Comments on: Watch Owen Smith’s barnstorming speech about inequality and his ‘British New Deal’

By: Nick

Nick — Fri, 22 Jul 2016 16:46:53 +0000

It’s not a bad speech overall a lot better then Donald trumps. having said that for me Owen is very much new to being an mp he overall has not got the experiences of jo cox for example who would have been ideal as at least she had views that made some conservative mp’s sit up and take note

By: Jumbo01

Jumbo01 — Wed, 20 Jul 2016 11:31:26 +0000

I agree with the comments of Just Cann above. Also I feel that Mr Owen Smith should be pushed harder to give specific details of just what he intentions are for Clause IV of the Labour Party Constitution. This will give a true indication of his political stance. He talked about infrastructure but this refers only to roads. he needs to outline whether or not he will support Clause IV (original and not as that amended under Blair). Clause IV outlines an agenda to take public ownership of all things infrastructure like railways and utilities. Its not just simply about some re-investment plans its about generating social capital across the board and for the people and the Nation.We need to know exactly what Mr Smith would re-write as Clause IV. Force him to come clean before expecting any left wing support.

In relation to the leadership vote it should be either postponed or, vetoed until this disgracefully undemocratic decision by the Labour NEC has been over-turned. As Just Cann mentioned how can it be fair when new members have to find that kind of money. We are all members who deserve to be treated equally. If you believe in this even those of you who can vote without restrictions please visit my petition complaining of the un-justness of this ruling. http://havemysay.me.uk/

By: sosr

sosr — Tue, 19 Jul 2016 18:00:55 +0000

I don’t think he is a member of Progress. Jeremy Corbyn spoke at Progress’s conference this May though. Perhaps he is a right-winger.

By: sosr

sosr — Tue, 19 Jul 2016 17:59:04 +0000

The information given regarding military action overseas is incorrect. He voted for airstrikes in Iraq to support Iraqi forces fighting IS, but he voted against UK military action in Syria. He supported the establishment of a no-fly zone in Libya, that was not a vote on bombing fighters of either side.

By: wg

wg — Tue, 19 Jul 2016 08:19:47 +0000

I had an Asian sounding guy on the phone the other day – told me he was from BT and was worried about other people using my broadband.
He told me that he could sort it out for £3 if I typed in my bank details.

That’s Owen Smith – no different from the rest.

By: Linzi

Linzi — Mon, 18 Jul 2016 23:10:05 +0000

I have for many years been one of those people who complain about politics. I found that the more I research the more I found the parties to the same, ok they talk about good game but words are cheap it’s action we want. And out of all of them one person as been consistent. It’s ok them telling you what they going to do, but look at what they been doing. I am going to vote Corbyn, he has awaken my interest, he may be different compared to the other leaders (or pretenders), but let’s face it that is what we need, no more of the charismatic, double dealing politicians who make up a good line but has no depth. This is the time to really consider what type of world we want to live in, and what type of leader we want, honesty, peace and a strength that is bone deep. And lets face it, he had to have a type of strength to with stand a coup, a new leadership challenge, and a media that as been extremely negative. Let’s show the politicians that we are the one who choose and pay them, they work for us the people, and it’s time to listen to us.

By: Martyn Wood-Bevan

Martyn Wood-Bevan — Mon, 18 Jul 2016 20:56:30 +0000

Corbyn was so well liked because he was such a change from the typical suited politician who was so fearful of the electorate that they would put forward very safe policies that the thought the population would like. He had genuine convictions, stood for something and challenged the establishment, which very many people responded to. Many in his party prejudged him as an out of touch leftie who would not command the public respect and then went out of their way to prove this to be true – as is the case with self-fulfilling prophecies – and engaged the MSM in this task and preventing many of his ideas from seeing the light of day.
Owen Smith (I am Welsh and can speak with some authority) is a non-entity in Wales, was flown into a safe Labour seat and is on the right wing of the party. He is quite slick but has been known as “Oily” Smith because he can say just what people want to hear, whether or not he particularly believes it. His presentation is fairly good but he is hardly talking to a vast crowd, unlike Jeremy Corbyn who always commands much bigger audiences – like the 150,000+ at Durham last week. Corbyn simply needs a more effective management team to help organise his activity programme.

By: Eric

Eric — Mon, 18 Jul 2016 19:12:42 +0000

Here are a few links on Owen which give some background.

Another thought about Jeremy and Owen. Jeremy made him shadow secretary of work and pensions. Now, does Jeremy have appalling judgement, thus further confirming his unsuitability for leading the Labour party or are many of the preceding posts just a load of rubbish?

http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/politics/owen-smith-iraq-war-working-2338066

http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/who-owen-smith-everything-you-8413993

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2016/jul/17/owen-smith-ed-miliband-labour-crisis

http://www.cityam.com/245366/heres-five-things-you-need-know-labour-leadership-contender

By: Geordie

Geordie — Mon, 18 Jul 2016 18:53:13 +0000

@Steve Mizzy – it’s a bit of a no-brainer, isn’t it ? We stick with the guy who has principle aplenty.

God knows, there’s few enough of them in politics, while you can’t throw a brick without hitting several articulate, sharp-suited, well-groomed and ultimately untrustworthy “real” politicians.

Corbyn has done alright – for a start he brought me back to the Labour party, something I never thought would happen after Iraq. But think how much better he’d have been doing if (most of) the rest of the party had resisted the temptation to act like a bunch of spoiled kids and started doing what they were supposed to be elected to do.

By: Eric

Eric — Mon, 18 Jul 2016 18:47:59 +0000

Like you Steve I’m left unimpressed by the vague slanders which precede your posts. In my experience when these sorts of claims are investigated they are invariably spurious.

I am left utterly baffled by the personality cult that surrounds Jeremy. Why the infatuation with a man who has “lost the dressing room” and has failed to impress at evpossible opportunity, who is so poor a leader he can’t hold his party together. If the consensus in the party is to move left then fine I am cautiously pleased by that and I am sure many of the MPs who voted against him are as well, but if that’s where we’re going we need to be led by someone who will not only take the party with him but more of the electorate than voted Labour in the last election.