[mikey mikey]

Speaking of terrible

Owen Smith brands Jeremy Corbyn a 'lunatic' at London rally

http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/ow ... yn-8693761" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[mikey mikey]

Fairly damning stuff from The Staggers

Yesterday showed us the real Owen Smith: and it ain't pretty

Having previously called for Labour to “smash” Theresa May “back on her heels”, advocated negotiations with ISIS, and described himself as “normal” with “a wife and three children” while competing with a gay woman to stand for the Labour leadership, you might expect him to have learnt the value of expressing himself more carefully. But no. Not a bit of it.

it is simply not credible to simultaneously say “I agree with Jeremy” and that Jeremy is a “lunatic”. No one uses the word "lunatic" to describe someone whose politics they basically share.

This incident will confirm the suspicion of many Labour members that, if he did win the leadership, Smith would dilute or ditch most of the policies he has used to try and win their votes.

Then, calling for an “honest” discussion on immigration, Smith noted that his wife is a school teacher and that schools in their local area are under pressure from “significant numbers into South Wales of people fleeing the Middle East”. In fact, a grand total of 78 people have been resettled in the whole of Wales under the Syrian Vulnerable Persons Resettlement Scheme.In the local authority encompassing Smith’s constituency of Pontypridd, the total number is zero.

http://www.newstatesman.com/politics/st ... int-pretty" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[mikey mikey]

[youtube]g9hiG_wMhUs[/youtube]

I beg your pardon?

[youngian]

Smith is somewhat leaden in his thinking on a number of issues. Watching last night's debate Corbyn spoke better than Smith on a number of issues like deals with the Nats and his moderate opposition to the absurd global war on drugs which politicians don't like to talk because the public confuses regulation with laissez-faire (as does Smith despite having worked in the legal regulated drug industry). Corbyn puts the argument over well but it's an issue for a back bench kite flyer which I hope he returns to being asap.

[mikey mikey]

Watching last night's debate Corbyn spoke better than Smith on a number of issues

I'd go further than that: Smith accused Corbyn of having secretly voted for Leave. As Jeremy pointed out, such slander is worthy of the Daily Mail, not a leadership debate.

[youngian]

As Corbyn has made zero attempt to hold the government to account over this Brexit fuck-up would suggest he did indeed vote to Leave and he might as well be the Daily Mail. Maybe he did vote to Remain and is just a shit opposition leader. And you will have to annul the Treaty of Rome if McDonnell and Corbyn are to fulfil their ambitions to replicate the economic miracles of Hugo Chavez.

[mikey mikey]

McDonnell and Corbyn are to fulfil their ambitions to replicate the economic miracles of Hugo Chavez.

If an Owen Smith supporting member of the Labout Party describes McDonnell's economic plans as those of Hugo Chavez the suggestion is that his argument put forward previously that "it's not about the policies" is disingenuous.

Moreover, it also suggests that Owen Smith's assurances that he is indeed on the left (just slightly less left) is equally disingenuous: Only somebody right of centre would conflate the current leadership's political position with that of Chavez.

Finally, it has been observed that their economic policies do not differ that much.
http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-36861126" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

If Owen Smith also views McDonnell's economic policies as an extreme left ones, surely he would distance himself him from them. Unless, of course, he knows that if he were to be honest where he stands on economic policy (i.e. "austerity is right") he would stand no chance at being elected.

It has long been suggested here that Labour should say anything to get in power and then do what they wanted to do all along. Now we see that this can be applied to its own leadership elections.

[youngian]

I know what Corbyn's stated economic policy is but you can't 'oppose neo-liberalism' and 'globalisation' with a mildly social-democratic Rhineland interventionist programme that wouldn't lose Merkel any sleep. So how is honest Jeremy going to deliver to his supporters? Jez hasn't changed his views on much else in 40 years so why would he not still support a version of Benn's AES?

[mikey mikey]

Jez hasn't changed his views on much else in 40 years so why would he not still support a version of Benn's AES?

You seem very convinced of that, but I am not at all sure why. Certainly it does not fit the "betrayed his principles" and "another U-turn" narratives (i.e. Nationol Anthem, Trident, EU, Privvy Council, wearing a tie, etc.).

As to how will McDonnell's policy "oppose neo-liberalsim". Well a start would be not to employ economic policies often associated with neoliberalism, such as tax-cuts for high earners, deregulation and privatization. Another would be to reject TTIP.

I would love to compare Owen Smith's economic policies with those of McDonell and Corbyn. I suggest having a look at the bbc article and then return with your comment.

[mikey mikey]

In response to this

Then, calling for an “honest” discussion on immigration, Smith noted that his wife is a school teacher and that schools in their local area are under pressure from “significant numbers into South Wales of people fleeing the Middle East”. In fact, a grand total of 78 people have been resettled in the whole of Wales under the Syrian Vulnerable Persons Resettlement Scheme.In the local authority encompassing Smith’s constituency of Pontypridd, the total number is zero.

http://www.newstatesman.com/politics/st ... int-pretty" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Leanne Wood has released this statement



Of course, should anybody in the Labour Party RT/share this statement, they could find themselves being banned from voting in the leadership election.

[mikey mikey]

Owen Smith Denies He Made A Joke About His ‘29-Inch Penis’

Class. Now where were we?

http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/o ... 22a4d48b7f" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

It is all probably false. But it that is your game folks.

I fkn told you. This is #2.

Expect more.

[Agnes]

So when Corbyn is smeared it's the fault of the media or the Evil Moderates, when Smith is smeared it's his own fault for saying something that could possibly be misinterpreted. Got it.

[Tubby Isaacs]

He didn't say Pontypridd, did he? What's the point of making out that he did? There are 18 in the seat next door, in the same borough. If say a dozen of them are children, that's a bit of headache for the LA which seems to be the context.

But he shouldn't have said "significant", that's too strong.

[Tubby Isaacs]

Jez hasn't changed his views on much else in 40 years so why would he not still support a version of Benn's AES?

You seem very convinced of that, but I am not at all sure why. Certainly it does not fit the "betrayed his principles" and "another U-turn" narratives (i.e. Nationol Anthem, Trident, EU, Privvy Council, wearing a tie, etc.).

As to how will McDonnell's policy "oppose neo-liberalsim". Well a start would be not to employ economic policies often associated with neoliberalism, such as tax-cuts for high earners, deregulation and privatization. Another would be to reject TTIP.

I would love to compare Owen Smith's economic policies with those of McDonell and Corbyn. I suggest having a look at the bbc article and then return with your comment.

Hang on. Who supports tax cuts for high earners or privatisation anyway? Smith happily ran on the Miliband 50p rate, and raising Corporation Tax, and a few other small high end taxes. The problem Miliband ran into was that without middle class tax rises you're not left with much. All we've had from Corbyn is "tax loopholes" which is basically "insert a balancing figure here".

If you want to stop TTIP you need international allies. Reckon Corbyn is going to get much help on that score? Not that I'm all that bothered about TTIP.

[Tubby Isaacs]

Worth recalling that you don't even gave to leave the UK to pay much lower Corporation Tax these days- Northern Ireland has the same ultra low rate as the Republic. It's got all party support.

What does Corbyn do about that? There are enough problems already with Brexit and Northern Ireland, without Westminster clod hopping over one of the things that has agreement.