Tell us what you think about the Labour candidates
Now the Labour leadership race is down to Jeremy Corbyn and Owen Smith, who do you think would be better at the job?
Click on the link below to vote in our poll of Left Foot Forward readers. We’ll publish the results on Monday.
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57 Responses to “Poll: Who would be a better Labour Party leader – Jeremy Corbyn or Owen Smith?”
Helen Wilkinson
The Labour membership have made it abundantly clear that they want a more socialist agenda, more honesty and integrity from their MPs. They voted for this in the person of Jeremy Corbyn in the last leadership ballot, to the dismay of most of the PLP.
The PLP have had 10 months to come up with an alternative candidate who fulfils these aspirations but seems to them more ‘electable’ and they offer us Owen Smith, clearly they have failed, or they have not been trying.
Well I still want what I wanted 10 months ago, it seems many, many others are of the same mind and if they can’t come up with anyone they are prepared to work with who has these qualities then Jeremy will be leader again. It would be much better if they accept that and step up to support him in areas where he clearly needs support the alternative seems to be the likely destruction of the party. .
Michael WALKER
Corbyn:
Pros
Lifelong socialist,
Conviction politician.
Comes over as more “normal” than most politicians
Cons
Useless at organising
Can’t argue to save himself.
Preaches to the converted.
History.
Smith:
Pros
Speaks well
Don’t know any more good points
Cons
Welsh (a con in England, not in Wales)
Vicar of Bray type.. no convictions.
Rich and evidently not working class.
Sharon Morgan
Smith sounds like Blair, walks like Blair, talks like Blair. I will vote Jeremy every time. A man of principal who sticks to what he believes in.
David Hamilton
If Corbyn is re-lected and it looks like he will be then this will achieve on or both off:
1) The destruction of the Labour party
2) The guaranteed election of a Tory government for the next 10-15 years
Neither of these outcomes is what Corbyn supporters say they want. They think that someone with such conviction that he votes against party policy ( as a leader no less ) then criticises everyone else in the PLP for not taking his lead on a free vote. He cannot lead, he has no managerial skills and, from his performance so far, no ability to keep a team of people together.
So Corbyn may have the policies that those on the left and the new apparatchiks support but, a leader is someone who leads , who does need not an external power base to organise on only his behalf, just the party members.
So I am, to coin a phrase, considering my position. If Corbyn wins I cannot, in all conscience support him as leader. Will I continue to support a party who, not only fails to recognise the power of the wide consensus but strives to minimise the breadth of membership as a means of control.
Dom Ramos
When mainstream Labour M.P.s such as Owen Smith unlink arms with the City, and turn to see the hollowed out towns of England they will be worth voting for. Otherwise, with or without Corbyn, they will not have learnt our votes at a time when the low pound means manufacturing not the City should stand more of a chance of recovery, not the false one that has merely enriched the thin veneer of compromised mercantile allegiances they represent.