jamescfm wrote:TheTsar wrote:Even though I am pretty fond of Corbyn and I absolutely hate Blair and "New Labour", I can almost see Labour splitting into two separate parties if Corbyn insists on more left-wing policies, a la the Russian Social Democratic and Labour Party spliting into Bolsheviks and Mensheviks. The last GOOD left-wing Labour leader and PM was Clement Atlee, because he could hold Britain together in a time of crisis. He is actually been named best or second best British PM in literally all ratings of all PMs. Even though I wish Labour wins, they simply cannot. They need to slowly turn more left-wing over a number of decades and not quickly in a number of years.
Though I disagree with you on Blair and New Labour, they achieved a lot while in government, I'm reassured to see that I'm not the only one who simultaneously agrees with Corbyn and believes he can't win. One of the problems with Labour's left-wing is that they lack personal charisma and popularity: McDonnell and Abbot in particular have always appeared snide and somewhat arrogant to me. However, many on the left feel that they have no choice but to support them because they have no other choice. In my view, that's the wrong attitude. If you have such public figures who are unpopular and incompetent, you are harming the wider movement.
As a final note, I think a certain Harold Wilson would be rather disappointed by your comment of Attlee as the last good left-wing PM. Abolition of capital punishment, decriminalisation of homosexuality, liberalisation on abortion and extension of the franchise were just some of his achievements.
Did Harold Wilson rule during a time of crisis? No. Did he bring Britain from its knees? No. Did he overhaul British everything for decades to come? Not really. Yes he abolished capital punishment, but there was already effectively a moratorium on it, and frankly, a little execution for mass murderers and terrorists could prove useful. Regarding the decriminalisation of homosexuality, yes its a big step towards larger civil rights, but does it affect wider society as a whole. Homosexuals are a small minority, and to be truthful, homosexuals are still discriminated against, so before the decriminalisation, it was easier to not be discriminated if you were homosexual because you just keep it to yourself, or you will be a criminal. He was an OK PM, but not good in my opinion.