[Oboogie]

Has anyone outside the Party and the political media even heard of Catherine West? I'm a political nerd and even I had to check I'd got the right person and I'm still not sure why I know who she is!
Hands up who thinks she can beat Farage?

[Tubby Isaacs]

As someone said, in another place it's not at all impossible that climate change policy would be less of a priority for a Left leader or Burnham. For a start, you lose the credibility with markets that Starmer-Reeves have. Then you'd get the pressure to allocate money to eg big nationalizations, which every man and his dog seems to want. Long term climate investment may not be winner in all that.

[Tubby Isaacs]

Has anyone outside the Party and the political media even heard of Catherine West? I'm a political nerd and even I had to check I'd got the right person and I'm still not sure why I know who she is!
Hands up who thinks she can beat Farage?

She was leader of Islington Council before she was an MP. She's generally well thought of and should probably be a Minister. She's not like one of those obscure people who were talked of as challenging John Major back in the day. (Which by the by gave rise to one of my favorite political jokes- one such was Barry Field, MP for the Isle of Wight, who was described unkindly as being a possible "stalking donkey".

[Tubby Isaacs]

King's Speech is happening on May 13. I think Catherine West is going to struggle to do too much before then. Hopefully it'll have lots of stuff in it which will at least shut these self-indulgent MPs up.

[kreuzberger]

The issue here is that Starmer has lost the kop, lost the wider fan-base, and the mood in the dressing room is demonstrably and increasingly uneasy. It seems to me that the pivotal question is; can he win the next election?

It pains me to say it, but I really don't think that he can.

That then takes us to parallels with cancer surgery. You have to get in there before it becomes inoperable.

Would the attendant shit show unsettle the bond markets? Undoubtedly. Would Farage's caravan of miscreants have them running for the hills? More so.

[Tubby Isaacs]

The markets didn't run a mile from Trump when he was elected, they don't run a mile from Trumper Republican governors either, nor would they run from Farage. Because the radical right can always cut money off poor people, special needs education, climate stuff. And lots of the poor people will vote for it anyway.

If Starmer goes, there'll be immediate calls for a general election at a time when taxes have been raised but there hasn't been time for any improvement to be felt. Hard to think of a better environment for Farage.

[Oboogie]

King's Speech is happening on May 13. I think Catherine West is going to struggle to do too much before then. Hopefully it'll have lots of stuff in it which will at least shut these self-indulgent MPs up.

She claims she has the backing of 10 MPs, she needs 81 to trigger a contest.

[Tubby Isaacs]

If she gets those, she goes on the ballot and is then basically running for Prime Minister. Does she actually want to do that? I'd be surprised if she does. So does she suspect Rayner or Miliband is going to challenge? I'm sure she'd not want Streeting to do it (and he's said he won't). Who else is there?

I ca't work her out here.

[Tubby Isaacs]

Agree with Robert Saunders here. This would be a bad idea, and the EU would say "Great, but get back to us when you've routed Farage and Badenoch".

[mattomac]

I assume the Labour position was to work towards offering this as a position at some point potentially in the second term.

Whoever Catherine West is she’s keeping a story going that could have had a line drawn under it with the announcements in the Kings Speech in a weeks time.

Personally I would look at a transfer of power perhaps 14-16 months out when Starmer has a record that’s showing something. I think I’ll dump my membership if we have a leadership contest I can’t be arsed with it.

I’ve grown tired of party politics.

[satnav]

If Labour replace Starmer now it gives the opposition parties 3 years to attack any replacement. I don't think there is an obvious replacement who would withstand 3 years of constant attacks.

[kreuzberger]

The markets didn't run a mile from Trump when he was elected ...

They certainly did once he went into full Mental Mode. Would anyone lend a fiver to an economy with Jenrick at the helm?

They'll cack themselves.

[Tubby Isaacs]

They certainly did once he went into full Mental Mode. Would anyone lend a fiver to an economy with Jenrick at the helm?

They'll cack themselves.

In the longer term, maybe. But I doubt they'll generate much of a panic in the shorter term.

[mattomac]

If Labour replace Starmer now it gives the opposition parties 3 years to attack any replacement. I don't think there is an obvious replacement who would withstand 3 years of constant attacks.

Wouldn’t even last that long and West would lose her seat in the current climate.

How about take the hit if the next elections are poor then put a transfer in place. At 10 she hasn’t even got all those that voted for his appearance in front of the select committee.

[Tubby Isaacs]

I think she'd be OK in a general election, as it goes. Putting Zack in charge of your mortgage isn't something I'd guess that lots of people want to do.

[mattomac]

Dunno they behaved oddly in the last general election.

And she seems obviously spooked.