Guest 640- Registered: 21 Apr 2007
- Posts: 7,819
17 September 2010
07:3671281In the scheme of all things political this should have been an interesting programme on BBCTV last night, but alas alas it wasnt, it didnt ignite and somehow for me was as flat as the proverbial pancake. All five candidates took to the televised hustings to show why they would make the best leader. There was audience participation but that was dull too and suffice to say that following this yawn inducing program I had the best nights sleep for an age.
However, maybe it was just me having a bad night, so back to the job in hand, who took part? who is in the leadership contest?
For the uninitiated here we are...
Ed Balls : Ebullient Balls keen to distance himself from the previous administration. Major charisma shortfall. May appeal to traditional cloth cappers!
Diane Abbott: Playing up the black card bigtime. Only black woman to get this far in Brit politics etc etc. Woolly headed no hoper!
Andy Burnham: Some charisma, cuddly, may appeal to women voters. Unlikely to win but could do better than expected.
Ed Milliband: Passionate left winger, surprising rise to pole position. Better than initially given credit for. Had the best audience appeal. Speaks with a mouth full of marbles.
David Milliband: More polished than the others, cool under questioning. Bad billiard ball haircut but Hillary Clinton likes him. International experience shows through.
So which of them will win. Which of them is best for the televisual age where all elections are won and fought and decided these days. Look what happened to Nick Clegg following his star turn on TV. He is now Deputy Prime Minister.
The only real choice here are the Millibands. Any of the others will set the Labour party back into obscure territory, although of the others Burnham is best. Abbott has no chance and although she managed to get a few rounds of cheap applause last night by saying the yawningly obvious about Tony Blair, she will still finish last. Balls's lack of charisma of any sort will finish him. He is well meaning but not leadership material and not televisual.
Im still edging towards David Milliband for overall victory, although should the younger more passionate of the Millibands win, Ed, it will be no hardship. He seems to take the people with him judging by what we saw here.
The politics of all of them is much the same, not a cigarette paper between them, all are anti-coalition and anti - cuts...as you would expect from an opposition. The winner will be announced in under ten days so hold onto your seat its going to be a high flying but bumpy ride.
17 September 2010
08:0271286PaulB - lovely summaries, and I will take the image of ebullient balls with me everywhere today................
Guest 698- Registered: 28 May 2010
- Posts: 8,664
17 September 2010
09:0371294The only one who would not consign Labour to a generation in the wilderness is David M. Let's hope he doesn't get the job or we might have the tax-and-spend brigade back within 5 years.
I'm an optimist. But I'm an optimist who takes my raincoat - Harold Wilson
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
17 September 2010
15:4971330missed the debate, doesn't sound like i missed much.
seems clear to me that david miliband is the most electable contender, maybe his brother, the rest forget it.
every time i have seen andy burnham he is playing the " down to earth scouse scally "card.
i think that diane abbott is standing for a bet.
17 September 2010
16:5471338Saw the last 10 minutes and wished I hadn't bothered. THe only card they all played ain the final bit was the solidarity, "we all bst of chums" card. Unsurprisingly in the bit I watched, not one single straight answer was given to any questions from the audience, or for Keith, the floor.
The Mill on the Floss brothers will romp away with this competition leaving us to enjoy the spectacle of a family at war as they duel with other for the No 1 role. A fight that will tear the party apart, hoorah!!!!
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
17 September 2010
17:2171342sounds like you are clutching at straws sid.
a poll on conservative home showed that 64% of blues supporters were fearful of a david miliband led party.
17 September 2010
17:2871343They are probably the 64% who didn't bother to watch the farce last night. I have no need to clutch at straws, my party isn't on the verge of self-destruction, unlike the LibDems and Labour.
Ross Miller
- Location: London Road, Dover
- Registered: 17 Sep 2008
- Posts: 3,707
17 September 2010
18:3671350Isn't it Sid?
Wait for the ructions over defence spending and police budgets from the blue rinse brigade and the ex squaddie back benchers when the results of the comprehensive spending review are announced. That coupled with DC appearing to be totally supine towards our European chums in Brussels....
"Dream as if you'll live forever. Live as if you'll die today." - James Dean
"Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength,
While loving someone deeply gives you courage" - Laozi
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
17 September 2010
19:1471351not forgetting the lack of support for grammar schools and the elevation of children with free school meals being forcibly queue jumped over the children of the better off.
i suspect that dave and george may fall victim to the hat pin.
Guest 645- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 4,463
18 September 2010
09:5371436Pledge my support to young David Milliband
Marek
I think therefore I am (not a Tory supporter)
18 September 2010
10:3571443THe contest, if you can call it that, is a foregone conclusion. All the other 'candidates' are just licking @rse to ensure they get a decent front bench slot when it's all over.
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
18 September 2010
10:5271446not a foregone conclsuion sid, the favourite at the moment is ed due to union support, david has the confidence of rank and file members.
Guest 659- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 331
18 September 2010
10:5871448I was surprised to find Ed Milliband seemed to come across quite well. He wasn't as cocky as David or Ed Balls but did come up with proper answers (on the bit I watched). I think Diane was playing the "I was just a back-bencher" card a bit too much and Burnham looked like he had some weird mascara thing going on so I couldn't really concentrate on what he was saying because I was too busy trying to decide if he'd overdone the make up
Keith Sansum1
- Location: london
- Registered: 25 Aug 2010
- Posts: 23,942
19 September 2010
18:0571584SID
You have come out of the closet at last (post 7)
Identifying yourself as a conservative party supporter
no longer indy then???
well done boyo
now we know
lol
ALL POSTS ARE MY OWN PERSONAL VIEWS
Guest 640- Registered: 21 Apr 2007
- Posts: 7,819
20 September 2010
07:3171639Yes Kathy Ed Milliband has surprised quite a few people. I believe in overall terms, as the Labour Party has an odd way of calculating who is in fact winning, he seems to be in the lead with regard to winning this leadership. He was always just a guy on the fringes of power, readily and always available for tv interviews, but once given his head here as it were, he has rocketed up the scale and even grasped the support and backing of the major unions.
Burnham does indeed look like "he has a weird mascara thing going on" and this observation has cropped up on TV in the past, he does look a little odd like that but perhaps it isnt mascara at all but maybe he naturally comes that way. He also has odd ears too but it could be seen by some as endearing.
When the real gunfight starts and the smoke clears from the room, I suspect the last man standing will be David Milliband.
Keith Sansum1- Location: london
- Registered: 25 Aug 2010
- Posts: 23,942
20 September 2010
13:4971674So do i
ALL POSTS ARE MY OWN PERSONAL VIEWS
