Go on then, who do you reckon will win? The Labour Leadership contest, that is...

Jeremy Corbyn faces an immediate leadership challenge after a performance that was dismally inadequate, lifeless and spineless, displaying an inability to lead anyone anywhere. What absence of mind to emphasise support for free migration on the eve of a poll where Labour was haemorrhaging support for precisely those metropolitan views. Here was Labour’s golden chance to make this referendum campaign its own. Voters who blocked their ears to Labour on the doorstep this time may head for Ukip, never to return.

But to them, the cultural affront outweighed everything else. Identity beat economics. “Labour opened the floodgates,” one said accusingly. Scapegoating, looking for outsiders to blame – perhaps. But if Labour wants to get its voters back, it can’t block its ears as Corbyn, the party’s leader, does.

I know this Polly Toynebee article was already discussed on the uk politics thread, but: what exactly is she proposing as an alternative to Corbyn's supposed "blocking of his ears"? (engage with ppl's legit concerns about jobs, housing, public services etc of course, but that's exactly what Corbyn has been doing?) why does she think that Labour being more noisily anti-immigration would have convinced more Labour supporters to vote remain, surely the opposite would have been the case? it's infuriating that the Labour right are pushing this line that Corbyn responding to a question with an honest answer about the realities of how the EU works = "emphasising support for free migration" as if that's the only thing Corbyn said about the referendum over the last three months.

Corbyn does seem useless in many ways, in terms of presentation and organisation, but every person calling for his job at the moment makes me think that their chosen replacement would be 1000x worse.

(posting this here so as to not derail the actual substantive conversation on the politics thread with my insight-free venting)

As far as i can tell from the polling data, Labour got pretty much the exact proportion of remain voters as the SNP. One was a thumping statement of commitment to the EU, the other was a catastrophic failure.

Much as I object to the cult of personality around political leaders, I still expect theme to exhibit some leadership qualities. Corbyn will never come across as anything more than a generally affable dedicated constituency MP who does his bit from the back benches.

Are there any alternatives with vaguely left of the Labour Party policies but with a bit more about them than Corbyn? Or is this best alternative Andy Burnham?

McDonnell? but he is apparently even more unpopular with the PLP than Corbyn and would be unlikely to get enough nominations to end up on a ballot (and even if he somehow became leader there would be the same problem of a leader not supported by the overwhelming majority of his MPs). some people have talked about Lisa Nandy as a compromise candidate possibly acceptable to both Labour MPs and left-wing Labour part members.

I'm a big fan of Lisa Nandy, she was briefly my MP. She always seems very honest and forthright in her media appearances. But does she have the profile? And she's not exactly working class despite being MP for Wigan, with her grandad being a Westminster School & Oxford educated Lord.

I think Nandy manages to come across as "ordinary" and "down-to-earth", regardless of who her grandad was.

if the PLP forces Corbyn to resign (and don't allow McDonnell or another Socialist Campaign Group type on the ballot for his replacement) then you have to assume that the Labour members who voted Corbyn in are going to go apeshit; they would need to put someone who can make a credibly portray themselves as a leftwinger and break from the New Labour era, can't really think of anyone with a higher profile who'd cut it (certainly not Burnham)

I mean, I realise that "ordinary" and "down-to-earth" are amorphous and fairly silly concepts, but they matter and to extent that you can define them I think Nandy does ok on that score

Labour dream ticket 2016:

http://www.theboltonnews.co.uk/resources/images/2624572.jpg?display=1&htype=100000&type=responsive-gallery

Hilary Benn's been sacked

lol

omfg

a good time to bury good news :p

Separately, an anonymous vote on a motion of no confidence in Corbyn is likely to be held by the parliamentary Labour party on Tuesday. Backbench MPs have been using WhatsApp to garner support for the motion, and it is believed that up to 80% of the parliamentary party are now set to vote in favour of Corbyn standing down.

screenshots of that chat would be fucking amazing