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.
posted by Luke Akehurst at 9:58 pm
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.
22 Comments:
I've been in hospital for five weeks and I'm still in better health than the Labour Party?
11:03 pm, May 06, 2009
"well, I'm here because it's important that us gingers stick together"
11:53 pm, May 06, 2009
I don't know her excuse but I'm just in hiding and avoiding a fatwah!
5:46 am, May 07, 2009
For someone lying in a hospital bed, you look far, far too happy...
Hope you're recovering well.
12:53 pm, May 07, 2009
Minister launches personal intervention strategy to ease NHS bed blocking...?
Anyway, fair play to Hazel, it's great she found time in her schedule to see how you are Luke. But I bet even lying on your hospital bed you still took the opportunity to talk about work. What a pro.
1:23 pm, May 07, 2009
Hazel " I hope that the media won't overplay this as well".
4:52 pm, May 07, 2009
"You tube-feed if you want to."
5:50 pm, May 07, 2009
I told Gordon his communication skills were "lamentable". So in a few weeks that'll be two of us without positions in the Party. Still, we can both get MRSA together in here, to go with the swine flu.
7:45 pm, May 07, 2009
No2EU - Yes to Democracy is a coalition of trade unionists, political parties and campaigning groups which have come together to defend democracy here and across the European Union, so lend us your vote in the Euro elections on June 4 to
http://www.no2eu.com/
7:46 pm, May 07, 2009
The European Elections are coming up, June 4th believe! The good news is that there is finally a party to vote for that is pro worker, anti big business and NOT a nationalistic party! The No 2 EU yes to democracy is a temporary joining together of left parties and trade unions to protest against the anti worker EU, watch this video to find out more!
http://mellowfellow.co.uk/blog/?p=242
8:21 pm, May 07, 2009
Luke
Hazel must have cheered you up with a wind job!
11:10 pm, May 07, 2009
Just a thought but ... how about "Hospital Beds Crisis - Minister Steps In"?
3:10 am, May 08, 2009
During the '80's, whenever there was a major disaster, Margaret Thatcher would visit the unfortunate victims in hospital. I used to feel sorry for them. Having survived a terrible train crash or whatever, they then had to put up with Thatcher trying to exploit their suffering for political gain!
8:11 am, May 08, 2009
Glad Hazel came to see you in hospital. I'm a political opponent but think she's a geniune believer in people getting out there and making politics relevant to people. Hope you are recovering.
I'd have preferred the Mighty Thatch myself...
8:34 pm, May 08, 2009
At UK tax payers' expense I bought a £651 mattress from Marks & Spencer for my second home in my Salford constituency, another for my second home in Kennington, south London (which I sold for £200,000, making a profit of £45,000) and another bed for £899 for yet another second home (£300k) in London. So come on Luke, how much are you going to be able to claim on expenses for this lousy bed? Or shall I claim again? I'm sure it's in the rules.
1:10 am, May 09, 2009
Sorry Luke I fear Hazel will have to be de-selected come next election. Labour may well have ditched its ideology of the last century, but it hasn't its ethics.
She sadly exploited the system which is in direct conflict with the Labour membership about doing things fairly. NO RIGHTS WITHOUT RESPONSIBILITY!Notice how it's mainly all of Labour's centre-right politicians that are up to the tricks of the tories, shadow bankers and now shadow expenses.
Sorry mate, but she ought to be told time to step down if and as I expect when the TAX authorities catch up about exploitation of the system.
Not good. This is for the good of the Labour party. Renewel through self-sacrifice is the only tonic for corrosive self-serving centre-right politicians.
Blair was a great centrist, until his beliefs aligned with neocon Bush's. Proof if ever we need it that we need more centre-left politicians amongst centrist so as to keep the government on course.
It isn't funny that Tories often lauded Blears as being great but look at what she did. In contrast, I think Gordon Brown hasn't come out of it too bad at all and the Milibands too. Labour despite all of this is still the party to get Britain out of this mess next election.
10:51 am, May 11, 2009
Seeing this photo puts me in mind of Obama's comment the other day about Hillary Clinton: "The moment she got back from Mexico she rushed up to me a gave me a big hug and kiss". But I'm not sure if she's trying to give you swine flu or infect you with tax management skills.
12:53 pm, May 11, 2009
Guido has been documenting for months what happens to people once The Curse of Jonah Brown has struck - don't let him anywhere near you if you want to live.
9:43 am, May 12, 2009
Luke you've lost weight. No all bad news
8:19 pm, May 13, 2009
"Blair was a great centrist, until his beliefs aligned with neocon Bush's."
You sound like a hard Left nut, Democratic Centre. That's probably because you are.
Hope you get well soon, Luke.
9:17 pm, May 13, 2009
I'm not shocked at these expense claims. Any system that is self regulated by the people it is designed to control is obviously flawed.
Unfortunately MPs should have some moral fibre and a degree of social responsibility. They are at the end of the day being paid by British people and many of whom don't earn any where near 25k a year.
Why are letting MPs buy second homes anyway....surely they should rent or if they do buy then any profits should be returned to the tax office when the property is sold....or kept as for council homes.
What ever happened to public service....?
10:35 am, May 16, 2009
Blears: Bloody good idea having you in here during the Victoria Street "Burglary" Luke. They'll have to blame another Maskellite now.
Akehurst: Was there another Maskellite then? Whelan you say?
Blears: Not Charlie. But, put it this way, there's someone in there who has been promoted three times since getting caught at it and exposed for interfering in internal party (s)elections.
Akehurst: And can this person be promoted again?
Blears: Not much headroom. But Guido's on to that one.
12:24 pm, May 17, 2009
Post a Comment
<< Home