Today the Colchester Labour Party made its choice regarding who it is nominating for the Labour Leadership contest.
I have watched most of the hustings for the post of Labour leader (I have yet to watch the deputy leadership ones) and the person I was most impressed with was Lisa Nandy. While one person in the meeting claimed that all the candidates are uninspiring, I disagree. Many spoke out about the different candidates who have inspired different members. But overall, I have to say I back Lisa Nandy.
Boris Johnson has created a vacuum when it comes to politicians speaking to the public by refusing to speak on the BBC Today programme or Good Morning Britain. I know the reason why, and that is because he will be challenged over his repeated lies and half truths. And that offers Labour a huge chance to get its message across. Jeremy Corbyn failed to engage properly with enough of the media frequently enough to get the message of how Labour can benefit the nation.
But when it comes to the leader, Labour has to pick one who is able to get that message across to those who have stopped voting Labour and those Labour needs to turn in the target seats.
Rebecca Long-Bailey is amazing at communicating with the Labour core. She is able to inspire those on the left of the party, but my fear is that her choice of terms will continue to repel voters from Labour.
Emily Thornberry has shown her ability to communicate over and over again at PMQs and has been devastating when she calmly savages the government members who are sacrificed at the despatch box. But my concerns relate to that tweet as well as her ability to get her message across to the voters Labour needs to attract.
The ability and experience of Keir Starmer is without doubt, and to be fair, at the moment he is my second choice. He is a great communicator but his strong pro-remain views may hold Labour back with him as leader.
I feel that Lisa Nandy has that ability to communicate to those who Labour needs to appeal to. I have been impressed with her honesty over difficult questions and her refusal to condemn either the Blair/Brown years as well as the Corbyn years.
She is new blood and I do think that after the way Labour tried to emulate the disastrous Tory campaign of 2017 in 2019, the last thing that is needed is a continuity candidate, but rather one who can heal the divides of Labour and bring in new, competent blood into the party.
