Labourlist column
My Labourlist column today unsurprisingly looks at this weekend's press coverage of Labour leadership issues:
http://www.labourlist.org/a-period-of-silence-on-your-part-would-be-welcome
posted by Luke Akehurst at 9:58 am
Monday, June 13, 2011
http://www.labourlist.org/a-period-of-silence-on-your-part-would-be-welcome
About Me
- Name: Luke Akehurst
- Location: North Durham, County Durham, United Kingdom
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.
4 Comments:
Yes, it is worth bearing in mind how much tolerance was shown to Kinnock when he was leader eventhough he blew so many opportunities---Westland being an obvious one.
Kinnock was even allowed to stay on after the 1987 defeat and allowed to blame his failures on Labour's 'unpopular' policies most notably opposition to nuclear weapons.
12:36 pm, June 13, 2011
Good article. The true character of a would-be leader (and their followers) often emerges after defeat. Anybody who carries on fighting after the result's declared doesn't deserve to have won in the first place. Chucking it all in and sulking isn't a good look either, when there's so much to do. I would have more respect for David Miliband if he had rolled his sleeves up and got on with it.
The Blair/Brown rivalry was a serious problem and, as you say, left a legacy of tribal infighting as normal behaviour. I voted for Ed because I felt he wasn't part of that.
4:56 pm, June 13, 2011
If these people have genuine concerns about Ed Miliband then they should write to him or arrange to meet him so that they can discuss them.
I often think Luke is at his best when he attacks the Blairite-ultras. They are a lot like those Japanese soldiers you used to hear about in the 1970's who did not realise the war was over.
9:56 am, June 14, 2011
"The Tory government had been in power for 15 years, was running out of steam, and had lost its economic credibility on Black Wednesday. Kinnock had already scored 34% in the 1992 election
not the 29% starting point we have now. We were already on 47% in the opinion polls, a 21% lead, when John Smith died"
Luke may not want to thank me for saying this but such a very honest appraisal of the situation is very similar to something that Jon Lansman said on the Socialist Unity website some months ago.
He pointed out that Blair happened to be in the right place at the right time and that he was the beneficiary of a collapse in support for the Conservatives. Contrary to Blairite myth, he did not cause it.
11:09 am, June 15, 2011
Post a Comment
<< Home