Progress column
My Progress column this week says we need to take steps to have some more Alan Johnsons in politics:
http://www.progressives.org.uk/columns/column.asp?c=583
posted by Luke Akehurst at 3:17 pm
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
http://www.progressives.org.uk/columns/column.asp?c=583
About Me
- Name: Luke Akehurst
- Location: Oxford, Oxfordshire, United Kingdom
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. Supporter of Europe, NATO/nuclear deterrence, Israel, electoral reform. Guardian reader. Dad. Oxford resident. Unite union member. Employment history as a Labour Party Organiser, Local Government Political Assistant, Director at a Public Affairs company. All views expressed in a personal capacity. The rest will become evident from reading the blog.
5 Comments:
I strongly agree with your sentiments. However, one way we definitely won't get more working-class MPs is if we follow Alan Johnson's advice and attack Labour's link with the unions - the link to which he owes his entire political career.
5:52 pm, January 26, 2011
According to John Rentoul's blog, Denis Healey, speaking to the Mile End Group http://www.meg.qmul.ac.uk/ last night, said he thought "class divisions, which were very real and strongly felt, have almost completely disappeared. If you ask people what class they belong to, they say, ‘I left school years ago.’".
If he's right (and he often was and is)there's not much point hoping for "some more working-class MPs".
Also nice to hear him agreeing with my hobbyhorse about how Mrs Thatcher frittered away our North Sea Oil bonanza
11:52 am, January 27, 2011
Owen
you know I support the union link.
Luke
2:13 pm, January 28, 2011
Luke,
I know you're a passionate defender of the union link - but my point was that it was unfortunate that the subject of your piece himself has attempted to undermine the aim both you and I support (increased working-class political representation).
Owen
5:13 pm, January 31, 2011
Totally agree with this article, the SWP are trying to create a divisive atmosphere in Camden.
2:51 pm, February 02, 2011
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