less contentious situation to illustrate this, London's new runway. The government has delayed any decision until after the London Mayor election next year. Should help to keep the conservatives in the driving seat.

As for next PM ? 4 years is a long way off. The only party with any sense of power and leadership will be the conservatives. Providing Osborn keeps pulling rabbits out of the hat on the economic front, he looks well placed. But...............he looks too shifty for my liking.

As I said in a recent thread, there are few, if any, statesmen in British politics today. Hilary Benn has given the best impression of one recently. But its only an impression.

An impression of one should do until we can actually find some real politicians.