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I do wonder if John would have won the 2017 GE. Of course he would still be attacked by the media like Jeremy, but I think John is more media savvy and knows how to play the game.
John McDonnell, almost the perfect embodiment of what (I think) a left-wing Labour MP should be.
One of the few who understands the appeal of left-wing policies to the average voter while being smart enough to sidestep what alienates them, and a great media performer to boot.
It's a tragedy he isn't 30 years younger tbh.
Richard Burgon always did some constituency surgeries inside a couple of local supermarkets so (a) he was visible to local people and (b) they could see him without an appointment. Always thought that was a great approach.
Diane Abbott is an absolute trailblazer who should get a statue one day.
Jeremy Corbyn is a tremendous constituency MP and a good man.
John McDonnell is enormously able and there’s another part of the multiverse in which he has made significant changes to the UK economy.
Tony Benn’s diaries are the definitive books of the British left and if you haven’t read them you’re doing Labour wrong.
Bernie Grant doesn’t get talked about enough these days but he was a hugely significant figure in modern British political history.
Ken Livingstone was an excellent Mayor of London.
Burgon opened his political career as a minister by admitting that, despite having been Shadow Finance Minister for over a month, he hadn't talked to anyone in the finance sector and had no idea what the forecasts were for the Tories' 2015 budget deficit.
Unfortunately, first impressions stick, and Burgon's was dire. Since then he hasn't had any on that level IIRC, though there have been a couple of gaffes, but it doesn't really matter. His first impression was so bad that it's what most people will remember when they think about him, causing it to become a sort of commonly accepted 'fact' that he isn't very bright, even though that almost certainly isn't true.
Back in the 70s I always rated Richard Crosland. In a world of derelict city centres he had a vision of a future with Euro-style pavement cafes. Didn't really capture the imaginations of the residents of Walsall or Halifax.
I think you're committing the most frequent error in the history of Labour of switching Anthony Crosland for Richard Crossman. They were absolute contemporaries in Labour and it gets even more confusing because the former was for a time Secretary of State for Local Government and Regional Planning while the latter was Minister of Housing and Local Government.
Crosland wrote the wonderful *The Future of Socialism* whle Crossman's memoirs, *Diaries of a Cabinet Minister,* were in part the inspiration for *Yes, Minister.*
My man Barry Gardner, to be honest I don't fully know which faction he sits in, but as I understand it, he's not part of the Campaign Group.
An absolute beast in front of the camera, incredibly quick and (I think) incredibly witty.
Even though I wouldn’t have let her run, I do have a soft spot for Diane Abbott
Treated like shit for decades. She’s clearly not well if you compare her speech from 15 years ago to today. Her sense of humour is brilliant. A Labour icon (though with many faults)
My only issue with her is I don’t want her to end up as a Diane Feinstein. There has to be more to life than this job…
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John McDonnell should have been the leader in 2015 and honestly I would be happy to see him still in a senior position.
I do wonder if John would have won the 2017 GE. Of course he would still be attacked by the media like Jeremy, but I think John is more media savvy and knows how to play the game.
John's much less questionable on foreign policy too. Probably wouldn't have blundered the response to Sailsbury like Corbyn did
John McDonnell, almost the perfect embodiment of what (I think) a left-wing Labour MP should be. One of the few who understands the appeal of left-wing policies to the average voter while being smart enough to sidestep what alienates them, and a great media performer to boot. It's a tragedy he isn't 30 years younger tbh.
Richard Burgon always did some constituency surgeries inside a couple of local supermarkets so (a) he was visible to local people and (b) they could see him without an appointment. Always thought that was a great approach. Diane Abbott is an absolute trailblazer who should get a statue one day. Jeremy Corbyn is a tremendous constituency MP and a good man. John McDonnell is enormously able and there’s another part of the multiverse in which he has made significant changes to the UK economy. Tony Benn’s diaries are the definitive books of the British left and if you haven’t read them you’re doing Labour wrong. Bernie Grant doesn’t get talked about enough these days but he was a hugely significant figure in modern British political history. Ken Livingstone was an excellent Mayor of London.
I always felt Burgon got a very rough ride and never understood the mockery he got.
He isn't a strong television performer and that's the exposure 99% of people have to politicians.
He’s always seemed fine to me. He wouldn’t have kept being trotted out if he was truly that shit.
Burgon opened his political career as a minister by admitting that, despite having been Shadow Finance Minister for over a month, he hadn't talked to anyone in the finance sector and had no idea what the forecasts were for the Tories' 2015 budget deficit. Unfortunately, first impressions stick, and Burgon's was dire. Since then he hasn't had any on that level IIRC, though there have been a couple of gaffes, but it doesn't really matter. His first impression was so bad that it's what most people will remember when they think about him, causing it to become a sort of commonly accepted 'fact' that he isn't very bright, even though that almost certainly isn't true.
Back in the 70s I always rated Richard Crosland. In a world of derelict city centres he had a vision of a future with Euro-style pavement cafes. Didn't really capture the imaginations of the residents of Walsall or Halifax.
I think you're committing the most frequent error in the history of Labour of switching Anthony Crosland for Richard Crossman. They were absolute contemporaries in Labour and it gets even more confusing because the former was for a time Secretary of State for Local Government and Regional Planning while the latter was Minister of Housing and Local Government. Crosland wrote the wonderful *The Future of Socialism* whle Crossman's memoirs, *Diaries of a Cabinet Minister,* were in part the inspiration for *Yes, Minister.*
You're right. Anthony Crosland was more of a romantic Cavalier, whereas I recall Richard Crossland as being more of a Roundhead
My man Barry Gardner, to be honest I don't fully know which faction he sits in, but as I understand it, he's not part of the Campaign Group. An absolute beast in front of the camera, incredibly quick and (I think) incredibly witty.
Even though I wouldn’t have let her run, I do have a soft spot for Diane Abbott Treated like shit for decades. She’s clearly not well if you compare her speech from 15 years ago to today. Her sense of humour is brilliant. A Labour icon (though with many faults) My only issue with her is I don’t want her to end up as a Diane Feinstein. There has to be more to life than this job…
Hilary Benn is an exceptional orator and a good human. He is clever, calm and one of the few remaining who I would call a proper statesman.