>> Precisely but then neither was Corbyn early on.
Then/now are chalk/cheese.
Corbyn was well known as a rebel speaking out on Ulster and numerous other issues. I don't think Lewis now has anything like the public recognition, or the profile amongst party members that Corbyn had in 2015.
This will be a very different contest. Last time there were three candidates Burnham, Cooper and Kendall who were a bit identikit, all in similar mould and none standing out. At time nominations were about to close nobody was a standard bearer for the left. Indeed as one of my colleagues tartly observed at time if Ted Heath had been on the ballot he'd not have been the furthest right. MPs nominated Corbyn at last lurch and on assumption he'd be token lefty and do a Dianne Abbott foundering with all hands in round one. They seemed completely blind to fact that rules had changed following Miliband's election. Neither did they foresee the impact of £1 supporter votes.
With Rebecca Long-Bailey as somebody authentically on the left and Nandy and Phillips both personable and with serious policy platforms there's a very different slate. Supporter votes will be offered but only in a short window. At £25 they're half the price I paid for Membership but there won't be people putting their dog up as member to get a chance to disrupt the party.
It's still a long time until the actual poll closes and with transferable votes and probability there'll be no winner in first round we could yet be blindsided.
Last edited by: Bromptonaut on Sat 11 Jan 20 at 08:41
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