A sleepless night and day of drama over, I should congratulate Jeremy Corbyn and his team on a fantastic job done. This really was a watershed election. I suspect that what happened is that the mainstream media realised it is losing influence, and tried to compensate by becoming so shrill and biased it simply lost all respect. This election may be the one where social media finally routed the press barons. They may in turn start to wonder if it is worth sinking millions into a newspaper if it can’t buy an election
New media beat old media, the insurgents routed the establishment, the young insisted the old also consider their opinion, hope beat fear, altruism wrestled with selfishness, and I would personally go so far as to say good stood up to evil. The result against the combined power of state and media was fantastic. We have nonetheless still got Theresa May as PM propped up by climate change denying, misogynist, creationist, homophobe, anti-abortion terrorist-linked knuckle-draggers from the DUP. But cheer up, it won’t last long.
Tomorrow I will publish an article on the SNP. It is on the stocks, but I want to look at it again when my anger dies down. But for now, let me think about the Blairites.
The Blairites hate Labour’s good result, even though it saved their own jobs. They had put so much work into preparing the ground for their next coup attempt against Corbyn. There was a fascinating campaign to demoralise Labour chances undertaken by Blairite MPs and the Blairite Westminster commentariat.
Here for example was Michael Savage, political editor of the Observer.
Here was my response.
His Guardian colleague Polly Toynbee was on the BBC on Thursday morning explaining coming defeat would be Corbyn’s fault, and her colleague Anne Perkins, the Guardian leader writer whose soul is but a shrivelled husk of right wing hate, wrote the most horrible diatribe in the Guardian on Tuesday advising “Corbyn supporters” not to hope.
These Blairite journalists and the Blairite politicians all live in the same bubble where everybody hates Jeremy Corbyn, and nobody will vote for left wing policies.
Labour Uncut, aka Corbyn Hate Central, had a wonderfully delusional piece by the ludicrous Atul Hatwal, who went and visited a lot of Blairites all over the place and published his firm conclusion that everybody hates Jeremy Corbyn.
Just over two weeks ago I posted a projection of huge losses for Labour – over 90 seats – based on dozens of conversations with activists, candidates and officials who cumulatively had sight of tens of thousands of canvass returns.
Since then, I’ve continued those conversations as Labour has apparently surged in the polls.
In every seat, canvassers are encountering lifelong Labour supporters who still identify with the party but not Jeremy Corbyn. This group tends to have voted for Ed Miliband reluctantly and are now either sitting out this contest or ready to vote Tory for the first time to prevent a Corbyn premiership.
These switchers represent a new generation of shy Tories, located deep inside Labour’s core vote. They are embarrassed at voting Tory, sufficiently so to deny their intent to friends, families and pollsters. Some of the older Labour officials and campaigners have reported familiar doorstep cadences from 1992 – “It’s in the eyes,” one said to me.
But Hatwul is not alone in his drooling imbecility. If anything he is out-drooled by Jason Cowley, the editor who has dragged the New Statesman to the right of the Economist. Both Cowley and Perkins quote Hatwul’s “research” and Cowley on Tuesday expected a “catastrophic” loss of 90 seats. It is a shame that a magazine with a great history has come to be edited by a bigot so blinkered he has lost the faculties of perception. This is funny from Cowley’s anti Corbyn hate fest – written just three days ago:
In recent days, I have been speaking to Labour candidates, including those defending small majorities in marginal seats, as well as to activists. The picture emerging is bleaker than the polls would suggest and the mood is one of foreboding: candidates expect to lose scores of seats on Thursday. There’s a sense, too, that two campaigns have been conducted simultaneously: candidates with majorities under 10,000 are trying to hold back the Tory tide, while Corbyn is, as some perceive it, already contesting the next leadership contest – one in which, at present, he is the sole candidate.
What a stupid arse Cowley is. Do read the whole thing, he is hilariously wrong on all counts. Anybody can make a mistake. But Cowley is making a dishonest mistake. Blinded by Blairite affections, consumed by a passionate rejection of the idea that socialism might be popular, the Labour candidates he has spoken too share his Blairite outlook and they were all engaged in a circle of delusion. A circle which includes Laura Kuenssberg, who at the start of the BBC election night coverage assured us that senior Labour figures she knew had been telling her from the doorstep that the anti-Corbyn reaction would belie the opinion polls.
This was all of course intended to be self-fulfilling prophecy. The Blairites and their media fellow travellers were engaged in a deliberate attempt to reinforce the Corbyn bogeyman narrative to the public in the last few days before the election. They were deliberately trying to make the party they ostensibly supported lose, so they could take back control of it again. The Manchester Evening News claimed “Labour insiders” as the course of its nonsense story that Labour stood to lose seats in Manchester owing to its stance on anti-Semitism.
The BBC were quick today to suggest that Corbyn should use his success to broaden his cabinet and his policy platform, to bring the Blairites back onboard. They meant that if he squeezes himself inside the Overton window he may win power eventually. I remain confident Corbyn will ignore any such blandishments and go on to further develop a radical alternative to neo-liberal policies. The Blairites need to be stamped out, not encouraged.
The parliamentary boundary review will now be a top legislative priority for May as it is reckoned to be a net advantage to the Tories of 18 seats at the next election, which may be soon. That will be an interesting negotiation with the DUP as it will cost them a seat. But the boundary review provides the perfect opportunity for Corbyn to force through compulsory re-submission of candidates to members. Jeremy also needs to concentrate on seizing the institutional control of the party that he lacks to date. His enhanced prestige at the moment needs to be ruthlessly exploited.
I rather hope we will hear a good deal more bleating by the Blairites in the near future, as they are hurtled towards political oblivion.
All the while Cameron is sitting comfortably in his ludicrous designer shepherd’s hut. Not a peep from him.
https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2017/apr/30/downing-street-to-garden-retreat-david-cameron-spends-25000-on-luxury-hut
I think that’s because his misses said to him, “You’ve got to find yourself somewhere quiet out of the way…NOT IN THE HOUSE!”
Cameron has been busy earning himself a fortune from his failures, so no need to worry about him really!
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/david-cameron-charging-120000-per-hour-for-speeches-about-brexit-a7418451.html
A fair proportion of Scotland’s pro independence left voted for England in this election. Scotland does not matter enough. Until that changes we will continue to be shafted by the British Establishment (for want of a better phrase) and will continue voting for politicians from England who have their own problems and priorities to attend to.
The labour party through Gordon Brown and their friends in the press fuck=d us over during the referendum. They were entitled to argue against Independence but they were not entitled to rig up a BBC studio in Kirkaldy a few days before the vote and put an invisible ‘home rule’ option on the ballot paper. They then went into the Smith commission and shafted us there. Proposing the absolute minimum in terms of new powers devolved to Scotland that they could get away with whilst allowing the Daily Record, unionist politicians etc to proclaim that their vow was delivered. We are left with much the same as we had before. A parliament that can but mitigate some of the worst policies from Tory run Westminster (policies like the finance bill which included the worst aspects of the austerity all waved through by a weak Corbyn opposition). Now Corbyn comes out with a manifesto which neglects to offer much to the already dispossessed but which can offer the Scottish people policies that can’t be delivered via the Scottish parliament (rail nationalisation, large scale borrowing for capital spending etc). it is all a very neat trick.
We simply sell ourselves out every time, every time. We vote for England. But we are nice people really so want to vote for nice England then rather than nasty England.
Who knows genuinely decent might yet come of all this. Politics seems such a shambles down there that the great mass of English people might actually benefit from the ownership of their Scottish assets for once. That would at least be something.
Oh and before we get carried away with the magical Labour manifesto It wasn’t much different from the SNP other than the powers available to the English politicians as opposed to the ones available to the Pro Indy ones up here. We are a country of sell outs and no amount of mythologising the way you vote will change that. Whether it is arseholes voting for tories in Stirling, Aberdeen, Edinburgh and Moray or pro Indy voters voting for an English MP with a conscience will change that. Scraps off the table are all we deserve and scraps off the table are all we will get.
On Tuesday afternoon 25 April Parliament debated and passed a selection of clauses from the Finance (No 2) Bill that in its original published form numbered 762 pages. But because of the forthcoming General Election, and after discussion with the Opposition, the Government decided to drop the majority of the Bill. The resulting document, which will receive Royal Assent and thereby become Finance Act 2017 before Parliament rises on 27 April, is a mere 148 pages; but we expect all or most of the clauses that have been dropped to be reintroduced in a fresh Finance Bill early in the next Parliament.
From the Labour Party manifesto:
A Labour government will complete the HS2 high speed rail line from London through Birmingham to Leeds and Manchester, and then into Scotland, consulting with communities affected about the optimal route.
We will invest in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, too, working with devolved administrations through the National Infrastructure Commission.
Labour will establish a Constitutional Convention to take forward the debate about a new constitutional settlement for the entire UK, with England as much as a priority as Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
Scotland
Labour opposes a second Scottish independence referendum and will campaign tirelessly to ensure that the desire to remain a part of the UK is respected.
We will establish a Scottish National Bank under Scottish control and backed by the National Investment Bank with £20 billion of lending power to deliver funds to local projects and Scotland’s small businesses creating work and stimulating the economy.
We will set up an inquiry into blacklisting, and will also urge the government at Holyrood to hold an inquiry into the actions of Scottish police forces during the miners’ strikes.
Presumably the Scottish National Bank would be modeled along these lines:
https://www.commonspace.scot/articles/9600/report-blueprint-scottish-national-investment-bank
I am with you wholeheartedly in my frustration and anger about the way certain folk on the left chose to go after Corbyn rather than focus on a social democratic manifesto for change. I spent my days pre-election calling this out on social media, where I found it. And I completely agree that there needs to be some straight-talking amongst those on the left who (say they) want to see an alternative to neo-liberalism. I resist, however, the call to triumphalism, even vengeful tribalism. One of the things I appreciate about Corbyn is his willingness to broker peaceful and purposeful solutions amongst opposing groups. As a parent of six (most of whom have BFs/GFs too – which adds up to a decent sized 21-27 focus group!), I know that they were inspired by a version of the future founded on values & principles of social justice, fairness, environmentalism, reducing inequalities, promoting equality, and internationalism. They were convinced by the new economic narrative and the practical, clear, evidenced plans. Corbyn didn’t engage with the MSM tribalist narrative: he demonstrably rose above it and concentrated on principles and policies. This works. I am willing and able to believe that many MPs (who had only ever known the Blairite message that the route to power was neo-liberalism-lite) might now be convinced that there is an alternative. Corbyn has proved the neo-liberal narrative wrong, courageously and convincingly. He has shown the kind of leadership that is NOT about finding a parade and rushing to front; but instead, sending up a beacon for what he believes is right, shining a light on an alternative, in the belief that if it is clear, compelling and convincing, people will come. And they have. If this includes those in this loose, permeable movement, who were previously, let’s say, “unconvinced,” then that is a good thing. That’s what good leadership does. It attracts followers, it changes people’s minds, it builds a movement. Of course, we need some simple rules going forward – dare I say, the same ground-rules that rebuild communities and social cohesion in post-conflict zones – a party version of a ‘truth and reconciliation’ process. And this may include some clear boundaries about what kinds of behaviours are OK and not OK. But I am more optimistic than ever that there is a bigger prize just ahead – a truly transformative social democratic government not ‘in hock’ to the neoliberal establishment.
Next time Labour win power, the first thing they should do is give the vote to 16 and 17 year-olds. They have the vote for all Scottish elections. they are allowed to get married. It’s their future.
Sue pritchard – ‘And I completely agree that there needs to be some straight-talking amongst those on the left who (say they) want to see an alternative to neo-liberalism. I resist, however, the call to triumphalism, even vengeful tribalism. One of the things I appreciate about Corbyn is his willingness to broker peaceful and purposeful solutions amongst opposing groups. As a parent of six (most of whom have BFs/GFs too – which adds up to a decent sized 21-27 focus group!), I know that they were inspired by a version of the future founded on values & principles of social justice, fairness, environmentalism, reducing inequalities, promoting equality, and internationalism. ‘ We are Scottish and we believe in all these things, the SNP manifesto was all about these things. In fact their record in opposing the tories in England was vastly superior to Corbyn’s in the last parliamentary period. The SNp’s record on environmentalism is there for all to see. Their record on internationalism and protecting new Scots, etc etc is superior to anything the labour party has supported under Corbyn or anyone else recently. It is the labour party that Corbyn leads that has has shafted Scotland, Scotland is a colony and the labour party are agents of the state in that colony.. The 40% rule, The Vow. Coalitions with the tories in councils all over. Lending each other votes.
Corbyn is simply the latest trick in a long long battle to keep Scotland as the colonial possession of England’s ruling elite. The English people are blameless in this because Scotland is a country of sell outs from its ermined lords, to its working class bigots, from its Corbynistas, to its self interested tory voters, to the people who are too thick as shit to realise that the British media in Scotland are their enemies and have nothing but contempt for us. So don’t patronise us about all being in it together in a fight against neoliberalism. I have no desire to be a colony of nice England under Corbyn any more than I desire to be a colony of nasty England under theresa May.
[Mod: Caught in spam filter, time stamp updated.]
FYI. I’m Welsh & I support Scottish independence. That’s a whole different conversation.
Passed almost unnoticed last night. Borwick lost Kensington & Chelsea by 20 votes.
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/kensington-election-result-labour-wins-tory-safe-seat-corbyn-may-latest-a7782961.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Victoria_Borwick DMG = Daily Heil group
Tory establishment rejected. Whatever next!
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Borwick,_5th_Baron_Borwick
Why would Blairites be so against Corbyn that they would rather have five more years of a deeply destructive and societally divisive Tory government? What is it about Corbyn that is so anethema to them? What is it about his manifesto and his policies that is so intolerable that they collectively work against him? What is it about Corbyn that is so inimical to their aims that unites them in a mutually beneficial mission with people like Laura Kuenssberg, Nick Robinson and Jeremy Harding of the BBC? There is ONLY one thing that I can see which unites them in a common purpose. Its what seems to me to be the elephant-in-the-room which few people dare mention for fear of the predictable and inevitable personal-smear-campaign backlash. In my opinion it is that Corbyn is and always has been seen as pro-Palestinian and these people are against that, scared of that, vowed to destroy him for that.
I have pondered the same thing myself. Why would Jeremy Corbyn arouse such feelings of hatred when he is essentially a decent man? The media have tried their level best to discredit his views, his family background (he grew up in a big house, horror of horrors!), his politics – just about every aspect of his character has been assassinated.
The BBC and others have run a deliberately damaging, smearing campaign against the Labour leader, encouraged by the Blairites, but Corbyn excelled. This is mainly for the reasons given already, that Corbyn rose above the personal and nasty and even now there’s no “triumphalism.”
Jeremy Corby got out and met real people. Young people – and not so young – liked his message. I also have six children who are politically engaged and aware of what’s going on. Few people can reject the idea of a caring society, looking after people who can’t look after themselves and genuinely protecting what became known as the post-war consensus.
Neoliberalism is dead. We can’t throw people on the scrapheap , to serve the extremely rich, the corporations and the war machine. I’m pro-Palestinian as well and hadn’t thought that Corbyn could be vilified for that, but I suppose that could be one of the reasons. Especially when interviewed by people who are members of Friends of Israel.
James Purnell also sits on the Board of the BBC (replacing the BBC Trust), as does their Director of News, James Harding.
Hardly surprising any complaints to them are treated with contempt.
presumably its about money….and that they want careers outside of politics afterwards, as advisory roles or being on the boards in the private sector.
can’t think what else it could possibly be…
just a theory.
The way the social media seem to have taken over from the established press to boost Labour is welcome but salutary. Here in France we still have a quality press that takes every opportunity to weaken Marine Le Pen’s Front National, and they retaliate with a masterful use of social media spreading fake news at the drop of a hat. It worked well enough to get her into the second round of the presidential elections. So which is worse, press barons or Facebook manipulation?
Aye, which is worse, manipulative press barons or the truth on online blogs like this one?
It was a great result for Jeremy and for common decency, it’s just a shame that for dealing with the vipers of New Labour he has to ask himself what would the Borgias do? At least his position does limit their actions and it reminds me of the end of the film The Italian Job. The Blairites know what they’ve got to do, they just can’t move to do it. And to complete the analogy Jeremy Corbyn’s the gold.
Does anybody know if the DUP as well as the Scottish Tories would be affected by EVEL English Votes for English Laws rule?
Wouldn’t this further weaken an precarious position?
Yes, they will be, but so will the Scottish and Irish MP’s who would / might vote against the Goverment, like the SNP, SDLP etc…. And there are many more of them, so unfortunately the Tory government’s position in votes on English matters would still be a majority.
There are only 12 DUP MPs, and for example there are 35 SNP MP’s (Yes the SNP WON 35 of the 59 seats in Scotland – a crushing overall majority, though you would think from the British media that they had been “crushed” … Isn’t our propaganda media wonderful?
Theresa May, who lost seats heavily and does not have a majority, won apparently.
The SNP lost seats, but won a huge majority of Scottish seats, but they, it seems, lost…… There’s no bias of course, Aye, right.
We have just seen the return of real politics, thank god!
No more “it doesn’t matter how you vote, you’ll get the same”.
The world is a better place for it.
For once Mr/Ms Moderator, thank you 😉
The controlled media even fooled Theresa May who believed Labour under Corbyn will face a meltdown at the general election. Had the back-stabbing Labour MPs, including the ‘Strictly’ moron, rallied behind Corbyn before the election, they would have been sitting on the govt benches today!
They’d rather lose than dismantle the Bantustan built for the working class since the 70s.
Very true and are still working now to remove Corbyn and judging by the Guardian’s article today on missed ‘open goals’, they’re straight back on to Progress agenda too.
While Theresa May has a technical majority Jeremy’s Labour Party working with others like the SNP is a brake on some of the Tories’ more ideological cruel policies.
The execrable Denis MacShane. I did not know his latest amour is/was Huhne’s ex.
The roll call:
Carol Barnes – Liliana Kłaptoć – Nathalie Pham – Joan Smith – and now Vicky Pryce.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Denis_MacShane
A dreadful litany.
Where is he now and what is he up to? He clearly thinks that we care what he says and thinks. A Twitter account and space in the Independent! No shame MacShane.
When he was MP for Rotherham, 1994-2012, ie 18 years, what did he do about dealing with the appalling child sexual abusers there? Nothing but he regrets that now. Of course.
Interesting to note that the execrable Isobel Oakeshott (who on last night’s Question Time Election Special made as fine a display of petulant waspish rancour as ever one might witness) was the woman who persuaded Vicky Pryce to dob in Huhne.
I understand Oakeshott is a regular on Andrew Neil’s politics programme and SKY News but since I never watch either I had no idea who she was.
It appears she’s a nasty little Tory troll, outraged that her team lost.
Yes BJ. ‘Waspish’ was how I described Oakeshott elsewhere. Horrible person. She is often on Sky News (which I sometimes watch) ‘reviewing the papers’, ie regurgitating the tabloid trash. I avoid Neil like the plague although as he is so omnipresent on the state broadcaster’s channels. that is sometimes rather difficult to do.
The Tory trolls are given a lot of employment using the licence fee payers’ contributions.
Sharp Ears
“The execrable Denis MacShane. I did not know his latest amour is/was Huhne’s ex.
The roll call:
Carol Barnes – Liliana Kłaptoć – Nathalie Pham – Joan Smith – and now Vicky Pryce.”
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I believe Mr Jeremy Corbyn is on his third wife.
That’s some imagination there, chum..
Jeremy Corbyn has integrity and cares about the working classes and the under dog in society. The self serving Tories who take power at any cost sickens me as does the BBC’s shambolic biased reporting during the election. The old establishment really became exposed for what they are, clinging onto the cliff edge by their finger nails to keep power. This election has served to open my eyes as to how much the Tories, the BBC, the newspaper owners are all complicit in maintaining their failing system of greed and stuff everyone else, at our expense. I am a mental health nurse and worry about the privatisation of the NHS. The research as proven that this is the most efficient system with the best health outcomes, in the world when properly funded. I just hope TM resigns and that we have another GE and labour win. I know I am probably politically naive but all I want is a government that cares about the people.
I feel the same. A leader’s personal qualities do matter I think, though overall ideology is obviously more important. Corbyn actually cares about people, is in politics not for self advancement and has a great ability to listen. He will be a brilliant PM!
I just posted this comment on Jonathan Freedland’s ‘I was wrong but I still think Corbyn’s a bit dodgy’ article in the Guardian.
It must have lasted 2 minutes before being modded:
Could you explain why the Guardian re-published an article from The Jewish Chronicle in Aug 2015 implying Jeremy Corbyn was a holocaust denier?
If that wasn’t the implication then why did the Guardian publish it? If that was the implication then why did you endorse a holocaust denier? And, if guilt through association is reasonable, are you not guilty of the same crime?
Nice one!
Exactly. A victory for democracy and, with May terminally weakened, a chance for a political realignment that turns the country away from the toxic Tory/Blairite/media/establishment cabal. Game over for the Tory tabloids, in my opinion – they staked everything on May and they lost.
I made the huge mistake of subscribing to the New Statesman, thinking it still the same periodical I used to read in the early 70s, which included contributions from writers like the late, great Francis Hope. Thoroughly disillusioned, I now sling it straight in the recycling box and must prevent any renewal of my subscription.
What a wonderful piece of journalism. Oh how those Blairites are trying to wipe all that egg off their faces. One of the worst exponents of the anti Jeremy brigade. Peter Mandolin, actually admitted on national television that he had been active in trying to undermine everything that Jeremy had been involved in. Does that sound like a man who wanted to see a Labour Government led by Jeremy Corbyn. How can that rat consider himself anything but filth. Mind you I guess he is in the top 5% of earners. SELF,SELF,SELF,SELF.
.
There’s an interesting photo of ex-MP Nick Clegg (I enjoyed that, I’m gonna say it again) of ex-MP Nick Clegg after his election defeat. I’ve never seen an expression quite like it, it looks like he’s been punched by invisible fist. Right on the lips.
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/election-latest-theresa-may-result-pm-tries-to-move-on-critics-circle-a7782891.html
What a beautiful result that was, after years of Clegg lecturing the country that austerity is mere commonsense and in the national interest.
I was staggered to discover that Clegg as an ex Deputy Prime Minister will benefit from the ‘Public Duty Costs Allowance’ of an extra £10k a year on top of his generous pension.
Brought in by Major to keep ex P.M.s (Thatcher) from penury, after the coalition it was extended to their deputies as well.
Meanwhile the British State Pension remains one of the lowest in the developed world.
Mc Nulty
“There’s an interesting photo of ex-MP Nick Clegg (I enjoyed that, I’m gonna say it again) of ex-MP Nick Clegg after his election defeat. I’ve never seen an expression quite like it, it looks like he’s been punched by invisible fist. Right on the lips.”
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You’re right. It reminded me very much of the expression on Michael Foot’s face when the result of the 1983 election became clear.
Speaking of elections.You offered up pious hopes-if not prayer-that Corbyn ‘Disappears into the same dustbin of history from which he emerged so many decades ago.’ (5/06/17 at 20.15 hrs.). Would you perhaps consider that, your obvious ageism apart, it is the hapless May who has somehow contrived a clear path to said dustbin etc., while Corbyn has seen off his critics in fine style. General Election result and fallout refers.
I agree gleefully with your entire assessment of the declining power of mainstream media. The idea that the press barons may decide to cut their losses is devoutly to be wished – though as an old person (!) I shall need some way of knowing what’s going on, otherwise it will have to be twitter and facebook – aargh! At present, it’s News 24 (RT, BBC and Sky, heavily filtered), which I shall need to survive…
On a more concerned note, I worry that Jeremy’s young powerbase just might lose some ‘traction’ as time goes on if either Caroline Lucas’s suggestion for a progressive coalition, or some very good reasons against it, is/are not forthcoming. I have young 30s children drawn towards overtly Green principles, while also supporting Jeremy for now – and their friends concur. The Green vote was almost invisible this time because of May, but I sense the noise of young marching Green feet in the future.Their owners lack the memories and loyalties of the1970s which still impel me to know where to vote.
In fact, the media attacks on J Corbyn only worked because the Blairites supported them. They would not have worked as well if they were seen to be coming from Tories. When they felt they could not speak out during the election, it allowed voters to see J Corbyn for themselves and see Labour’s policies. If they had continued to attack Corbyn then Labour may not have had so many gains. Their plan, to let Corbyn, own the election was their downfall.
That’s a good point about leaving Jeremy to own this election and it demonstrates clearly they fell for their own propaganda about his unelectability while the targets of that propaganda saw it for what it was.
Tragically, it’s now being revealed that Labour HQ were generous in funding the re election of Blairite M.P.s, whilst leaving those sympathetic to Corbyn to their own devices.
I suspect this will continue to unravel inside the Labour party but my feeling is that they need to get a grip of McNicol and the NEC and make it a priority.
The battle for the heart of Labour continues, it’s just gone underground.
Even if we pretend that these people were sincere & were speaking out for the noblest of motivations, they have been proven totally out of touch with reality, and have shown a political mis-judgement that couldn’t be much more wrong, and should therefore on that basis alone, be totally ignore & treated as the discredited liabilities that they clearly are:
https://twitter.com/Channel4News/status/873223429218062337
(When JC was first elected leader, I had long exchanges here with an ex-Mod who argued that these people should be accommodated in the interest of unity (!), while I was arguing that they needed to be frozen-out, de-selected and/or expelled if possible; hard to imagine that we would not have a Labour government now if that had happened,)
I think this article by Mr Murray sums up a lot of things regarding the attitudes of the ‘Blairites’ and their media – Guardian, Observer, New Statesman, Prospect, Mr Jason Cowley has been actively promoting Mrs May since she became Prime Minister, with some echoes from his political correspondent, Mr George Eaton. It has also had anti-SNP attack dogs like Ms Julia Crampton and recent recruits Messrs Chris Deerin and Mr James Millar. Articles strongly admiring Ms Ruth Davidson have appeared regularly in all of these publications, with the website Left Foot Forward being particularly supportive, with its editor being a real fan.
We have had Mr Chris Leslie on the BBC already whispering weasel words about Mr Corbyn’s achievements – “Labour did not win”. They did pretty well despite the venom from people like Mr Leslie and his companions and the appalling attacks from the mainstream media. On Good Morning Scotland today, in a pretty ‘friendly’ interview, Mr James Kelly Labour in Scotland’s campaign manager did not mention Mr Corbyn at all when asked for the reasons for Labour’s ‘recovery’. He was pressed several times by the interviewer whether any of the 7 MPs sitting for Scottish seats would serve in the Shadow Cabinet. Eventually, he conceded that they would expect to participate.
And, of course, we have wall-to-wall Ms Ruth Davidson, on the ‘assurance’ she has received that the appalling (and it is appalling) position of the DUP with regard to same sex marriage, will not become policy. I think that many in the Tory party have realised that the policies of their ‘official partner party’ the DUP are genuinely appalling and will repel many Tory supporters in the mainland UK. Indeed, the DUP association could certainly reignite problems in Northern Ireland, which would be in the interests of few of us. So, I think any association with the DUP will be very short lived – just long enough to get a Queen’s Speech passed.
Then I think that we could have a cadre of Blairite MPs – perhaps only 10/15, but that would increase the Tory working majority to around 30 – who form an SDP-type group which supports the Government on a confidence- and-supply basis. In the near future, they will get billets in the Lords or on the boards of banks or finance companies.
And, what about this as a scenario? After the Queen’s Speech, Mrs May ‘resigns’ (diabetes has taken a turn for the worse, due to the strain), an interim leader is installed like Sir Michael Fallon, who is clearly ‘interim’. Mrs May resigns her Maidenhead seat, Ms Davidson is adopted as candidate and is elected to Westminster. She becomes leader – gay-friendly, female, socially liberal, feisty, common sense, ‘hammer of the Nats’, etc. After a short while, she calls an election based on the opinion poll bounce and campaigns under a “Ruth Davidson for Strong and Stable Leadership” slogan, and campaign literature mentions the Tories only in small print, if at all.
Corbyn certainly does not appear to have been helped by his Labour opponents. https://skwawkbox.org/2017/06/10/excl-labour-hq-defunded-marginals-corbyn-achieved-this-despite-them-ge17/
Deep sigh
Excellent article. Another point that needs to be aired is the lack of friends in our party system. As we are so engaged in trying to find new countries to trade with after Brexit, one should think that we need to sponsor possible future prospects and work opportunities.
Hence I think the time has come that our trade with NZ is expanded and we should therefore accept a new FoNZ in the Labour party, equally, since we are adamant that we would want to trade with an EU single market, I shall also submit the FoEU. Off course these friends should be equally constituted as those friends already accredited and who have invited various MP’s into all paid for foreign lands.
Should anybody convince me that this is a bad idea and that there should be no friends of anywhere, lobbying/ working on our elected representatives, then I will consider that argument as well. For now, that is what I shall try and bring forward via my local party.
Have been reading your blog for sometime now – I am an ordinary Mum and Grandmother and want to just put my three pennies worth in – the Internet and the free flow of information has changed politics forever. No longer can the state/corporate machine divide and separate us. There is no left wing or right wing way of breathing just Accountability, Integrity and Responsibility (A.I.R.) The Internet and social media has allowed us to share so many articles highlighting social injustice, corruption and sheer wrong doing that ordinary people for for the first time could form their own minds. My only prayer for our young is that they defend the uncensored Internet and build a society as free as the A.I.R that we breathe.
As a dad and granddad I absolutely agree Jayne and like you, I too pray that our children and grandchildren defend the uncensored internet with as much courage and energy as our parents and grandparents once defended Europe’s freedom.
For surely, it’s no coincidence that as the power of the press fades, the establishment become anxious to find excuses to control the spread of the truth.
When in a speech to the UN David Cameron described people who did not accept the government narrative as being as dangerous as ISIS, it should have been obvious to us all what he meant.
Without transparency there can be no democracy and the last thing Westminster wants is that.
As another grandad here, I can only agree with both your sentiments. It is necessary to increase the diversity of news and whistle blowers on the internet, not curtail it, we need ten more wikileaks sites to inform us and we have to carry on reporting on whatever the politicians dish out on gruel and cuts.
The diabolic discrepancies of funding candidates in this election will be discussed locally and nationally. I intend to raise this matter this coming Mon. in my CLP.
It is vital that new young members are not put off by this morass that they see resolve and that the party is getting ready for the next election in Oct. Nov. I also believe that the Labour party past misdemeanour’s during elections can be resolved by campaigning and adopting policies that introduce PR for all, and at all elections, it is increasingly important to other parties and should attract cross voter support in the next election, we should not expect it as normal that only our leaders are the only ones good enough for a fair and proportional voting system. Its us grey heads who must agree to reform us within as well as outside if necessary, drag Labour into the 21st. century on democratic reforms.
The AIR that you breathe is not free.
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/aug/14/air-pollution-in-china-is-killing-4000-people-every-day-a-new-study-finds
4,000 people per day need to die to allow you to think otherwise. You can share as many articles as you want regarding social injustice, corruption and sheer wrong doing, but for so long as you demand the right to ramp up your consumption as an alternative to providing for yourselves the deaths will keep mounting up.
I see no accountability, integrity or responsibility in demanding that the Chinese do all your work for you and then rewarding their efforts with premature death.
Keep up your great works Loony – I for one feel that I’m not alone anymore in raising the points where I live (Australia), that you articulate so well. I was already advocating against the lunacy of our materialistic, synthetic, soul-dead world, when I encountered CM blog, you and RobG, Sharp Ears et al
I’ve always believed, growing up, that Australia as a young nation could have learned its lessons from the rest of the world, and get ‘right’ what others in the past got ‘wrong’. Lol I was naive, because I was so busy raising children and building gardens that I left politics and earning income to my husband.
Fool me …I had lessons ahead.
Twenty two years later I’m a grandmother and with a medical history that includes, like CM, pulmonary embolisms that put me into intensive care for three days in Papeete, around Bastille Day. The fireworks were a metaphysical and metaphorical experience for me.
Suffice to say I give thanks every day for the clean, fresh AIR that I breathe in this country that is rapidly changing.
I ditched my car in 2000. I ditched the television in 2004. I stopped reading newspapers in 2008 and finally turned off the radio last year. Talking to Australians on these topics I’m mostly met with blank, vacant stares.
Two of my offspring live in London.
Back to AIR – more recently I posted a page on CM about St George.
Individuals who are familiar, let alone practice these three virtues, are extremely rare. More often they are the odd ones out, the not-cool ones.
But people need to work to put food on the table, and the ability to speak truth to power becomes diminished. Always, it takes revolutionary actions to overturn the status quo.
I know a few South Koreans here, and they all suffer the smog when visiting home.
The rest of the world is now flocking to Australia as a desirable destination, whereas it was known as the “arse end of the world” and “4th rate society” during the decades I’ve lived here.
I now understand who is in charge and we’re all in for massive changes. AIR is a great metaphor for what each of us must strive for in our daily lives, but good luck persuading anyone to change their ways.
I changed mine, and at best I’m patronised and condescended to…just as I see happening to you on this comment board.
PS I ask people here if they understand about derivatives. Then I quote your figure of $46trillion in association with Deutsche Bank. These concepts are completely meaningless to them- another world: nothing to do with us. And they urge me to do something else, something fun with my life.
For me, that is now caring for little children and confirming them in who and how they really are, as opposed to what ‘authority figures’ tell them. I’ve been thru those clashes myself, witnessed my children go thru the same and here we are…
It is the eternal story
Best wishes Babushka. You are a wise lady.
I was doorstepped by Labour party, I live in Mary Creagh’s constituency the chap was pleasant enough but explained how I needed to vote Labour despite Jeremy Corbyn, I allowed him to finish before informing him I was a party member and would be voting Labour because of Corbyn. He muttered an excuse about campaigning nearby where this was a necessary line. The Blairites must go they are so blinkered the can’t see they are holding the party back not the other way round.
In spite of the BBC ban*, Liar! Liar! had 2,783,720 views on You Tube. I don’t how many downloads there were. It reached No 1 on iTunes. Proceeds are going to be given to charities.
‘All proceeds raised from the song between now and election day will be split between food banks and campaign group The People’s Assembly Against Austerity.’ Sky News website.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HxN1STgQXW8
*PS I remember Mark Thompson and Caroline Thomson refusing to air the DEC appeal for Gaza after Cast Lead. Mark Thompson is now in NY at the NY Times as the CEO and president . The other one has done well for herself too.
‘She became the Corporation’s Director of Policy and Legal Affairs in July 2000, a job description later expanded to include Strategy, before being promoted to chief operating officer in 2006. In 2011 she was paid £385,000 by the organisation. The Commons Public Accounts Committee suggested that her £670,000 redundancy pay-off was effectively paid to “compensate” her for missing out on the job of director-general.
In October 2013 she became Executive Director of the English National Ballet Since November 2012, she has been Chair of Digital UK. She is also chair of Tomorrow’s People Trust’s Ambassadors group and Trustee to a number of charities including the National Gallery.
Caroline Thomson is married to the Labour peer Roger Liddle, an advisor to Tony Blair while Blair was Prime Minister.’ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caroline_Thomson
There is no irony that she is the new chair of Oxfam. http://www.oxfam.org.uk/media-centre/press-releases/2016/11/caroline-thomson-announced-as-new-oxfam-chair
Greedy obscene people.
I agree with this