The shambolic nature of the process could be as damaging as the outcome

I have long been of the view that the most important message a party needs to get over in an election is that it can offer competent government. That was how the Tories managed to succeed on May 7th and why they achieved a majority, against all the odds.

The Lynton Crosby line repeated so much during the campaign was that the choice was between competence and chaos. The latter, given the issues relating to Scotland and leadership perceptions, was easily pinned on Labour.

Voters might not have loved the Tories but at least when faced with what else was on offer they perceived rightly or wrongly that the party did offer competent government.

So what is Labour’s current leadership election and all the associated process issues doing to the party’s ability to present itself as a viable alternative government?

My guess is that the manner of the current election will be remembered and have an impact for a very long time.

Firstly this has all gone on for too long. The Lib Dems were able to go through their election and have somebody in place in the first half of July. Why not Labour?

Why oh why has the red team been lumbered with the ludicrous pay your £3 and get a vote system – something that, as we are seeing, is so open to abuse. The idea that you could vet of tens of thousands of people in such a short period should have been foreseen as a problem.

Then there is the possibility of a legal challenge to the result when it is known. I paid my £3 and I’ve heard nothing. No ballot pack and no “you’ve been purged” letter. What is going on there? There must surely be many like me.

The one saving grace, I suppose, is that at least we have been saved the normal political silly season.

Mike Smithson

Follow @MSmithsonPB

Tweet