A blog by Luke Akehurst about politics, elections, and the Labour Party - With subtitles for the Hard of Left. Just for the record: all the views expressed here are entirely personal and do not necessarily represent the positions of any organisations I am a member of.
I've had a few accusations this week of being a member of the "ostrich tendency" for staying loyal to the PM. Reaction to his speech from a few people suggests the people really in denial are the ones who had convinced themselves he was going to mess up his speech and now can't come to terms with the fact he played a blinder.
Do I here the snap, crackle and pop of fireworks being gently urinated on?
posted by Luke Akehurst at 11:08 am
Labour MP for North Durham since 2024. Labour Party activist since 1988 - firmly on the moderate wing of the party. Member of Labour’s NEC 2010-2012 and since 2020. National Secretary of Labour Students 1995-6. Parliamentary candidate for Aldershot (2001) and Castle Point (2005). Hackney Councillor (Chatham Ward) 2002-2014, Labour Group Chief Whip 2002-09, Chair of Health Scrutiny 2010-2014. Dad. Unite and GMB union member. All views expressed in a personal capacity. The rest will become evident from reading the blog.
6 Comments:
I thought the speech was OK and certainly the sentiments about Cameron were welcome. But what happens in the next few months won't depend on a single speech. If Labour loses Glenrothes then I think it will all kick off again.
11:57 am, September 24, 2008
My thoughts from watching the conference is seeing a party that does not really believe in what is stands for.
Everytime a party member made a speech the words "private sector and profits" were spat out with disgust. I though 15 years of Blair and Brown the majority of members would be a little bit less North Korean and have a tiny amount of respect for private enterprise.
Alastair Darling made one of the best speeches of the week, informed, calm and realistic in the face of great adversity. I used to think he was a lightweight I now think its imperative he stays in the job.
Browns emotional cracked speech seemed a bit desperate. But Brown maybe should apologise to Blair for all those party conferences he treid to hijack and all those off the record briefings from the treasury. Its not very nice when it happens to you.
12:46 pm, September 24, 2008
Robert, I agree - too many in the Party never really understood why Blair struck a chord with the public, and are too happy to revert to the tropes of the 70s.
1:50 pm, September 24, 2008
While you're spot on about the ostrich tendency, elsewhere in your postings this week you're guilty of Emu-like behaviour, with a certain Cabinet Minister's people very much your Rod Hull. Give up on batting for her to be kept on at the reshuffle - people know exactly what she and others were doing last week.
2:22 pm, September 24, 2008
Oooops ! Have I missed the sound of all our ex-supporters stampeading back to the Party ?
NO ?
That speach ay well have convinced some Brown loyalists. What happens with the public counts, and I see no reason for the Great British Public to believe Brown, after all this is the same Brown who insisted that the abolition of the 10p tax rate would not hurt our people.
The longer Brown hangs on the more damage he does to the electability of a Labour Government.
GW
2:30 pm, September 24, 2008
ostrich tendency!
How do you put up with all that sand in your ears?
12:24 am, September 25, 2008
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