Labour Prospects

[Steely Dan]

DRiddle said "Anyway, keep chipping away people. Don't give up. Labours position in Hartlepool has never been more vulnerable."

This is nonsense and you know it. I've been hearing people say this for 30 years.

There's nothing wrong with Labour. The problem is the corrupt and incompetent individuals on Hartlepool Council. Not all of them are Labour. The worst culprit is a Tory. Also there's a number of UKIP councillors who are borderline morons.

[DRiddle]

This is nonsense and you know it. I've been hearing people say this for 30 years.

The people who have been saying it for 30 years were jumping the gun and saying it at the wrong time. 1986-2016. 30 years right?

Through the period of 1986 into the 90's the North East was still reeling from the Miners Strike, then came to poll tax etc. The Tory brand was toxic and Labour were safe as houses in Hartlepool, largely due to people's attitude to the Conservatives. 

Then came 1997-2010 and the Blair/Brown years. Again, Labour were safe as houses up here. A high profile front bench MP in the town, the PM not a million miles away, lots of money swilling around the public sector.

Then came Akers-Belcher, brexit etc.

Labour will lose Hartlepool in the next general election and with it the council.

Mark my words.

[Steely Dan]

Yawn.

But let's assume you are correct.

I'll also assume we'll have a UKIP MP. How will that help.

I have no idea how the make-up of the council will change. More UKIP to go with the current crop of borderline morons?

Posts I've read from you suggest your political leanings are to the left. How does the above scenario fit in with those beliefs? I'm genuinely interested.

[steveL]

You are also assuming the people of Hartlepool won't have a good Labour candidate to vote for as MP. My sources tell me that is the plan. Wright knows he's on his way out. Personally, I'd like to see Labour select a bright young woman in the Jo Cox mode to fight Hartlepool. That and the forthcoming Tory implosion over Europe would assure us of a Labour landslide.

Then we can get rid of all the career hangers on like Rchardson, Mad Dog etc and the young pretenders like the Akers-Belcher gang.

You're making a lot of assumptions there. If Wright is de-selected then CAB will be at the heart of such a move which prompts the question, 'which of the two is least popular.'?

My own guess is that CAB would win that one by several furlongs and that the two SCABS together are currently Labour's biggest liability. Also, I don't understand how you can assume that a new, different Labour MP would mean, 'we can get rid of all the career hangers on like Rchardson, Mad Dog etc and the young pretenders like the Akers-Belcher gang.'

How exactly?

There are no signs, other than private and cowardly mutterings in the corridors, that anyone within the Labour ranks is prepared to stick their head above the parapet - with or without a new MP. Wright himself has had plenty of opportunity to put some distance between himself and the unpopular SCABS (Manor Residents, minimum wage Tribunal cases, the fake 'investigation' into SAB) but the Labour culture of covering each other's back, come what may, has prevailed.

[steveL]

I don't think anyone can make any reliable predictions about what will happen at the next General Election in Hartlepool. The situation is very fluid at the moment with way too many variables. Perhaps the only thing that you can say is that the situation being unpredictable represents a significant change in itself.


Anyway, what's this got to do with the thread title - Wilcox?

[The Great Dictator]

Labour will lose council seats when they are in government but will Corbyn ever win an election ?

[steveL]

Quite a few people seem to view Corbyn and Abbot as being wholly out of touch with reality and very London-centric with it. Has anyone ever seen Abbot on TV and heard her talking for more than 30 seconds without mentioning London?There will be plenty who will vote Labour because they always have but there will be other traditional Labour voters who are totally turned off by Corbyn. If ever a Labour leader needed to get out more ......

[DRiddle]

Posts I've read from you suggest your political leanings are to the left. How does the above scenario fit in with those beliefs? I'm genuinely interested.

It doesn't... But with the exception of literally 2 or 3 of the current crop of 'Labour' councillors I don't equate the bulk of what I see in the local Labour party with left leaning socialism.

There's nothing socialist for example, about running a residents association in one of the most socially deprived areas Western Europe and then pinching all the money.

That's not socialism, it's corruption.

[Steely Dan]

Can't argue with any of that DRiddle.

The worst case scenario (as I see it) for Hartlepool would be more UKIP councillors or God forbid a UKIP MP. I'd hope you agree with that.

The Tories will never get a foothold into Hartlepool and their top dog Wells is in many ways the worst councillor in the chamber. We all know the reasons why he's there begin and end with him.

I'd love to think that Independents could get a grip but I don't think that will happen.

It's frustrating.

The only way forward that I can see is from within the local Labour Party. I'm sure there must have been an upsurge in members because of the Corbyn factor. Surely there must be dozens of decent Labour Party members who could make moves from within. I know it won't happen overnight but surely they must find the current crop why run the town are alien to all of their socialist values?

[fred c]

The HCLP, are still to investigate the circumstances surrounding Lying Ste's sacking, so I wouldn't hold much hope of a decent candidate coming from them........ I supose they could always nominate 1 of the SCABS.

[mk1]

Has anyone ever seen Abbot on TV and heard her talking for more than 30 seconds without mentioning London?

What strikes me about the latest version of Abbot is how she goes out of her way to talk about  immigration numbers and the effect they have had on  the unskilled workers. She never used to say that before and it is clear that the new crop have taken a decision to make this an issue where they have moved to  the right in order to appear to care. I know for a fact she  does not believe what she is saying because I can remember all of what she said about the issue before they realised it was costing them votes. She is now in the position of having to allow for the consequence of her views because she has office and influence. UKIP for example can promise anything because they know they will never be called to task for  failing to deliver.

[kevplumb]

The HCLP, are still to investigate the circumstances surrounding Lying Ste's sacking, so I wouldn't hold much hope of a decent candidate coming from them........ I supose they could always nominate 1 of the SCABS.

don't fred not even in jest 

[fred c]

 

The HCLP, are still to investigate the circumstances surrounding Lying Ste's sacking, so I wouldn't hold much hope of a decent candidate coming from them........ I supose they could always nominate 1 of the SCABS.

don't fred not even in jest 

[Land Phil]

Joking aside, if a SCAB stood it would be the beginning of the end of them and Hartlepool Labour party.

They would either fail and disappear or win and consume themselves.

Look what the lure of TV in Portsmouth did for them. 

[pensionater]

I'm in agreement with Steely Dan,unless it's going to go Independent,i would rather keep Labour than have UKIP.The Unions usually have a big say in the MP nomination,it will be interesting to see if anyone starts to come onto the scene in the next year or so.