And suddenly, thanks to the stupidity of the Blairites, people are saying that if wanting a fair deal and more social conscience makes them Hard Left, then that's what they are.onebuttonmonkey wrote:(my bold)ohsocynical wrote:
My only worry is if Corbyn for whatever reason doesn't gain power, will Burnham, or the others take the new message on board? I somehow doubt they will...
For a brief moment the other day, I wondered what Corbyn would do with all the new MPs, who are said to be generally more to the left than in the past...A big clear out and bring in new faces and ideas. Why not?
It's what I'd be tempted do.
Should Corbyn lose - which I still think is likely - I can't help but feel the entire swell of opinion and support will be whitewashed. The listening that his opponents say they're doing seems to be a little like those "difficult decisions" we're so used to being told about: it only goes one way. The choice is easy and the difficulties are the consequences for everyone else - listening is all very well, but many seem least inclined to listen to anything they didn't already prefer.
I'm happy that Labour, under whatever leader, should be a broad church and that the party is at its best when it includes all - that's involved compromises from many on its much-maligned left for years. But the right seems far too busy disowning Corbyn not least because he is doing well. It doesn't augur well, does it? That's a clear call to listen precisely to his supporters' message being responded to with a feverish desire to deny them any validity or credence whatsoever. And that's a failure of the PLP that will lose it far more than a few marginals - it'll Clegg the whole party.
Corbyn really has shaken up things up. 'Hard Left' doesn't seem to be such a dirty word any more.