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.
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Saturday, May 03, 2008
Well said Ken
I don't share his brand of Labour politics (see below) but I'm proud to have campaigned for Ken Livingstone and his speech just now was dignified, appropriate and set entirely the right tone.
I am not from the same wing of the Labour Party as Ken but he was the candidate of the same party as me and I have a lot more in common with his politics than Boris'.
I've never suggested I share Ken's politics - that would be laughable - but he ought, on merit, and record, and policies to have won tonight.
Well at least you've been a loyal Labour man Luke unlike the ghastly mob at Harry's Place. Disagree with your analysis about triangulation, the local elections in the rest of the country had that and we got smashed, far, far worse than in London.
Well it's going to get a lot worse for Labour. Economic conditions are worsening and now London is blue I can't see how Labour are going to recover from this.
So Luke if you think that NEW Labour policies are ok then why is it that 76% of people don't agree with you and only 24% do.
What also makes you think Boris is right wing. He's already talking about the gap between the rich and the poor. I honestly think the conservatives have changed and it is Labour that is right wing.
I must admit it, I'm shocked Ken lost. If anyone is to blame for this loss it has to be New Labour & Brown the fool. Without the national problems Ken would have won this election.
Do you think Brown will resign in the morning....I would. And if do who will be the next PM
I think you have no idea what One Nation Conservatism is. So busy with Labour mythology about the evil Toreeeez and Ken's addiction to balkanising London that you can't see Boris is the man to unite Londoners and that Labour are busy making a client vote of the underclass rather than looking to solve their problems.
Three cheers for our new Mayor and may his administration live long and prosperous.
Congratulations Londoners on having elected a racist as your new Mayor. May you be very happy with him. I will be the first to laugh when Boris gets into trouble.
It's a shame people revert to the tired old cliches even after the campaign. Boris is a racist and a buffoon? Ken's anti semitic and corrupt? Both fought a good campaign and both were gracious in victory/defeat. Good for politics, good for democracy and ultimately both parties got the result they deserved, in London and further afield.
I don't come from the same wing of the party as Luke but I'd rather vote for him that one of the mummy boys who have to get their nannies drive them to the poll. Yes I'm talking about you you tory boys.
at least we will not have the likes of Simon Fletcher, John Ross, Mark Watts, Redmond ONeill, rebecca Hickman, Eleanour young, and Ken's other advisers running London in the shadows. BOJO needs to ensure that he gets a new team who have the skills and experience to run things, rather than because of their political allegiance. He won and those of us on the left need to work with him, london and its people are too important to engage in political patronage - If Livingstone had realised that he might not be out.
I believe the Tories are going get a nanny to look after Brois in the guese of a Chief Executive. I suppose if Ken had appointed a Chief Execuitive he would have been accused of employing an overpaid unelected bureaucrat.
Luke, Livingstone didn't deserve to win and you're fool if youthink otherwise. He was a devisive candidate who only represented the people who he thought would vote for him. He was also happy to lie. Why was he spreading rumours about the Freedom Pass for pensioners when both you and I know that Boris was never going to abolish it and why did Livingstone try and take credit fir it when it has nothing to do with him - it's paid for by the boroughs.
I got 45,000 votes on Thursdsy and Boris got 57,000 in London North East. Both you and I know what a huge result that is in an area like this.
Alexander I don't think anyone in the Boris camp should be pointing the finger at spreading rummours, you were happy enough for the Evening Standard to do it relenlessly to Ken!!
The GLA already has a Chief Executive and Livingstone had a chief of staff - Simon Fletcher, and he made a number of othe appointments who had close links to him politically
Rge hing about Ken's campaign is that it has brought the hard left back into contact with electoral politics for the first time in nearly 15 years (as in my experience most of them left the Labour Party in the first 18 months of Tony Blair's leadership).
That is why they are now flailing around and saying it is all new Labour's fault.
Look at the figures boys and girls - we lost because we got hammered in the suburbs - unless we have an appeal to them then we'll keep on losing.
It wasn't a great speech at all. Boris made the great speech, Ken was just facing the reality of his mistakes.
Personally I don't give a damn about London. I hate the place but I'm pleased that Londoners have listened to reason and voted someone in who will actually unite London rather than divide it with a wash of politically correct nonsense.
Well done Boris and all those that voted for him.
This is the end of Kens career and thank god it is.
congratulations on beating the awful Meral Ece into third place, but please don't try to suggest your 45,000 votes were a breakthrough in the inner city until we've seen the ward by ward breakdown. My guess is that 6,000 of them will have come from the 4 wards in Stamford Hill, and 25,000 from Chingford, leaving about 500 per ward for the rest of the seat.
We'll see Luke. And I'm delighted to see that you seem to think that we targeted our vote so well - that was the plan - get our vote out and get Ken out.
So now he's lost you don't share his brand of politics. A week ago good old Ken was the best thing since sliced bread.
ReplyDeleteWhat now luke?
Rich
ReplyDeleteyou don't really get it do you?
I am not from the same wing of the Labour Party as Ken but he was the candidate of the same party as me and I have a lot more in common with his politics than Boris'.
I've never suggested I share Ken's politics - that would be laughable - but he ought, on merit, and record, and policies to have won tonight.
Well at least you've been a loyal Labour man Luke unlike the ghastly mob at Harry's Place. Disagree with your analysis about triangulation, the local elections in the rest of the country had that and we got smashed, far, far worse than in London.
ReplyDeleteWell it's going to get a lot worse for Labour. Economic conditions are worsening and now London is blue I can't see how Labour are going to recover from this.
ReplyDeleteSo Luke if you think that NEW Labour policies are ok then why is it that 76% of people don't agree with you and only 24% do.
What also makes you think Boris is right wing. He's already talking about the gap between the rich and the poor. I honestly think the conservatives have changed and it is Labour that is right wing.
I must admit it, I'm shocked Ken lost. If anyone is to blame for this loss it has to be New Labour & Brown the fool. Without the national problems Ken would have won this election.
ReplyDeleteDo you think Brown will resign in the morning....I would. And if do who will be the next PM
I think you have no idea what One Nation Conservatism is. So busy with Labour mythology about the evil Toreeeez and Ken's addiction to balkanising London that you can't see Boris is the man to unite Londoners and that Labour are busy making a client vote of the underclass rather than looking to solve their problems.
ReplyDeleteThree cheers for our new Mayor and may his administration live long and prosperous.
Congratulations Londoners on having elected a racist as your new Mayor. May you be very happy with him. I will be the first to laugh when Boris gets into trouble.
ReplyDeleteIt's a shame people revert to the tired old cliches even after the campaign. Boris is a racist and a buffoon? Ken's anti semitic and corrupt? Both fought a good campaign and both were gracious in victory/defeat. Good for politics, good for democracy and ultimately both parties got the result they deserved, in London and further afield.
ReplyDeleteI don't come from the same wing of the party as Luke but I'd rather vote for him that one of the mummy boys who have to get their nannies drive them to the poll. Yes I'm talking about you you tory boys.
ReplyDeleteat least we will not have the likes of Simon Fletcher, John Ross, Mark Watts, Redmond ONeill, rebecca Hickman, Eleanour young, and Ken's other advisers running London in the shadows. BOJO needs to ensure that he gets a new team who have the skills and experience to run things, rather than because of their political allegiance. He won and those of us on the left need to work with him, london and its people are too important to engage in political patronage - If Livingstone had realised that he might not be out.
ReplyDeleteI believe the Tories are going get a nanny to look after Brois in the guese of a Chief Executive. I suppose if Ken had appointed a Chief Execuitive he would have been accused of employing an overpaid unelected bureaucrat.
ReplyDeleteLuke, Livingstone didn't deserve to win and you're fool if youthink otherwise. He was a devisive candidate who only represented the people who he thought would vote for him. He was also happy to lie. Why was he spreading rumours about the Freedom Pass for pensioners when both you and I know that Boris was never going to abolish it and why did Livingstone try and take credit fir it when it has nothing to do with him - it's paid for by the boroughs.
ReplyDeleteI got 45,000 votes on Thursdsy and Boris got 57,000 in London North East. Both you and I know what a huge result that is in an area like this.
Alexander I don't think anyone in the Boris camp should be pointing the finger at spreading rummours, you were happy enough for the Evening Standard to do it relenlessly to Ken!!
ReplyDeleteThe GLA already has a Chief Executive and Livingstone had a chief of staff - Simon Fletcher, and he made a number of othe appointments who had close links to him politically
ReplyDeleteOh stop bickering. It was a great speech from Ken. The best oratory I've heard since Warren Oates.
ReplyDeleteRge hing about Ken's campaign is that it has brought the hard left back into contact with electoral politics for the first time in nearly 15 years (as in my experience most of them left the Labour Party in the first 18 months of Tony Blair's leadership).
ReplyDeleteThat is why they are now flailing around and saying it is all new Labour's fault.
Look at the figures boys and girls - we lost because we got hammered in the suburbs - unless we have an appeal to them then we'll keep on losing.
It wasn't a great speech at all. Boris made the great speech, Ken was just facing the reality of his mistakes.
ReplyDeletePersonally I don't give a damn about London. I hate the place but I'm pleased that Londoners have listened to reason and voted someone in who will actually unite London rather than divide it with a wash of politically correct nonsense.
Well done Boris and all those that voted for him.
This is the end of Kens career and thank god it is.
I see the BNP got the seat I said they would....yet another one of my predictions...
ReplyDeleteI was wrong on the other though.
Andrew Boff has a job in the Assembly!! Did I laugh? Is the pope a Catholic?
ReplyDeleteTake that and stick it where the sun don't shine Lukey you Loser
Alexander,
ReplyDeletecongratulations on beating the awful Meral Ece into third place, but please don't try to suggest your 45,000 votes were a breakthrough in the inner city until we've seen the ward by ward breakdown. My guess is that 6,000 of them will have come from the 4 wards in Stamford Hill, and 25,000 from Chingford, leaving about 500 per ward for the rest of the seat.
We'll see Luke. And I'm delighted to see that you seem to think that we targeted our vote so well - that was the plan - get our vote out and get Ken out.
ReplyDelete