I suppose so. You'd think there'd be some kind of measure they could use that would at least move in that direction. I don't really know what though I have to admit.
It's in keeping with Labour traditions as it is I guess.
Jeremy Corbyn's time is up
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It's in keeping with Labour traditions as it is I guess.
Bernie Gunther
Fundamentalist Druid
billy_bob
Air of bewilderment model's own
Consistently and genuinely being the kind of party that working class people want to play an active part in might work.
would it? I don't know. it doesn't help much to breach the barriers in the way of it as far as I can see. Barriers of education, connections, available time, familiarity negotiating bureaucratic/political structures and language, self confidence in being 'leadership'/politician material, various other forms of social capital, etc.
You could have a political party with a mass working class membership base that is still dominated at the top level by non working class people because of those barriers. I wouldn't be at all surprised if that described the Labour Party in the past, though I haven't looked in to it.
I mean, personally I don't care about representation in the Labour Party, but as Corbyn has gone down that road already I was just curious about it really.
DrRingDing
'anti-human wanker'
I worked for while in Denmark and would often be downing schnapps at 8am for whoevers birthday it was.....but only went boozing once after work.
Southlondon
The river's there for a reason
He has promised to bring in bursaries for working class people who want to put themselves up for selection as parliamentary candidates. You need thousands to be able to mount a campaign, ( the blairite candidate for thamesmead had a £30k pot given to her although she was still beaten), so unless you have private funds or serious backing of a union you're excluded.
butchersapron
Bring back hanging
Is he? That was Tom Watson's policy. It's also tory policy.
But then why would i want w/c labour MPs? Is the problem really that MPs aren't from w/c backgrounds? Or is it something deeper, more structural?
But then why would i want w/c labour MPs? Is the problem really that MPs aren't from w/c backgrounds? Or is it something deeper, more structural?
was that bit to me? was just idle curiosity really. Whatever class they're from they'll not be on my side, but then I'm not a supporter of the project in the first place.
butchersapron
Bring back hanging
No, to Southlondon.
Not saying you're doing it but being state educated seems to be increasingly equated with 'working class'. Which is very strange.
(Guess it's up there with Kate Middleton and her £30k+ a year schooling being constantly referred to as 'middle class'.)
existentialist
Tired and unemotional
Likewise. Or certainly was 10 years ago.
existentialist
Tired and unemotional
As ever, Diamond, as ever...
Southlondon
The river's there for a reason
Corbyn endorsed it. Hopefully it will contribute towards getting MPs that look more like the people they represent, rather than suited professional politicians chosen from on high. I still have that image in my head of mandelson looking awkward eating fish and chips with the good people of Hartlepool.
While we have a parliamentary system we will have MPs so I'd still rather have a working class Labour Mp than someone with no life experience other than uni and a think tank or a lobby group.
Southlondon
The river's there for a reason
Attachments
i'll certainly enjoy it far more having my living standards attacked by people who are at ease eating fish and chips
Southlondon
The river's there for a reason
Guacamole or mushy peas ?
Southlondon
The river's there for a reason
I am a leftie in the party becaus I want to help elect MPs that won't attack my living standards. More council tenants and and benefit-experienced etc members in positions of power and I would hope we can refocus to protecting and enhancing our living standardsit'll certainly enjoy it far more having my living standards attacked by people who are at ease eating fish and chips
bi0boy
Power User
can't deny Crabb has put his experiences to good useLike Stephen Crabb and John Major.
billy_bob
Air of bewilderment model's own
I believe it could, yes, and I believe the history of the party bears out at least that it's possible for that to work - though clearly it hasn't done consistently throughout its history, or at all for a long time now. Some of the most active and effective small-p-political activists I've known were part of a group of working class women for whom all the barriers you mention and more existed at least in theory. Most of them had been active in the Labour party at a time when it still felt like there was some hope for it but from the early 80s on became disillusioned/disengaged as it moved further and further from being of and for the working class. Had the party followed a different path I've no doubt some of them would now be household names nationally.
Can the Labour Party do it now is a different question - like you I'm not sure I really care. I think the movement behind Corbyn has been an interesting development but I've wondered from the start and am more and more sure that focusing everyone's attention on trying to steer the Labour Party (back?) in a more positive direction is misguided and futile.
billy_bob
Air of bewilderment model's own
I wasn't for a second suggesting every working-class MP who's 'pulled themselves up by the bootstraps' is fine and every middle-class do-gooding one is a monster and part of the problem. Cherry-picking individuals - especially individuals who've risen to their current positions within a party context which clearly is part of the problem - doesn't prove anything. Obviously the working-class candidates who are likely to succeed in a party which doesn't genuinely or consistently care about the working class are going to be the ones who most enthusiastically ditch any semblance of solidarity, even if they like to make a big show of their roots for historical/rhetorical reasons.
The Guardian (John Crace - A digital dilemma for Corbyn, and business as usual again for the Tories) point out that when Corbyn launched his digital manifesto earlier in the week, attendees were pointed towards this web domain by his Facebook page:
HugeDomains.com - JeremyCorbyn.com is for sale (Jeremy Corbyn)
HugeDomains.com - JeremyCorbyn.com is for sale (Jeremy Corbyn)
andysays
Love and solidarity
The BBC reveal the mystery man behind the campaign to replace Jeremy Corbyn as Labour leader...
Saving Labour? The secretive battle to oust Jeremy Corbyn
Saving Labour? The secretive battle to oust Jeremy Corbyn
What I can't understand about the incompetence of the Corbyn office is whether it is just a question of genuine, honest failures by a team that is not used to doing all the boring stuff around running an effective opposition or whether there is something more sinister to do with the Labour party machine not deigning to offer him material support.
But that's the thing with being the leader of a political party - anything and everything you say will be and should be scrutinised.
How else are people supposed to form an opinion on the man?
billy_bob
Air of bewilderment model's own
He's blatantly going to win his second leadership contest in as many years, despite the massed forces of all those who've been running the party for decades, and of course the financial clout of their backers, and almost the entire media. And you think it's Corbyn's side that's incompetent?
My view is that Corbyn and his team have not demonstrated anything like the level of competence required to take on the Tories and win a mandate to govern.
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