Corbyn vs Smith – what you thought about the Birmingham hustings
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During Thursday evening’s leadership debate we asked readers for their reaction to the candidates. Here are a pick of the contributions from our readers:
“Three hustings/events was enough for me; even already knowing my position they were informative to get both sides, just to be fair. I would have thought most people surely would have made up their minds already and unless some shocking, or stunning, revelation comes up its just prolonging the agony and the infighting. Lets just get on with the vote and have done.” – wilsonjonathan
“There is no real debate as Smith is copying Corbyn’s policies almost to the letter. I would have had more respect for the PLP if they had put up someone who actually represented their views, like Chuka, and a proper debate could have been had.” – Andy Harvey
“Have either of them outlined a strategy for getting some of the 65+ age group back into the fold? The pension liberation by the coalition in the last Parliament was a master stroke and showed one of the parties has it’s sights on this rich vein of votes.” – Martin Kilgariff
“One thing I have picked up on, is Smiths’s closing speeches, and here I see a difference. He talks about what he will do in power, and talks passionately about being in power, but Corbyn’s closing speeches cover the inequalities he sees, and people, in society. He is passionate about them and changing them for the better. This lends an authenticity to what Corbyn says – he really does want to change things for the better. Smith sounds less convincing about people and more concerned about power.” – jack hammer
“The majority of Corbyn supporters may be reasonable and fair-minded, but that minority who boo and heckle are giving the rest of you a bad name. It’s like having a smidgen of arsenic in your soup. The tiniest amount is deadly.” – Hutton
“Why has no one mentioned the failure of Jeremy and his team to interact with and support both shadow cabinet members and other MPs. All this could have been avoided if they had run an efficient businesslike team which met and discussed issues in a normal way. It isn’t much to ask and yet they failed at this basic task. Is it any wonder no one trusts them to run the country.” – NotHard
“Hardly surprising that Corbyn refuses to say whether he would defend a NATO ally, implying he wouldn’t. Still a dismal place to be as a party. Pacficists tell themselves that theirs is the only moral position but fail to recognize it is as a form of self indulgence. We cannot look away and allow the strong to do as they will and the weak to endure what they must.” – brandroodrum
“Corbyn isn’t anti politics; he’s authentic, has integrity, humility, and is honest to his beliefs. When he tells his audience that he will look after the hard done by, the left behinds, his audience know he is sincere and will keep to his word.” – Fred Perry
“Smith won again. Really bored with Corbyn’s vague sloganeering yet again. Corbyn is offering a political cul-de-sac. He’s hopeless.” – Bill1111
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