Corbyn voted new labour leader.

Ah the council elections, not the actual membership. I know it is only one CLP but mine has reported a lot of old members coming back and the constituency has never been Labour. Corbyn has only been in the job less than a month and there is also Dugdale to factor in. Give him time.

Yeah, one small step at a time. He only needs 106 seats to win and a 9.5% swing in the marginals, and with the promise of that magic money tree, unlimited immigration and no cap on welfare, it looks like the darkness before the dawn...

http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2015/jun/01/election-swing-labour-needs-for-majority-has-doubled-study-finds

I think Scotland is a very different place politically to England now, although it didn't used to be.

The Tories are already splintering on tax credits, they will splinter more on the EU and even more than that on the race to succeed Dave. Tony Blair faced the very same 'magic money tree' accusations before he became PM (just see all the funny Spitting Image parodies) but in the end succeeded against a Tory government splintered on Europe and mired in sleaze.

Whatever he did afterwards, Blair won the election on a 'hope' ticket and it resonated with huge numbers of people. Corbyn can do the same. Granted, it is going to be harder without the 40 seats thrown away in Scotland, but at the Tory conference we have already seen a difference of opinion between the clown and the chancellor.

Blair was the most successful leader in Labour history (although by no means the best Prime Minister), in that he won three elections. By taking Labour to the right, holding the historic Labour vote and winning over enough Tory voters to achieve landslides.

In what way is Corbyn comparable? He is way to the left and repels swing Tories. He isn't as bright, he isn't as personable or telegenic, he is unable to command his own Shadow Cabinet and had to make huge policy concessions to even get many of them to serve under him.

As a lifetime rebel himself, he can expect no loyalty, and now we now have chaos with his own utterances contradicted by his subordinates.

He is Michael Foot, not Tony Blair. But a second rate, pound shop Foot. The latter had held high Cabinet Office, was an intellectual and great orator, Corbyn is none of these. In fact as far as oratory goes he recycled a passage from a forgotten aide of Dennis Healey's (who sadly died the other day). Written in the 1980's. And that was the best part of his speech!

It doesn't matter what happens to the Tories (and you may well be right in forecasting their problems), you won't win power under Corbyn. Your best hope (and it isn't great) is to ditch him as soon as possible. But the problem with that is that the left will never forgive such an act...

Corbyn is going to disappoint a lot of people, and it seems you will be one of them. You seem a bright enough chap, I am amazed you have fallen for him.

I agree with that.

It is impossible to have a rational discussion about say the "refugee" crisis with a lefty without your interlocutor emoting.

Try and point out the impossibility of this country accepting everyone in who has left Syria, and all reason is lost under an avalanche of emotion and drowned babies.

Clearly it is more about them feeling better about themselves than anything else. Maybe that goes for all leftish thought?

Ah the council elections, not the actual membership. I know it is only one CLP but mine has reported a lot of old members coming back and the constituency has never been Labour. Corbyn has only been in the job less than a month and there is also Dugdale to factor in. Give him time.

If you think there no emotion against immigrants you are deluded. People get ****ing angry about immigrants stealing their jobs and generally talking over like some kind of plague.

You and mighty bush are self righteous and arrogantly assume your superiority. The fact you can only see all the problems you describe on the so called left says a lot.

For me it is less about Corbyn the man and more that at the last General Election my voting choice was not about who I wanted to get in, but who I wanted to keep out. In a previous Lib Dem safe seat I had a choice between the SNP and the Lib Dems, I voted for the latter and it (just) didn't work. I would have been happy to vote for Labour if I wanted Ed as PM, but I didn't. Hand on heart nobody could say he would have been a wise choice.

You see I have often been told I have an idealistic view of the world, and I do. When I hear someone saying that deep cuts to public services while big corporations are given a free ride is wrong, I agree with it. When I hear someone simply expressing their honest opinion, I applaud them whether I agree with it or not. I don't want spin doctors and I don't want people purporting to be something they're not in order to win votes.

I voted Corbyn less because of his chances as PM and more in the hope that his election would make politicians speak with genuine conviction, would start to debate based on issues not on personalities and that the political process as a whole would benefit from it. More fundamentally, he was the only one there who was espousing the values and ideals I expect from a Labour politician. He may well fail and fall short, I am not oblivious to that fact, but damn it, he is at least trying to show that politics can be about principles and issues, rather than spin and scaremongering.

If this has any bearing on the next generation of politicians, my vote for him will have been worth it.

And you're willing to sacrifice peoples jobs and even lives I the process by locking labour out of power for the foreseeable future?

Way I see it is this we are at an incredibly critical time politically. The Tories are carrying out higher levels of cuts and privatisation that even in thatchers time, trying to literally destroy the trade unions and public services (and on top of that the environment but I won't even start down that route. They are literally a party that hates science and evidence). Another 10 years and there'll be nothing left, labour literally cant afford to lose the next election because in 10 years time there'll be nothing left to fight for - no public sector to speak of, no NHS, no welfare system, no social housing or even housing associations, crushed and useless unions with no power. This is what we will see happening in the UK unless labour can turn it round and become electable in the net 5 years, which I highly doubt will happen, but I do feel Tom Watson at least will give it a good go. (More surprising than Corbyn getting in in the first place was Tom as deputy!! Who the hell voted for both those people?!)

I would have been happy to vote for Labour if I wanted Ed as PM, but I didn't. Hand on heart nobody could say he would have been a wise choice.

You see I have often been told I have an idealistic view of the world, and I do. When I hear someone saying that deep cuts to public services while big corporations are given a free ride is wrong, I agree with it. When I hear someone simply expressing their honest opinion, I applaud them whether I agree with it or not. I don't want spin doctors and I don't want people purporting to be something they're not in order to win votes.

If this level of evil is happening how could the Tories be re-elected upon it? Don't be so ridiculous, nobody will die as a consequence of me voting for Corbyn. A leader calling this out for what it is is 'unelectable' but Jeremy 'We will make them work like in China' Hunt, Matthew 'Under 25s don't deserve the living wage' Hancock, Iain 'The disabled should work their way out of poverty' Duncan Smith, Dave 'Oil for Saudi human rights abuses' Cameron and co are the electable ones?

Really what is so unelectable about criticising these people?

This is so touchingly naive, it is almost heart breaking to read. :-(

Listen I totally agree with all your criticisms, I feel them too. Politics in this country is disgusting, and we deserve better, we have been let down as a nation.

But I am afraid the world isn't how we both might wish it to be. Corbyn will be sucked in, chewed up and spat out.

And Labour will go back to on message statements, spin doctors, cynicism and lies, just like the Tories.

If you think there no emotion against immigrants you are deluded. People get ****ing angry about immigrants stealing their jobs and generally talking over like some kind of plague.

You and mighty bush are self righteous and arrogantly assume your superiority. The fact you can only see all the problems you describe on the so called left says a lot.

Of course they will, its not a ridiculous thing to say at all. People will die because the Tories are now completely unfettered, they have no credible opposition and can carry out more and more right wing policies.

Wake up - that's the way the world works - the vast majority of the general public look down on and resent people on benefits. The vast majority of voters are over 59 and yes, do believe under 25s are u deserving and lazy, and that most people on disabilities are scroungers. It's like you've never met anyone outside some weird left wing bubble you seem to be living in...

Of course theyre electable, theyre saying views a large proportion of people agree with. Unlike Jeremy who is saying uncapped benefits and immigration.

If that is really how most of the country thinks what makes you think anyone in a red tie will change their mind?

If that is really how most of the country thinks what makes you think anyone in a red tie will change their mind?

That IS how most of the country thinks.

But you are right, Labour is too far ingrained as the party of welfare, and unlimited immigration and economic profligacy to credibly win an election within this generation.

As a mainstream political party EITHER you accept what the public thinks on these matters and tries to work with them, or you remain in opposition.

Or as you said, hop on that plane to Germany.

Labour is totally screwed, that is the bottom line.

Doomed, you're all doomed! :-).

Why an earth would you have to change their mind? You just have to put forward a credible leader who appeals to what they want, and then make sure you ensure the welfare of the worst off in society once you get there - a la in the Blair era.

You aren't going to change anyone's minds. I think this is where Cornyn supporters have gone completeley bonkers in their train of thought tbh.

Would help if they knew how canvassing worked of course (hint - you don't try and change anyone's minds)

Have you read this? Interesting assessment of the election from the thoughtful left...

http://www.fabians.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/Never-Again-Lessons-from-Labours-key-seats.pdf