Mailwatch(ed) Forum

Has anybody else noticed “Mainstream Labour” ?

https://www.mainstreamlabour.org/founding-statement

Mainstream Labour founding statement

Not quite sure what to make of this new grouping within the Labour Party. It seems to have arisen from a collaboration between Open Labour and Compass (Neal Lawson’s fingerprints are all over it), and as well as Lawson (who can be fucking bonkers), the list of its supporters includes unexpected names like Jon Lansman (founder of Momentum), names that embody sanity and compassion, such as Alf Dubs, but also Clare Short, who probably should have been put away years ago.

On the face of it, its quite difficult to disagree with what they claim to want, but on the other hand, Labour probably needs another ginger group/faction like it needs a hole in the head.

Opinions, please.

Anything involving Clare Short starts off with a massive disadvantage. Its aims are laudable but then again so were bits of the BNP's manifesto.

They're a faction for people who don't like factions.

Mmm sounds like fun. I could have sworn Alf Dubs died years ago, maybe he did and just forgot to tell Lawson, Lansman and Short. Let's see how long it takes the others to notice.

Mainstream is the home for Labour’s radical realists

Do they practice prudence with a purpose? The opposite of a radical realist would be a conservative fantasist. Which is what the British right are now.

Oboogie wrote: ↑Thu Feb 05, 2026 10:06 pm Mmm sounds like fun. I could have sworn Alf Dubs died years ago, maybe he did and just forgot to tell Lawson, Lansman and Short. Let's see how long it takes the others to notice.

Lord Dubs is still alive - he's 93.

How many factions do the Labour Party have now?

Oboogie wrote: ↑Thu Feb 05, 2026 10:06 pm Mmm sounds like fun. I could have sworn Alf Dubs died years ago, maybe he did and just forgot to tell Lawson, Lansman and Short. Let's see how long it takes the others to notice.

He's 93...