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Category: Corbyn

The “Next PM” betting would be shaken up if David Miliband indicated that he’d like to return as an MP

The “Next PM” betting would be shaken up if David Miliband indicated that he’d like to return as an MP

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He’d be Hillary’s choice as PM This morning’s disparity on terror related issues between the shadow foreign secretary, Hillary Benn, and Mr Corbyn highlights a problem for LAB that is not going to go away. The leader holds views that are way out of kilter with many of his party’s MPs not just his choice as shadow foreign secretary. A problem, of course, is that when the media senses blood it’ll go on looking for splits. Other shadow ministers will…

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Corbyn’s power within LAB will soon hinge on perceptions of his likely general election performance

Corbyn’s power within LAB will soon hinge on perceptions of his likely general election performance

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He needs to look like a potential winner not a loser For the moment at least Mr Corbyn’s authority within the Labour Party derives directly from the sheer scale of his victory in the leadership election in September. His winning margin, of course, was even greater than that of Tony Blair’s in 1994. So whenever questions are raised as is inevitable within the Parliamentary Labour Party given his lack of support there, his team will point to the September voting…

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Donald Brind wonders whether Mr. Corbyn really wants to be PM

Donald Brind wonders whether Mr. Corbyn really wants to be PM

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An opposition leader’s primary objective should be Number 10 I was rather excited by the recent launch of BBC Store which opens up, for sale and download, a treasure trove programmes dating back to the fifties. My first foray was, however, unsuccessful. I got the message  “Unfortunately, your search didn’t return any results. The title may not be on BBC Store yet. However, we are adding more programmes every day, so please check back soon.” I certainly will. What I was…

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Antifrank: “Dangerous corners: a date for Jeremy Corbyn’s diary”

Antifrank: “Dangerous corners: a date for Jeremy Corbyn’s diary”

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Labour 2015: pic.twitter.com/dpX31o2ykt — Harry Cole (@MrHarryCole) November 8, 2015 Next March the 100th anniversary of the Irish Easter uprising A few years ago, when Labour were the natural party of government, Tony Blair ran his administration on what was known as the Grid. In essence, the Grid was a timetable of upcoming events which was used to make sure that eyecatching initiatives would not clash, be overshadowed by other events or, worse, be sabotaged by an unflattering and off-message…

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Corbyn’s LAB closes the gap once again in the October ComRes/Mail phone poll

Corbyn’s LAB closes the gap once again in the October ComRes/Mail phone poll

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ComRes Mail poll finds just 8% saying government should go ahead with Osborne's tax credits plan pic.twitter.com/Tn9KMPKHiw — Mike Smithson (@MSmithsonPB) October 30, 2015 Today's 5% CON lead in ComRes phone poll compares with the13% gap recorded by firm 2 weeks ago in online survey — Mike Smithson (@MSmithsonPB) October 30, 2015 This may ease some jitters within the red team After the GE2015 polling disaster ComRes was the first firm to announce radical changes in its weightings to deal…

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Frank “Houdini” Field leads the fight against MP deselection

Frank “Houdini” Field leads the fight against MP deselection

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But Donald Brind wonders if this is a battle Labour should be having now? Labour’s veteran maverick Frank Field has put himself in the vanguard of MPs getting ready to fight deselection. There could be no better leader for those fearful about the perceived threat from Corbynistas in their constituencies. In his 36 years as MP for Birkenhead he has survived three attempts to oust him. The most serious was in 1989, a battle I covered for the BBC. We…

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Oldham West & Royton set to be Corbyn’s first big electoral test

Oldham West & Royton set to be Corbyn’s first big electoral test

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BBC News data & graphic He needs a good result to calm his party’s nerves The very first by election of the 2015 parliament has now been triggered by the sad death of Michael Meacher who, it might be recalled, sought to mount a leadership challenge in the post-Blair leadership election. On the face of it this should be an easy hold for Labour although UKIP will have noted that they did pretty well there on May 7th coming in…

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Corbyn had Cameron struggling on tax credits at PMQs – but then changed the subject

Corbyn had Cameron struggling on tax credits at PMQs – but then changed the subject

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A opportunity missed Overall Corbyn is doing a better job at PMQs than many of his detractors predicted. Because it is so difficult for oppositions to make the political weather this weekly event is a very valuable peg to get media coverage and mustn’t be wasted. Inevitably this morning Corbyn was able to quote back at the PM the comments by the young MP, Heidi Allen who used her maiden speech yesterday to record her opposition to what Osborne is…

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