How did Labour make this error?

I believe it was, as you say EO, simply a grievous misjudgement on behalf of the Corbyn pseudo-supporters.  My take is that, whilst publicly endorsing a broad debate, the secret aim was to humiliate the far left of the party and it's all gone horribly wrong.  Margaret Beckett just about admitted as much with her "I'm a moron" comment.

Personally, for many reasons I'm aghast that a man like Jeremy Corbyn is now leader of the opposition.  I see him as a dangerous lunatic.

are you scared porkie , i do hope so .

I'm more interested in Scotland tbh and I think on reflection that Corbyn will do some good but not for Labour.
He will get the more militant supporters to return to the fold. Most of these voted for the SNP.
He has already stuck the boot into Sturgeon and her kiddieonie anti austerity policies and I hope more of that is forthcoming.
Scotland and the lost Labour supporters will be one of his priorities and in that respect I wish him well.
Should he however get into a position of strength in the country then I think his policies on defence and immigration will endanger the safety of the UK.

Porky?  Where did that come from?  I wouldn't have said "scared" exactly, but I am very concerned.  I bear no ill will towards Jeremy Corbyn's supporters, as another famous JC once said "forgive them, for they know not what they do."

I'm genuinely surprised you think that the motivation was malice towards the left of the party from the right poker. I think it was more a, "is there no cake", (mistranslated as let them eat cake) moment. By that my contention, in line with my argument, is that the right of the Labour party so misread the mood amongst Labour supporters in the country that they simply didn't understand it and took a more paternalistic and patronising stance whereby they were like the big brother ruffling the younger brothers hair saying, "go on have a free shot" and not thinking for a minute that the younger brother would lay them out.

They could do it in 2010 when they allowed Abbott into the race using similar tactics partly because they had stronger candidates to rebuff her. Even so I just find it odd after everything that has happened that professional politicians could so misread the mood after so many signs coming in such a short space of time which should have acted as flashing warning signs.

because they had stronger candidates to rebuff her.

Looking at the other candidates it maybe isn't surprising that JC was elected.
None of them looked remotely like someone who could lead a party. All light weights.

Yep. They rattled the tins for Burnham when the truth is that he was never more than an also ran as evidenced by his poor showing in 2010. Outside of that they had one of the last Blairites standing and Mrs Ed Balls.

decent explanation in a Guardian article ,Andrew Rawnsley



one member of the shadow cabinet pleads that they were all too distracted by the shock of the general election defeat.

“While we had our heads under the bonnet of the car trying to work out why we lost the election, these people jumped into the car and drove it off.”

Which leaves stunned Labour moderates stranded on the kerbside, aghast at where the car is now heading, unsure when or how they will get it back and fearful that it might be a write-off by the time they do.

aka and EO.


If a Corbyn victory was so ' bleeding obvious '
you have cleaned up in ante post bets at huge odds  ?

Well done.

If the tories had a leadership election and allowed voting for anyone with 3pounds and had an extreme right wing candadate against very poor  topposition then the country could very possibly have an extreme right wing prime minister.

No Facts it wasn't so obvious I'd have to concede that but it's a bit like the IRA used to say in that the British had to get it right every time and they only had to get it right once. Similarly if you are in bear country you don't go out of your way to make yourself available as a possible meal even if the likelihood of you being eaten isn't so great. My point here is to question how this came to pass.

Regarding The OP there are several 'Labours' now.

The Parliamentary Party, stuffed full of Blairite careerist politicians, seemingly out of touch with the rank and file

The £ 3'ers, whose motivation for joining is something of an unknown. A bit of cheap rebellion? Positively committed to joining a new crusade under a man of principle? Closet Tories and people who were 'on' at 28/1 who wanted the right result for their own ends?

The Trades Unions members, who you would probably characterise as having some (left-wing) political views and probably the most solid and long-term supporters of Corbyn.

The power struggle between these groups, plus any rump of 'New' Labour supporters in the country, still along for the ride, is going to be fascinating over the coming months.

It happened because they gave people the vote, if the tories did the same there is a large right wing vote waiting for the chance for power.

Dead right lfc.
The likes of Yvette Cooper spout about democracy but when they see it in action it frightens the life out of them.
All women can be treacherous but Yvette tears the bloody arse out of the game.

What people dont realise is that the working class in Britain has never had the chance to vote for a leader. Corbyn is not different, he is middle class and was voted in by the middle and upper classes. If there was a vote in which there was a chance of a very right wing pm then the chances are that this would be very popular with radical young  British voters and across the mass of British people.

absolute nonsense lfc

change is coming lfc

A ringing endorsement from Diane Abbott will hardly help his cause. Will someone in the party manage to explain to her that her views are not required, or indeed welcome.

anxious you are a rare example of almost complete stupidity, pipe down.

pot calling the kettle black!

lfc a little reminder to you who goes on about the working classes being close to insanity and that they cannot be allowed to rule, and you have the gall to call anyone else stupid

I was only joking, you're a good egg anxious.

no probs

although 87% of the British workimg class are insane by anyones measure.Who could deny that?

only  87

some  countries the figure is even higher, closer to 93%

Just as an aside there was an experment where people(supp.sane) were put into mental health facilities to check they were being run correctly...they had a terrible time proving their sanity and getting out again...truestory.

Unfortunately they didnt come to the obvious conclusion that if you take 100 people off the street most of them are likely to be insane.

I think they had to abandon the experiment to get some of the people out.

i think i read about that it was in america wasnt it

Yes I think it was the US. They assumed the mental health clinics were makimg a mistake, but were they? Look at the mass hysteria a ond insanity and beliefs of millions of people worldwide. Certain countries who shall remaim nameless are almost completely insane...98%