Starmer early favourite for Labour leadership – according to poll by Tory-run organisation. Trustworthy?
Keir Starmer: does anybody really think Labour would benefit from a Centrist/Blairite leader like he would be?
‘Centrist’ Keir Starmer, who has taken much of the blame for Brexit policies that are thought to have lost Labour the general election, is now the top candidate to become the party’s new leader, according to a poll that should not be trusted at all.
Why shouldn’t it be trusted, you ask? Because it was produced by YouGov, the polling organisation co-founded by current Conservative MP Nadhim Zahawi.
Who would have an interest in getting public support behind a leader likely to alienate Labour’s more left-wing supporters? I’d suggest that a Tory-run polling organisation would.
And it is grossly misleading as the election won’t happen for several months and not all candidates have thrown their hats into the ring.
The poll has been picked up by the Tory media (obviously) – and even a few left-wing outlets have mentioned it.
But the reaction generally seems resoundingly negative:
Sir Starmer is the anointed one. You gov has spoken.
Riding to the rescue on his charger the goodly knight will save the Labour party from those nasty lefties then proceed to ride off into oblivion and the black hole of centrism where parties go to die— John O'Grady Art (@Johnogradyart) January 1, 2020
Keir Starmer would kill Labour's chances of every winning back seats in Leave areas
— Pileus Media (@thepileus) January 1, 2020
The left haven't really got behind anyone yet and sadly some seem to have wrongly analysed our GE defeat. Others have had enough of the fight and want what they perceive to be the safest, dullest leader in history. That's why Starmer is probably leading. Hopefully it will change.
— Chelley Ryan #EnoughIsEnough (@chelleryn99) January 1, 2020
I can still hear the plummy voice of the Putney man that opened the door to me when I was on the #labourdoorstep and said: “I couldn’t possibly vote for Corbyn or that Marxist maniac McDonnell. But get Keir Starmer in the leadership and I’ll vote Labour again.”
— Joana Ramiro (@JoanaRamiroUK) January 1, 2020
And while I agree that some sort of united front with general progressive forces will be needed on national level, conceding on the ideological direction of the party after all these years’ work would be a travesty!
— Joana Ramiro (@JoanaRamiroUK) January 1, 2020
FFS.
It was a poll of 1059 members.
How were selected?
Hoa mant Labour numbers are there?
485,000!!! https://t.co/YrgjQ1aKd8— Joanna 💚🤍💜 (@ScoutSleepe) January 1, 2020
Personally, I’m increasingly hoping that Ian Lavery puts himself up for the role:
Really beginning to think Ian Lavery could have a very good shot at the Labour leadership.
Just imagine it now: The archetypal privileged posho Boris de Pfeffel Johnson versus the archetypal working class Geordie Ian Lavery at PMQs.
What an incredible scenario that'd be. https://t.co/KR56NxoHvF
— Evolve Politics (@evolvepolitics) January 1, 2020
He appeals to me because he, at least, knows where to find Boris Johnson:
In the gutter with the other vermin.
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Why not ask Nik Clegg next
Totally agree, Mike. It’s about time Labour had a proper working class leader, not an establishment/metropolitan stooge. Lavery would utterly annihilate Johnson at PMQs and Boris knows it. Hence the poll, which Sky News are pushing as I write…
Just another blue Tory in a red tie
Got the charisma of a wet fish, unfortunately. But wears a suit well, and won’t have a strong opinion on social matters. So will probably be let off by the media for not calling them to account on social injustices here and abroad.
I fill out YouGov polls some times. And I record my Labour affiliations. So maybe they took about a thousand obvious Labour supporters and asked them who they wanted.I can’t even recall being asked myself.
But it could only be a deeply flawed poll as not every Labour activist is a sad old geezer like me who actually fills out YouGov surveys.
The only thing I remember Starmer saying on the subject recently was his comment that we should NOT abandon our modern policies in an over reaction to only getting more votes this time than we got under Blair in 2005. (He didn’t say the last bit!)
But I suspect that he knows he has to accept that our policies of nationalisation and taxing the top 5% and the Corporations were very popular with members AND voters. So he cannot just switch back to the centrist politics of Blair and Brown which so disappointed the voters of many constituencies that they gave up bothering to support Labour any more.
So we need to keep asking him which policies he supports and make sure he tells the public what he supports , rather than , as has happened so many times in the past, a potential Labour candidate at whatever level, gives a stirring , radical speech to the members to get their vote, then tones it down for the voters, then, when in power, just becomes the “compassionate ” wing of the Establishment.
As for the other candidates, I was keen on Rebecca Long-Bailey until she came out with that “Progressive patriotism” malarkey. There is no such thing! Patriotism is for Tory voters! It’s all about flags and armies and hating other people. And, above all, sacrificing your own interests so that the 1% elite can keep getting richer.
So I am moving closer to the idea of Ian Lavery.
But I know that whoever gets the leadership job, if they stick with even a small proportion of our excellent manifesto, they will be slandered and vilified in the Press with even greater venom than Jeremy Corbyn was.
An LBC Radio poll organised by presenter Clive Bull last night (2nd Jan ’20) concurred that Mr Starmer was ahead on an LBC Twitter poll as well. Except, a massive poll response trounced Mr Starmer’s ‘popularity’ by polling many more Twitter votes in the same poll labelled “None Of The Above”. Sorry Keir – according to LBC listeners you’re not up to scratch to take over from the Rt Hon Jeremy Corbyn MP present leader of HM’s opposition Labour Party. Maybe it’s because your not only a ‘Bubble Londoner’ you’re also an out-of-touch Remainer.
Well, he won’t be getting MY vote! Most of them are backstabbers, or worse but nevertheless, completely untrustworthy. I did like Rebecca £ong-Bailey but the surprise, for me, is £isa Nandy; I never liked her but she has me reconsidering my opinion of her. If Ian £avery’s going to put his name forward, he had better hurry up!