Batley and Spen by-election

[chrisp_1927]

Win for Labour in batley and spen, saw reports this week that they'd almost given up so I'd imagine they will be delighted.
A few in the tory party blaming Hancock for the defeat. Certainly the news of what he's been up to won't have helped.

George Galloway a distant third. But in the true spirit of populist vermin, he is appealing to the courts for the result to be set aside.

Nice to see the vast majority of votes go to centrist parties. The far right and Galloway left trailing

[Hilts]

I disagree Galloway got in my opinion an incredible amount of votes.

If Labour had lost this marginally to the bufoons Starmer would have been under incredible pressure as leader and I reckon a challenge from the left of the party which would be a complete disaster.

The bufoon and Hancock lost this election.

Starmer needs to get his act together beating these clowns narrowly isnt a great achievement.

Delighted for the Labour candidate. Despite poor leadership and an opponent like Galloway who whatever you think of his politics is a brilliant debater and speaker shes pulled it off.

[dandywarhol]

It was Hancock's cock want done it !!!!

[life on mars]

I was shocked at how many vote Galloway got , question is if he doesn't stand where do those float to .

I do remember a similar close call in Heywood & Middleton where Labour won by 600 votes and in the General Election it flipped to the Tory ,300 votes is not a lot ( as Paul Daniels would say ) .

I should imagine there is both relief and worry for Labour , to overturn 80 seats you need to be winning these traditional seats with big thumping majorities not just getting in with 300 votes .

Pleased for the lady in question she seems a real nice and brave person , after what happened to her sister the family celebrations last night were probably filled with both joy and sorrow .

[surge]

This is most significant corruption story of all: the Tory electoral strategy. Vote for us and we'll give you money. Don't, and we'll leave you to rot.

https://twitter.com/IanDunt/status/1410574789413117954

A centrist party?

There appears to have been one decent campaign and 53.9% decided to vote for Galloway or Tories despite that. If the Delyn MP goes and seat changes hands then story might become something else but for now it's just a relief that decency won.

[SLUDGE FACTORY]

I am amazed labour in its current malaise managed to hold this seat

I think its just breathing space for starmer and his party who in my opinion are a busted flush

[SLUDGE FACTORY]

Win for Labour in batley and spen, saw reports this week that they'd almost given up so I'd imagine they will be delighted.
A few in the tory party blaming Hancock for the defeat. Certainly the news of what he's been up to won't have helped.

George Galloway a distant third. But in the true spirit of populist vermin, he is appealing to the courts for the result to be set aside.

Nice to see the vast majority of votes go to centrist parties. The far right and Galloway left trailing

Galloway is a superb orator

As was Tony Benn

They never got much done though

I will always admire Galloway sticking it to America over Iraq though

[dandywarhol]

I am amazed labour in its current malaise managed to hold this seat

I think its just breathing space for starmer and his party who in my opinion are a busted flush

They said that about the Tories under IDS and Hague.

[Tuerto]

Win for Labour in batley and spen, saw reports this week that they'd almost given up so I'd imagine they will be delighted.
A few in the tory party blaming Hancock for the defeat. Certainly the news of what he's been up to won't have helped.

George Galloway a distant third. But in the true spirit of populist vermin, he is appealing to the courts for the result to be set aside.

Nice to see the vast majority of votes go to centrist parties. The far right and Galloway left trailing

Galloway-Populist? Yeah, right! You may not like him, that's fair enough, but his political stance certainly isn't 'Populist' Tell me, what has he been wrong about concerning the middle east and his warnings to Blair over the invasion of Iraq, which incidentally, contributed massively to the rise of Al qaeda and Isis, and the radicalisation of some moderate muslims and those who were on the tipping point. He was spot on, like him or not.

[SLUDGE FACTORY]

They said that about the Tories under IDS and Hague.

This is much much worse though . The tories have won over the euro sceptic clowns by giving them brexit ......thats going to be a laugh ......and labour remain divided between tory lite and momentum , Abbott and the other idiots .

I see no future for labour , I will vote for them to keep the tories out and they are a strong party in Wales but in England they have had it and only a new centre left labour , Liberal, green , independent etc movement will stop the blue bastards

[SLUDGE FACTORY]

Galloway-Populist? Yeah, right! You may not like him, that's fair enough, but his political stance certainly isn't 'Populist' Tell me, what has he been wrong about concerning the middle east and his warnings to Blair over the invasion of Iraq, which incidentally, contributed massively to the rise of Al qaeda and Isis, and the radicalisation of some moderate muslims and those who were on the tipping point. He was spot on, like him or not.

he was right

And I marched against the invasion of Iraq

But what is Galloway offering now ?

[the other bob wilson]

Galloway-Populist? Yeah, right! You may not like him, that's fair enough, but his political stance certainly isn't 'Populist' Tell me, what has he been wrong about concerning the middle east and his warnings to Blair over the invasion of Iraq, which incidentally, contributed massively to the rise of Al qaeda and Isis, and the radicalisation of some moderate muslims and those who were on the tipping point. He was spot on, like him or not.

During the Batley and Spen campaign, I saw a speech by Galloway in which he used the oh so predictable buzz words "snowflake" and "woke" within the space of a few seconds to be critical of his opponents - I've admired some of the things he has said and done in the past, but he would have lost my vote as soon as he used those words if I had lived in the constituency.

There's no cause for celebration for Labour this morning, relief yes, but a turn out of forty seven per cent tells it's own story and you can't help thinking that a combination of what seems to be a good candidate, who is from the constituency, and a lacklustre Tory one was enough for them to squeak through.

I saw Mandelson (who, disgracefully, said Labour shouldn't bother trying to secure working class votes because they'd get those anyway) and Abbott being interviewed this morning and I couldn't but help think of the question I asked on the politics board earlier today - what's more important to you, whacking lumps out of the opposite wing of your party or doing your damndest to beat this Government? I'm sure they'd answer the latter, but they've a funny way of showing it.

[Hilts]

he was right

And I marched against the invasion of Iraq

But what is Galloway offering now ?

Galloway is as anti EU and pro brexit as you can get. Certainly more so than the bufoon who I still dont believe thinks it was the right way to go.

Im sure he played the brexit card on the doorstep which would appeal to pro brexit Labour supporters.

[chrisp_1927]

Galloway-Populist? Yeah, right! You may not like him, that's fair enough, but his political stance certainly isn't 'Populist' Tell me, what has he been wrong about concerning the middle east and his warnings to Blair over the invasion of Iraq, which incidentally, contributed massively to the rise of Al qaeda and Isis, and the radicalisation of some moderate muslims and those who were on the tipping point. He was spot on, like him or not.

There were many very good reasons to oppose the Iraq war. Although I think Galloways main reason for opposing it was because he was getting paid by Saddam

[Vindec]

Starmer must be hugely relieved as a loss would have seen the left take over most probably in the form of Angela Rayner who is little more than Corbyn in a skirt. If the Labour Party veers to the left and panders to the hard left idiots that frequent the Party they will be finished. I'm surprised Labour won this but it is a good result for the future of the Labour Party and opposition politics.

[jon1959]

Starmer must be hugely relieved as a loss would have seen the left take over most probably in the form of Angela Rayner who is little more than Corbyn in a skirt. If the Labour Party veers to the left and panders to the hard left idiots that frequent the Party they will be finished. I'm surprised Labour won this but it is a good result for the future of the Labour Party and opposition politics.

Seriously?

[jon1959]

I disagree Galloway got in my opinion an incredible amount of votes.

If Labour had lost this marginally to the bufoons Starmer would have been under incredible pressure as leader and I reckon a challenge from the left of the party which would be a complete disaster.

The bufoon and Hancock lost this election.

Starmer needs to get his act together beating these clowns narrowly isnt a great achievement.

Delighted for the Labour candidate. Despite poor leadership and an opponent like Galloway who whatever you think of his politics is a brilliant debater and speaker shes pulled it off.

Good post.

[Vindec]

Seriously?

Absolutely all in my opinion of course.

[life on mars]

This is much much worse though . The tories have won over the euro sceptic clowns by giving them brexit ......thats going to be a laugh ......and labour remain divided between tory lite and momentum , Abbott and the other idiots .

I see no future for labour , I will vote for them to keep the tories out and they are a strong party in Wales but in England they have had it and only a new centre left labour , Liberal, green , independent etc movement will stop the blue bastards

Unless Dawn Oliver becomes Labour leader .

[Tuerto]

During the Batley and Spen campaign, I saw a speech by Galloway in which he used the oh so predictable buzz words "snowflake" and "woke" within the space of a few seconds to be critical of his opponents - I've admired some of the things he has said and done in the past, but he would have lost my vote as soon as he used those words if I had lived in the constituency.

There's no cause for celebration for Labour this morning, relief yes, but a turn out of forty seven per cent tells it's own story and you can't help thinking that a combination of what seems to be a good candidate, who is from the constituency, and a lacklustre Tory one was enough for them to squeak through.

I saw Mandelson (who, disgracefully, said Labour shouldn't bother trying to secure working class votes because they'd get those anyway) and Abbott being interviewed this morning and I couldn't but help think of the question I asked on the politics board earlier today - what's more important to you, whacking lumps out of the opposite wing of your party or doing your damndest to beat this Government? I'm sure they'd answer the latter, but they've a funny way of showing it.

Problem is that the right wing faction of the labour party are almost as bad as the tories is some respects. I understand what you're saying, but if a person is truly left wing, then how can they align themselves to right wing policies and thinking. I know that i can't. Another thing, it's always the left that are attacked for allowing the Tories free reign, hardly ever the right. The sad thing is that as people get older they seem to become more right wing and treat real left wing politics as some kind of fantasy, only believed by idealists, young students and old farts like me. It speaks volumes when i get ridiculed by some people for wanting a fairer society. That's how low political opinion has dropped, and in my opinion, Blair shoulders plenty of blame for that. So, in short, Parliamentary Labour can go and whistle.

[the other bob wilson]

Problem is that the right wing faction of the labour party are almost as bad as the tories is some respects. I understand what you're saying, but if a person is truly left wing, then how can they align themselves to right wing policies and thinking. I know that i can't. Another thing, it's always the left that are attacked for allowing the Tories free reign, hardly ever the right. The sad thing is that as people get older they seem to become more right wing and treat real left wing politics as some kind of fantasy, only believed by idealists, young students and old farts like me. It speaks volumes when i get ridiculed by some people for wanting a fairer society. That's how low political opinion has dropped, and in my opinion, Blair shoulders plenty of blame for that. So, in short, Parliamentary Labour can go and whistle.

That’s why I tried to put over that Mandelson is as bad as Diane Abbott (in fact, I think he’s worse), but they’re both part of what is Labour’s problem - they’ve had it throughout my life and probably well before that, but they’ve been able to cope with it better for much of that time. I want this dreadful Government out and that’s far more important to me than dissing whichever wing of the Labour Party I don’t agree with - the impression I get is that large numbers in the Labour Party don’t feel like that because they don’t see the Conservative party as the real “enemy”.

[life on mars]

Bring back Corbyn I hear the left shout, as it tilts to the right ,what does Labour really want .

[Elwood Blues]

Unless Dawn Oliver becomes Labour leader .

Do you mean Dawn Butler?

[life on mars]

Do you mean Dawn Butler?

Oops yes, now I'm I trouble 😅

[jon1959]

Well worth a read in my opinion:

https://jacobinmag.com/2021/07/batle...starmer-muslim