Chuka Umunna Withdraws

[toalisi]

He has just announced he will not be standing for Labour
leader.

[Canary42]

It amazes (and amuses) me that the Tory supporters on AB still have so little confidence in their party that they seize every opportunity to ridicule the opposition. So repetitive. So boring.

[ToraToraTora]

Mikey, just got back and I am a little shocked by your assertion. I am sure that chuka is a decent chap as I am/was with Ed. Please lets not bring any sort of racism into this. I have not mentioned it. I just don't think he has the gravitas required to con the working classes at the same time as sucking up to traditional Tory Voters, as His Tonyness did. For Labour to win, ever, they must walk a difficult tightrope between keeping traditional support and convincing middle England. Until Blair, Labour only ever won a single term at a a time. They may win again but until they learn that it is not the public that are wrong, they'll do well to do so. I was backing Mr Umunna out of a slightly mischievious stance that he would ensure a further Tory Victory.

[ToraToraTora]

" Tory supporters on AB still have so little confidence in their party that they seize every opportunity to ridicule the opposition. So repetitive. So boring. "
.....and you don't canary? right oh!

[jim360]

"I just don't think he has the gravitas required to con the working classes at the same time as sucking up to traditional Tory Voters..."

But surely that means you should be worried that he's stood down, as now someone might end up as leader who will be able to do that?

[jim360]

But then, of course, that's what you said.

Oh dear. I'm not in good form today :(

[tamborine]

Nothing on wiki of Chukas personal life, ie wife/kids, has he something to hide?

[Ellipsis]

Quite a statement about how aggressive our Press are and how naive Mr Umunna must be not to have realised that before throwing his hat in the ring.

Either that or, despite what he says, someone's got something on him.

[ToraToraTora]

do keep up jim..

[ToraToraTora]

In all fairness I think the last couple of days of press interest have been a shock and they would be to anyone. I don't imagine Mr Umunna has any skeletons in the cupboard I just think he's thought about it in the light of current behavious and what's to come and on balance does not want his family and friends under the microscope. I thoroughly understand that position.

[mikey4444]

TTT...I wasn't aware that I was accusing you of any racism, and if I gave the impression that I was, then I apologise.

Umunna seems to have fears for his family and if his elderly Mother really is being chased down the street by reporters, than nobody on here should be condoning that.

But someone needs to step up the plate and lead the Labour Party through the immediate future, just like Hague, IDS and Howard did for the Tories after 1997. If we looking for an saint to do this job, Mother Teresa is now dead, so perhaps we had better settle for someone else. Who ever chooses to put his or her hat into the ring seems to have to run the gauntlet even before voting begins.

[ToraToraTora]

"....perhaps because he is black....if that is so, its disgusting. " - mikey it does look a bit like you were accusing me of racism.

[mikey4444]

Poorly phrased on my part....I did not intend that to mean you, I can assure you of that. There are people on here that play the race card whenever the opportunity arises, but you are not included in that group. My apologies again !

[ToraToraTora]

ok mikey no harm done!

[mikey4444]

Thank f e c k for that TTT !

[ToraToraTora]

just let me know how you get on with your new MP.

[mikey4444]

TTT.....Because we have a new Tory MP, the first since 1906, we had the honour of having dave to visit one of our breweries yesterday ::::

http://www.southwales-eveningpost.co.uk/pictures/Gower-Brewery-welcomes-Prime-Minister-David/pictures-26503116-detail/pictures.html#1

I celebrated by having 5 pints of Cwrw Haf, from a rival Brewery, nearby, called Tomos Watkins.

( we seem to have a lot of Breweries here in Swansea....must mean that we are all a lot of heavy drinkers I suppose ! )

Cwrw Haf means Summer Beer in English, and very nice it as well TTT !

You might be able it find it in a good supermarket near you.

[ToraToraTora]

sod the supermarket, I'll come up there and you can buy me pint of it!

[naomi24]

Mikey, //we seem to have a lot of Breweries here in Swansea....must mean that we are all a lot of heavy drinkers I suppose !//

The poor downtrodden people there can't be all that poor then! Told you times have changed. That's why they voted Conservative!

Sorry, couldn't resist. ;o)

[mikey4444]

Naomi...my little Willy is still waiting for you come along and give it a tickle.

[mikey4444]

Naomi...beer is meat and drink to us working men !