What am I missing (redux)?

[steepholm]

Right now there is a strong belief among many in the Tory party the their new leader should be a Remainer, like most of their MPs, but not a gung-ho one - to avoid alienating the people in their party who voted Leave. The obvious candidate is Teresa May, whom I predicted on the 24th (and still predict) will be the next Tory leader, at least if its pragmatic wing wins out.

Labour are in a similar position: most of their MPs are strongly Remain, but many of their supporters voted Leave. Happily, they already have a leader who is, like May, a slightly reluctant Remainer. Being the Labour party, however, they see this as a reason to sack him.

Comments

[kalimac.livejournal.com]

Here's what I'm missing, a less elevated and more pragmatic question: how can over 20 members of the shadow cabinet resign? (The article clearly distinguished them from sub-cabinet level spokespeople.) How large is the shadow cabinet, anyway? The actual cabinet is only about 23 people; have they all resigned except Burnham and McDonnell?

[kalimac.livejournal.com]

On the actual attempt to replace leaders, I see this happening:

On the Tory side, the MPs choose two finalists and the outer party votes. If Boris is a finalist, he wins. If he isn't a finalist, Disgusted of Tunbridge Wells and all his jolly compatriots revolt.

On the Labour side, the MPs force an election. Jeremy stands, as he said he would, and is promptly re-elected by the same people who voted for him the first time.

[oonaseckar.livejournal.com]

Well true, innit. If they push this nonsense through I don't believe I'll ever vote Labour again. Absolutely disgusted with 170 Labour MPs, two-faced little weasels.

[kalimac.livejournal.com]

I think that's why Burnham is sticking with Corbyn, even though he's hardly a natural Corbynite. He just doesn't want to be a weasel.

[kalimac.livejournal.com]

This article explaining the whole mess for Americans (http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/foreigners/2016/06/labour_and_conservative_turmoil_post_brexit_explained.html) sort of implicitly answers your question. 1) Corbyn's problems aren't about Brexit; this is just the occasion. 2) Tories choosing May would be attempting an impossible balancing act.

[kalimac.livejournal.com]

Update: Corbyn is now reduced to repeating over and over that he's not going to resign.

That means he's going to resign.