Jeremy Corbyn & Tom Watson elected leader and deputy leader of the Labour Party

[infobleep]

There was a clever seating arrangement by Cameron today when the camera was focused on him it picked up 16 other MPs- 6 male and 1 female on the front row and 7 female and 3 male on the second row to give a roughly equal male/female mix.

What was the split on the Conservative benches at the last PMQs before this?

 

[DarloRich]

He is naive beyond belief if he hadn't thought that his trades union speech would be completely overlooked because he intended to display his contempt for the Queen yesterday.

He is entitled to that opinion but anybody with a bit of nous would have guessed what would happen, so if his speech was passed without comment it's his fault.

He might have been at home sniping from the back-benches for 30 years but I wonder if his elevation to party leader may be beyond him.

Some people are born leaders and some are better staying in the back-ground, he doesn't come across as a leader.

We will see. I tihnk my view on this situation is clear!

Had he sung the national anthem the Sun would have presented it as a hypocritical act of a hypocritical politician so he may as well hold to his own views!

It the focus on frippery to hide important issues that impact upon the lives of several million people that really annoys me.

 

[northwichcat]

What was the split on the Conservative benches at the last PMQs before this?

Last time the front bench were more spread out and there was 5 men and 1 women who came in to view (not including Cameron) and on the second bench 6 men and 2 women - one of which was looking away from Cameron combing her hair while Cameron was responding to a question on Syrian refugees.

 

[infobleep]

Last time the front bench were more spread out and there was 5 men and 1 women who came in to view (not including Cameron) and on the second bench 6 men and 2 women - one of which was looking away from Cameron combing her hair while Cameron was responding to a question on Syrian refugees.

Interesting.

 

[chris11256]

For me the interesting thing is whether the Speaker will allow Corbyn to continue his questions from the people. While it may makes him seem more authentic, it took up a lot of time and four MPs didn't get to ask their questions. I suspect next week we may see the Speaker cutting Corbyn off a bit.

 

[WelshBluebird]

Fairly sure he did mean minimum wage, it just so happens that the new minimum wage is going to be set as the living wage. A minimum wage is exactly that, a minimum. The living wage isn't a legally enforceable minimum, more a reflection of the price of living.

There are different things going on here.

First of all you have the "Living wage" which the conservatives have announced. This will become the new minimum wage.

However that is only for people aged over 25,so for people 25 and younger it won't apply, the normal minimum wage will.

And then of course you have the fact this "living wage" is different to the actual living wage as calculated by the living wage (the government one will be calculated based on median earnings, while the actual living wage is calculated based on the actual cost of living.

 

[northwichcat]

New ICM Poll for the Guardian has:

Conservative 38%
Labour 32%
UKIP 13%
Lib Dem 8%
SNP 5%
Green 3%

 

[EM2]

For me the interesting thing is whether the Speaker will allow Corbyn to continue his questions from the people. While it may makes him seem more authentic, it took up a lot of time and four MPs didn't get to ask their questions. I suspect next week we may see the Speaker cutting Corbyn off a bit.

Isn't there a standard procedure for PMQs, in that the Leader of the Opposition is always permitted to ask six questions? I'm pretty sure it is not in the Speaker's remit to be able to curtail that.

 

[northwichcat]

Isn't there a standard procedure for PMQs, in that the Leader of the Opposition is always permitted to ask six questions? I'm pretty sure it is not in the Speaker's remit to be able to curtail that.

But is the speaker allowed to tell the leader of the opposition to make his questions more conscience? He did that with Jack Straw when he was asking about the TPE 170s going to Chiltern and wanted to stress that he was aware it was a commercial agreement between Chiltern and Porterbrook.

 

[Johnuk123]

We will see. I tihnk my view on this situation is clear!

Had he sung the national anthem the Sun would have presented it as a hypocritical act of a hypocritical politician so he may as well hold to his own views!

It the focus on frippery to hide important issues that impact upon the lives of several million people that really annoys me.

Why did he attend this event in the first place, he has said he would like to get rid of the armed forces, he hates the Queen, he has called patriotism "nonsense" he would have been better rehearsing his very poor TUC speech.

 

[me123]

Me too. I'm no admirer of Corbyn or his politics but on this issue I admire his sticking to his principles despite the inevitable royalist media stoked-up fuss. I too do not sing this royal -- not national -- anthem and do not recognise it as my own, though from the point of view of one who sees himself as English and not British.

Well, he's folded. He's going to sing it now. We all know he has no loyalty to the monarchy, yet he will sing along to keep people happy.

PMQs are now on iPlayer. My opinion: a competent but not spectacular performance. I don't know if I really liked the delivery of the questions from the people - felt a bit more like a phone-in radio show. I'd agree that it took far too long, and the biggest issue is then that the backbenchers are not heard. (Although considering that the first post-Corbyn question was about "The Isle of Wight Zoo is having difficulty importing a tiger"... perhaps the Speaker should be giving priority to issues of greater importance?).

The idea, though, is good to ask the questions that people want and I hope that continues. Perhaps in a slightly more... polished manner.

 

[EM2]

Well, he's folded. He's going to sing it now. We all know he has no loyalty to the monarchy, yet he will sing along to keep people happy.

There is not a single quote from Jeremy Corbyn saying that he will now sing the National Anthem.
But he can't win.
If he doesn't sing, he is disrespectful. If he does, he's a hypocrite.

 

[muz379]

We will see. I tihnk my view on this situation is clear!

Had he sung the national anthem the Sun would have presented it as a hypocritical act of a hypocritical politician so he may as well hold to his own views!

It the focus on frippery to hide important issues that impact upon the lives of several million people that really annoys me.

The Irony behind the news international media empire suddenly jumping to the "defence" of the Royal family is laughable , given that the other year they didn't mind hacking into their phones

 

[Johnuk123]

There is not a single quote from Jeremy Corbyn saying that he will now sing the National Anthem.
But he can't win.
If he doesn't sing, he is disrespectful. If he does, he's a hypocrite.

You're right he can't win so if I was him I'd just avoid these events although that is awkward as well.

 

[DarloRich]

Why did he attend this event in the first place, he has said he would like to get rid of the armed forces, he hates the Queen, he has called patriotism "nonsense" he would have been better rehearsing his very poor TUC speech.

Perhaps he went as a mark of respect to the people who died to protect his right to disagree and honour their sacrifice.

You Tory types really are angry about Mr Corbyn aren't you?

The Irony behind the news international media empire suddenly jumping to the "defence" of the Royal family is laughable , given that the other year they didn't mind hacking into their phones

or suggesting they were Nazis!
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You're right he can't win so if I was him I'd just avoid these events although that is awkward as well.

but that would simply give Tories the opportunity to "blast" him for showing a lack of respect to the war dead!

 

[Johnuk123]

.
You Tory types really are angry about Mr Corbyn aren't you?

I can assure you I'm not a Tory type anymore those days are gone.

 

[crehld]

Isn't there a standard procedure for PMQs, in that the Leader of the Opposition is always permitted to ask six questions? I'm pretty sure it is not in the Speaker's remit to be able to curtail that.

But is the speaker allowed to tell the leader of the opposition to make his questions more conscience? He did that with Jack Straw when he was asking about the TPE 170s going to Chiltern and wanted to stress that he was aware it was a commercial agreement between Chiltern and Porterbrook.

Convention is that the leader of the opposition gets six questions - this has been the case since the late 1990s. But there is nothing to stop that convention being changed by agreement of the house (as they have been on numerous occasions).

To my knowledge I am not aware of any convention or procedural rule which gives the speaker the ability to dictate the format or length of questions (aside from their role in maintaining order in the chamber). Indeed the format of PMQs has evolved over time and usually reflects the personalities on either side of the despatch boxes. If there are concerns over how much time being taken by the leader of the opposition it might be that an informal word may be had afterwards (although I would put Corbyn's lack of conciseness down to his inexperience on the front bench).

Nevertheless, general practice during debates in the chamber is that you may speak for as long as you wish so long as what you say is relevant (hence why filibusters are so regular).
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(Although considering that the first post-Corbyn question was about "The Isle of Wight Zoo is having difficulty importing a tiger"... perhaps the Speaker should be giving priority to issues of greater importance?).

The idea, though, is good to ask the questions that people want and I hope that continues. Perhaps in a slightly more... polished manner.

I do not believe the speaker has this authority. (That question also seemed like a plant by the Conservative front bench to me as it provided the perfect opportunity for Cameron to highlight is credentials at promoting local causes in his own constituency.)
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There is not a single quote from Jeremy Corbyn saying that he will now sing the National Anthem.
But he can't win.
If he doesn't sing, he is disrespectful. If he does, he's a hypocrite.

Indeed. It is most notable that he has faced the most vociferous criticism for this incident, rather than his policies (and there is a lot to criticise in this regard). In fact I would suggest it highlights some fundamental shortcomings of his critics if they cannot mobilise even the most obvious arguments against some of his substantive policy positions. Dare I say if all his critics can focus on is his conduct in a memorial service then they are perhaps legitimising some of his policy positions by not responding to them? Corbyn knows this and it was at the heart of his PMQs strategy.

 

[SS4]

You Tory types really are angry about Mr Corbyn aren't you?

You only have to look at how the Press is treating him.

 

[zuriblue]

You only have to look at how the Press is treating him.

It's depressing. We've probably got 5 years of this to come. I'm not sure what these right wing types are on but Corbyn doesn't strike me as a far left person. He's more an old fashioned Social Democrat and we need more of them.

The blanket coverage and the constant monstering could be starting to backfire. Channel 4 News interviewed a veteran who thought that Corbyn had been pretty resppectful. far more respectful than the Sec of Defence, Phillip Hammond, who admittedly was singing but was also visibly seeking out any Press/ TV cameras. Commentators on the newspaper stories also have been quick to point out that quite often the Press don't give a monkey's about the royals when it suits them (Diana, Nazi stories)

Other pictures have emerged that show a number of people not singing, some of them stood right next to Corbyn.

Ed Milliband wore a smart suit every day and no doubt sung the anthem with gusto. It didn't make any difference to the way he was portrayed in the Press.

All this ludicrous ranting by the right wing media hopefully will backfire. Remember what happened with that Demon Eyes idiocy that the Tories ran before the 1997 election?

 

[ExRes]

These headlines will, obviously, continue until 2020, that's how things are done, I assume that the left wing press is always polite and friendly towards those of the opposite leaning

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

He may not remain the opposition though. Time will tell, anything else is just speculation.

Including your assumption that he will not remain as the opposition.

 

[DarloRich]

These headlines will, obviously, continue until 2020, that's how things are done, I assume that the left wing press is always polite and friendly towards those of the opposite leaning

is there a mainstream left wing press? The Mirror?

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

It's depressing. We've probably got 5 years of this to come. I'm not sure what these right wing types are on but Corbyn doesn't strike me as a far left person. He's more an old fashioned Social Democrat and we need more of them.

I wonder why the Social Democratic and Labour Party are getting a mention here? They seem to have only a small political presence these days.

 

[Butts]

is there a mainstream left wing press? The Mirror?

Don't' forget the multi-million selling Morning Star - available at all good Libraries near you

 

[DarloRich]

Don't' forget the multi-million selling Morning Star - available at all good Libraries near you

I am not sure that counts as "mainstream" or "serious" and is in any event is more of a communist leaning publication

 

[crehld]

is there a mainstream left wing press? The Mirror?

There is none. Even the BBC has been shown to have a slight (albeit unintentional) Conservative lean.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Not that I've recently seen examples of this, but there was a newspaper that its sellers had a most strange habit of unfolding and then holding it totally open hanging down in front of them. Any idea what it was?

 

[adrock1976]

Not that I've recently seen examples of this, but there was a newspaper that its sellers had a most strange habit of unfolding and then holding it totally open hanging down in front of them. Any idea what it was?

It wasn't the Socialist Worker (the SWP publication) by any chance was it?

 

[me123]

is there a mainstream left wing press? The Mirror?

Certainly in Scotland the second biggest selling newspaper is the left leaning Daily Record (closely related to The Mirror). Its circulation is not far off that of The Sun, and it pushes the Daily Heil into third place.

The Mirror is the widest circulating left-leaning paper in England at the moment. It's got the third widest circulation in the UK according to Wikipedia, so I'd consider it "mainstream". Although it's not a publication I'm familiar with as it sells very little in Scotland (having no specific Scottish edition).

 

[dcsprior]

is there a mainstream left wing press? The Mirror?

The Grauniad/Observer, unless by mainstream you mean tabloid

And north of the border there's
* The Herald
* The Sunday Herald
* The National (tabloid)
* The Daily Record (tabloid; sister paper of The Mirror)
* The Sunday Mail (Sunday equivalent of Record)