That Starmer fella...

Early days but I think there's a decent chance of Bercow as leader after Starmer. He's got the same star quality that Johnson has, and while there are a LOT of hurdles to jump, I think he'd be able to build an alliance between one nation tories abandoned by the conservatives and left of centre middle class remainers, and the kind of working class stock I'm from who just want to see someone entertaining in the PM's seat.

Does he have the mass appeal though? I get the sense he is quite strongly disliked by a big contingent.

I don't know , but I remember he was a bit of a remainer hero late May / early Johnson. There probably a lot of people who're still fond of him.

Its not appropriate at all to have a recent Tory convert as leader of Labour, it might be pragmatically sensible at some point though I guess.

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I think maybe a hero of hard-line remainers, sure, but I don't see that being a broad enough base. He's nothing if not divisive, which I wouldn't have thought is great (but I guess so is Johnson, so maybe that theory is wrong)

Lol a life long Tory as Labour Leader? We might as well all pack up and go home at that point.

Absolutely insane.

This is a joke right?

It's not likely - he'd have to become an MP, then be elected, etc - but I think you'd be unwise to say it was impossible.

Pushing aside a pool of diverse and working class talent to airdrop in an life long Tory man who has middle class sensibilities for next leader would be labour out labouring themselves

just want to see someone entertaining in the PM's seat

Entertaining is the last thing to look for. Competence and compassion are thing desperately needed right now. Bercow's brilliance is his verbosity in the house. Yet that is an outdated throwback as much as Rees Mogg's whole act. We should really build a modern parliament that doesn't look or act like a boy's club museum curio.

“Let’s have a Tory as leader” has been the unspoken mantra of a big chunk of the party for a long time. It’s refreshing to hear it said it out loud.

Lol, Bercow was fun and all as speaker, and it was good he actually bothered to hold people to account a bit, but FFS he's been a lifelong Tory up until last night, why the shit would you want to consider sticking him in charge of labour 5 minutes after he defects.

Does he have the mass appeal though?

I think he could embody the chameleonic nature of modern politics quite well. Johnson frames himself as a moderate, one nation tory but gets into power by becoming a totem for almost far right xenophobia and populism. And a lot of people disliked Johnson before he became mayor, but they tended to be politics wonks - for the average voter, the profile and the star quality was what they responded to. I don't expect it to happen but if it does I want to be on the record as having called it out as a possiblity early.

Pushing aside a pool of diverse and working class talent

I can't see in any way how you can be serious when you make this statement. Labour has no talent right now. That's the point. Starmer was the obvious man for the job and he increasingly doesn't seem to be good enough. Who would do the job better? Burgon? Lewis? Sultana? If that's the best we've got, we're fucked either way.

That Bercow fella ... ?
I don't expect it to happen but if it does I want to be on the record as having called it out as a possiblity early.

quoted for posterity. :)

Entertaining is the last thing to look for. Competence and compassion are thing desperately needed right now. Bercow's brilliance is his verbosity in the house. Yet that is an outdated throwback as much as Rees Mogg's whole act. We should really build a modern parliament that doesn't look or act like a boy's club museum curio.

Of course I agree with you on all these points. In an ideal world the electorate would be engaged and informed on the issues and vote according to policy. But many voters vote on personality. It's a big enough contingent to have changed politics completely within the last ten years. We ignore that at our peril.

^
this

Bercow has thrown his toys out of the pram because he didn't get a peerage. Ghastly grubby little man. A real gravy train politico.

he's been a lifelong Tory up until last night

Former member of a hard right organisation too. Admittedly in his youth and since thoroughly denounced.

But, you know, we live in an age where Tony Blair is a war criminal, the lib dems can't get votes because of tuition fees and Jeremy Corbyn is an IRA sympathiser so if the press don't pick up on it and make it a thing, nobody will care.

As a side note, its remarkable how many people there are on LFGSS who probably identify as left wing or centrist seem to parrot right wing media opinions and Murdoch talking points about politicians.

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But many voters vote on personality

Yeah, guess it is just the word 'entertaining'. A leader with strong personality is definitely a plus I agree.

Why is Labour losing Muslim voters? Racists in the party have a theory:

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Where's that shite from?

I mean you could almost understand it from the point that Starmer doesn't appear to be addressing Islamophobia.

But we all know that's not what was meant.