United Kingdom
In reply to the discussion: Breaking: Kezia Dugdale steps down as Scottish Labour leader [View all]Ken Burch
(50,254 posts)and they all have to be FROM somewhere, isn't location something that, in theory, that can be used against any party leader from any part of the UK?
Corbyn is from London, but has made an effort to have shadow ministers from all parts of the UK. In trying to connect with Northern English miners(which involves many things besides the EU) he is trying to address the need to build a national coalition.
Both Milibands were from London, too. Blair was from-well, wherever the hell he was from. Vince Cable is from York and then Twickenham.
And Corbyn himself, while he's long represented a London constituency, was actually born in Chippenham, Wiltshire. He had to learn how to connect with London voters as a non-Londoner, which is as important to being an effective Labour leader as anything else-any Labour victory requires an overwhelming sweep of London constituencies.
As to location, whoever takes over the Scottish Labour leadership from Dugdale will have to be able to re-establish regional support in a lot of areas that haven't voted Labour at Westminster or Holyrood level since at least 2010. It's hard to imagine yet another centrist doing that, OR a centrist being able to stand up to a right-wing Westminster Labour leadership should one be re-established.