General election 2017

After Tony Blair won his landslide victory in 1997, I wondered if the Tories will ever get elected again.  Twenty years later I am asking the same question to myself but this time it is whether Labour will get back in.  I think we are seeing the death of the Labour party in front of our very eyes, which is sad because weak oppositions lead to bad governments.

Corbyn's shadow cabinet

Now that Jeremy Corbyn has named is shadow cabinet, there were very few surprises. Apart from leadership rival Andy Burnham, every one is on the hard left.  There are a new faces (Lisa Nandy) but then there are the old dinosaurs in Diane "whities divide and rule" Abbott and IRA fan John McDonnel as shadow chancellor.  I cannot see how this lot will help Labour win back to those swing voters in the marginals who deserted to the Tories in the last election.  Corbyn is turning a party that should be trying to win elections into a six form Sociology debating class. Bit sad as I think the Tories need a strong opposition to hold them to account. Apart from Cameron and the Tories, the big winner from all this is UKIP, who I think will challenge Labour very hard in its heartland.