Labour leadership debate: Owen Smith suggests IS talks

[MowCowWhoHow III]

Source: BBC

Labour leadership challenger Owen Smith has suggested the so-called Islamic State could be involved in negotiations with the West in the future.

Mr Smith said all conflicts ended in "dialogue", during a two-hour debate with Jeremy Corbyn on the BBC's Victoria Derbyshire programme.

The Labour leader said he would not negotiate with so-called Islamic State.

The pair also clashed over allegations of abuse within the Labour Party, nuclear weapons and the EU referendum.

Read more: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-37104864

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Owen Smith is cast as the 'electable' candidate vs Jeremy Corbyn...

[geek tragedy]

1. holy crap, is he trying to make Corbyn look like a centrist? nt

[Ghost Dog]

2. Weird is the new normal,

it seems.

[T_i_B]

3. That's Labour for you

Smith appears to be espousing a position already held by Corbyn in what looks like desperate attempt to appeal to the Labour left. Personally I doubt this will have much success. If he were to call Tony Blair a war criminal on the other hand....

[BobbyDrake]

4. No cure for stupid. nt

[T_i_B]

5. Corbyn goes further in the gaffe stakes

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/08/18/party-splits-deepen-as-jeremy-corbyn-endorses-rival-labour-confe/

Jeremy Corbyn last night refused to say whether he would defend a Nato ally if it were invaded by Russia.

The Labour leader was asked multiple times at a leadership debate in Birmingham if he would uphold the Nato principle of "collective defence" where an attack against one member is considered an attack against all.

But he refused to give concrete assurance that he would do so were he prime minister.

Instead he said: “I would want to avoid us getting involved military, by building up democratic relationships."