2007 - A VERY BRITISH COUP

This blog was originally inspired by the hopes we had of a contest for the leadership of the Labour Party. In 2008, it will continue to support the LRC and its Chair John McDonnell as we continue to campaign for socialist ideas and an end to the New Labour doctrine which I suppose many of us began the year by thinking was about to be ditched or at the very least diluted with the advent of Gordon Brown. Not so.
This was also the year trade union leaders sold us down the river and to a man backed the New Labour leadership, , surrendering voting rights at Party Conference without so much as a murmur. The hopes placed in the "awkward squad" a couple of years ago have, frankly, proved misplaced. All we can do is carry on campaigning and working to change the status quo.....
In Tony Benn's Diaries, he compares AMICUS General Secretary Derek Simpson ( as he then was) to Harry Perkins, the socialist PM in the political drama A Very British Coup . In character, yes. Politically, no. Perkins stood up to the Establishment. Simpson has embraced it. And so sadly has Chris Mullin MP, who back in the 1980's wrote the excellent series about the consequences of a socialist Government.
At this year's Party Conference, Mullin arrived back at his hotel ( he still books in with the lefties) after a gang of us had been out for a meal. A comrade somewhat emboldened by drink asked him when he was going to write the sequel. In 2007, I think we got it........Happy New Year, comrades!

WHY SHAMELESS IS SHAMEFUL

One or two interesting conversations over Christmas about the phenomenon which is Shameless. Which I loathe. However, last night had the dubious pleasure of watching it with someone who thinks it funny.

I know the area where Shameless is filmed. Not the "Chatsworth estate", but Miles Platting, one of Manchester's most deprived wards. Residents there have in the past used the money from location filming to plant flowers and generally try and spruce the place up. They are not , by and large, comic grotesques who are continually thieving, taking drugs, and falling down drunk in Hogarthian scenes at the local pub..Call me old-fashioned, but I find the sight of a woman simulating masturbation in a camper van ( last night's episode) pretty offensive.

I concede that Paul Abbott's original episodes had comic virtues now almost entirely obliterated by resorting to the lowest kind of stereotypes and cliches which do not satirise but only insult working-class communities and the people who live in them. Contrast my near contemporary Caroline Aherne's Royle Family. Set on Manchester's Wythenshawe estate ( where she and I were brought up) , it is an affectionate and accurate portrayal . Peter Kay, in Phoenix Nights, also captures ordinary working-class life without sentimentalising it or resorting to obscenity.

It's not a case of being po-faced or prudish. But the best comedy combines pathos with its humour and is, ultimately, life-enhancing. Which Shameless most definitely is not.....

TESSA LOVES KEN......

IT's amusing and more than a tad ironic to note that ultra-Blairite Tessa Jowell is now suggesting Gordon Brown should follow the example of Ken Livingstone. Would that be the same Ken who the Blairites hated so much that they did their damndest to stop him running for Mayor.The one who hadto leave the Party to stand. Now a sufficiently rehabilitated Ken is cited by the Olympics Minister as someone who "love him or loathe him, people know who he is." She is, of course, right.
Livingstone the person is not particularly someone I would choose to socialise with ( had dinner with him once and he was incredibly rude to me) however by and large he remains true to his principles and is still of the left and to be supported.
Brown, once a socialist whose role-model was the left-wing firebrand James Maxton, has several different political incarnations - but seems to have swallowed the entire Blairite doctrine ( which his MP supporters used to tell us he didn't agree with) hook, line and sinker. So his New Year message is there will be more public service "reform" , more nuclear power stations , another runway at Heathrow. Belt-tightening in the interests of stability, etc etc etc.
A depressing prospect. And one which we would not face if we had a labour leader and Prime Minister rather more of Ken's persuasion than the current neo-con incumbent.

LOAD OF BALLS......

The Blairites have spoken. It's "all over" for Gordon Brown. Says who? The New labour devotee and columnist John Rentoul, who spent 10 years idolising TB and is clearly going to devote as much time as possible now to trashing Gordon. Not, you understand, that he disagrees politically with much Gordon has done. No, no, his big mistake was in not calling the election and since then, as JR rightly points out, nothing has gone right. So now, God help us, Rentoul is backing a New Year coup and a "dream ticket" of Miliband R for PM and Ed Balls for Chancellor. That really WOULD guarantee Labour losing the General Election. Two clean-cut policy wonks who have never had a life outside Westminster. Two white middle-class males with no ability to relate to anyone outside their class or their narrow New Labour political arena. What a great idea......What cheeses me off most is that Rentoul has the gall to say this nightmare scenario is supported by "serious Labour people." I think we know exactly who he means by that........

NEW YEAR READING......

Am trying desperately not to read Tony Benn's latest Diaries ( a Christmas present) too quickly - but they are truly fascinating and it's hard not to just carry on reading.

Just finished the chapter on the run-up to the Iraq war and it's so interesting to note that Benn was absolutely right about its impact in Blair and, of course, the fact that as Saddam Hussein told him perspnally, Iraq had no weapons of mass destruction NOR any link with Al-Quaeda. The death of Benazir Bhutto is of course already being used to whip up support for the "war on terror" when the hard fact is that all this supposed "war" has done is cause even more deaths and whip up support across the world for religious fundamentalism.

As with all the other Diaries , there are lots of telling little vignettes. Strong hints dropped that Hilary Benn did NOT support war in Iraq, likewise Harriet Harman. And , curiously, tales of Jack Straw dropping in on a Campaign Group meeting in 2003 to gauge opinion of Blair and the leadership. Maybe at that time he was considering running against Blair and was canvassing for support. And not beyond the bounds of possibility the same thing might happen again if Brown continues to screw up in 2008.

TERRIBLE AND TRAGIC

The untimely and horrific death of Benazir Bhutto will be used by many as an excuse for even sterner measures in the "war on terror." The reality is that if you are dealing with people who are prepared to blow themselves up in the interests of killing democracy, then no amount of draconian laws will stop them. Watching the interviews with Bhutto on the TV last night, it was clear she knew the risks she was running by going back to Pakistan. That she was couragoeus is unquestionable, unfortunately her return also heralded the deaths of around 200 of her supporters in a previous assassination attempt - which failed.

This is no way to run a country and an absolutely tragic waste of human life. To what purpose I'm not quite sure. Is it really as senseless as it seems.......

CONSPIRACIES AND REBELLIONS -

Christmas finally over with and news emerges that in the New Year Gordon Brown will face the prospect of a parliamentary defeat . Why? Because he stubbornly presses ahead with plans for 42-day detention of suspected terrorists with no clear evidence this is worth pursuing. Even the DPP has condemned him, along with civil liberties groups and a swathe of MPs, including people like Leeds MP Fabian Hamilton ( hardly a serial rebel) . As the Tories and Liberal Democrats will also oppose, it's quite likely Brown will lose the vote. And he deserves to. Why? Because, as Alan Simpson says in today's Independent this is a

self-inflicted and completely unnecessary wound.

Blair made a career out of being at odds with his Party and it now looks like Brown is intent on doing the same. But unlike Blair, it's clear that Brown will not command the same kind of loyalties. New research from Nottingham University has revealed. that more Labour MPs defied the government whips in the Prime Minister's first month than any other post-war premier.
Labour backbenchers defied the whips 43 times, with the first rebellion coming less than an hour after he took over the reins of power. By way of contrast, Harold Wilson enjoyed 16 months of unity before a lone Labour MP rebelled over pensions policy. But that was in the days when we had Labour Governments which did not ape the Tories at every turn......It really hasn't been a good few months for Brown and already the conspiracy theorists are talking up talk of a plot to oust him. Things, it seems, are not going to get better......

WITH FRIENDS LIKE THESE......

OK I wasn't going to blog but couldn't resist it because much to my dismay Tony Blair has become a Catholic and , coincidentally, (or is it) the number of Catholics attending Church is now bigger than the Anglican congregation for the first time since the Reformation.
Largely due to the increasing numbers of people in the UK from Eastern Europe. I think it was Groucho Marx who said he did not want to be in a club that would have him as a member but all I can say is that Blair is no asset - even if you've lapsed

RABBIT CAUGHT IN HEADLIGHTS .....

The old year draws to a close and three days before Christmas I am running round Hebden Bridge with a terrified expresion on my face as I realise that yet again I have left it all TOO LATE. The Floris eau de cologne I was going to buy a male friend has sold out, none of the jewellery Ican see is suitable for a woman friend who is very particular. So ( horror) am going to have to get the train into Manchester hours earlier than I needed to and brave last-minute shopping hell.....the season of goodwill.....as sales are beginning early maybe this aftrenon will yield a stupendous bargain. More likely claustrophobia and panic.
The political year has also drawn to a close and has been full of the usual disappointments and defeats. Plus reasons to be positive, too. More of that anon but in the meantime the blogging stops for Christmas. Have a good one. Back next week....

DEATH OF THE LITTLE SHOPS.....

On the way home tonight very saddened to note one of Hebden Bridge's last "real" shops is closing down. Electricians Lord Dales rescued my Christmas three years ago when the tree lights went on December 24. They repaired my Dyson when the cats furred it up, supplied bags for the far inferior "Henry" vacuum cleaner and also manage to stock all those unusual light bulbs you just can't find anywhere else. They also did a good trade in re-conditioned goods. Now, thanks largely to Tesco's electrical department in Sowerby Bridge, five miles or so down the road, they are closing down. Yes, another petit bourgeouis business bites the dust and of course it is/was a capitalist enterprise. But small shops like this one also provided a valuable service for those like me who don't drive, the elderly, hard-up and basically all those who live in the locality. That leaves two butchers , a greengrocer, two organic veg shops and an ironmonger. The rest is teashops, twee gift shops....and more teashops. Slowly but surely, Hebden Bridge is turning into toytown. And global capitalism is taking over everywhere else.

BRILLIANT BUT WRONG.....

Julie Burchill is a brilliant writer. No question. She's a bit like George Best used to be with a football - leaves everyone else standing as she verbally spins an argument. Today's pro-Tesco piece in the Guardian is a classic example. I don't, actually, agree with what she says one jot. But she makes her case wonderfully. The reality of cheap supermarkets and cheap food is rather more tellingly explained in this piece.....

http://news.independent.co.uk/world/americas/article3263500.ece

FAG END OF THE YEAR......

Well that's work finished for this year so what a joy it was to settle down with the ironing and a DVD this afternoon. I have a serious weakness for cheesy girly films so the obvious choice was Diane Keaton and Jack Nicholson in Something's Gotta Give. Premise being they play themselves ( ie rich and talented Americans with beach houses) and get together at the end after much mishap and misunderstanding. At two hours-plus it was slightly too long and frankly what woman in her right mind over 50 - given the choice - would choose old sleazebag Jack Nicholson over Keanu Reeves . In reality, the highly intelligent Diane Keaton made the right decision and actually enjoyed a romance with the actor who is 20 years her junior. What has this got to do with politics? Other than some obvious observations on gender inequality, absolutely nothing.But hey it's Christmas. Even I get to lighten up sometimes......talking of which found myself scouring the house the other night for the one "emergency" cigarette I was sure I had stashed away somewhere. That time of year.......

LRC GETS SET FOR NEW YEAR CAMPAIGNING

Last night I headed off to Leeds to meet more people from West Yorkshire who are interested in joining the LRC. So we now have links in Huddersfield CLP ( home of Blairite Barry Sheerman) and several more constituencies in Leeds as well as Wakefield, Halifax and Calder Valley It was agreed we would meet again in January with a view to organising a campaigning event in February. We now have a broad spread of ages and views but it's clear the enthusiasm really is there on the ground. Which is good news for anyone who is sick and tired of the New Labour agenda.
Meanwhile, LRC Chair John McDonnell has tabled a timely EDM on tax avoidance.
http://edmi.parliament.uk/EDMi/EDMDetails.aspx?EDMID=34758&SESSION=891
Don't let your MP off the Christmas hook. Lobby them to add support........

CLARKE GETS SET FOR NEW YEAR KNIFING

Quelle surprise......the first of the Blairites to break cover and diss Brown is Charles Clarke. The man who would have stood for Leader had he been able to garner enough nominations.

Being part of the Establishment, of course, he gets massive coverage in the Guardian for thoughts which we on the left were voicing ages ago. Way back in September, left MPs were denouncing Brown's racist rhetoric but this embittered ex-Minister ( as the phrase goes) now gets headlines for saying "You talk about 'British jobs for British workers'. If the Labour party had been at any point in the 60s, 70s, 80s or 90s, there would have been massive controversy about that. But no one has because of the loyalty to Gordon."

Actually, Charles, many HAVE spoken out. Just not in the circles you move in.
Despite his criticism, Clarke says more than a tad disingenuously that he would be "delighted" to serve under Brown. "Obviously the role would have to be something I felt I could do." Clearly, he won't be expecting a call any time soon .Far more likely that he and his cohorts are already planning to put the boot in big-style in the New Year.

OH NO NOT CLEGGY .....

Disappointed to hear Nick Clegg elected Lib Dem leader. Not much I know to choose between him and Huhne, but the latter definitely more left of centre. This boring pseudo-Blairite will now have difficulty because of the sterling work of Vince Cable, whose description of Brown as "Mr Bean" could be one of the pivotal moments in his eventual demise.

TRIBUNE AT 70....

Amused to learn that my General Secretary Jeremy Dear was out on town with Gordon Brown the other night to celebrate Tribune's 70th birthday. He does not say where but their favoured hang-out used to be the Gay Hussar in Soho, which I have been "meaning" to visit for over 25 years.

Gathering dust on my bookshelves is a volume celebrating Tribune's 40th birthday -published at the height of the Labour Left's influence on the Party. On its heyday, Tribune's distinguished list of contributors included George Orwell, Michael Foot and Nye Bevan. But times have changed, and it must be said that in some part the Tribunites, at one time an influential and sizeable force within the PLP, were in more recent years to a fair extent to blame for the demise of socialist ideology in the Labour Party. First, a gang of around 5 Tribunites (including neil Kinnock) managed to make sure that Tony Benn never became Labour deputy leader by reneging on supporting him. Then Kinnock became Leader and promptly abandoned his "Tribunite" policies. Clause 4, the Tribunite wing of Labour Students ( then NOLS) actively supported the witch-hunting of Militant out of the Party ( as did Kinnock's enoturage) and slowly, maybe irrevocably, the Party moved to the right. In the fullness of time the Tribune group of MPs was immersed into New Labour ( including its former editor Chris Mullin) and its doldrums only stopped when Mark Seddon, a decent mainstream leftie, became editor in the 1990's. Until recently, I subscribed to Tribune. But increasingly it has become a tame and largely toothless publication which has been afraid to speak out against Brown's lurch to the right. However, there is now a new website which I'm happy to link to. I hope in the years ahead that Tribune will rediscover its left-wing roots and be a force for change at the top......

CHRISTMAS IN THE WORKHOUSE

At the weekend, I read the sad story of a former journalist who is now dossing on a park bench due to a series of personal misfortunes. I am thankfully a long way from that fate yet, but as a freelance I am also continually at the mercy of people who appreciate my services but don't seem to like shelling out until they absolutely have to .....so currently am owed a couple of thousand pounds with minus money in bank account and a week to go till Christmas. As a result, no presents have been bought and no cards sent but am expecting a couple of cheques in next 24 hours. To be honest I feel like Billy Bunter eternally waiting for his postal order . Even the weekend run to Lidl was paid for on my overdraft. Have just been forced into bursting into tears to resolve one financial logjam. Christmas in the workhouse beckons....thanks to Scrooge employers in the private sector.

NATIONALISE NORTHERN ROCK NOW!

Like a virgin who won't go "all the way", this Government is playing silly buggers when it comes to Northern Rock. Just days before Christmas the Treasury has taken things one step further by extending financial guarantees, offering to cover any loss by financial institutions so the bank can operate normal banking services.
The move, according to the BBC, could be seen as taking the bank "a step closer" to nationalisation and will also lead to greater financial exposure for taxpayers ie US who have already lent Northern Rock an estimated £26bn.
According to Mervyn King, the Governor of the Bank of England, the additional guarantees amounts to 30% of the Northern Rock's balance sheet.
"This was a natural extension to help the company. What is important now is to find a new management to take the bank forward," he says. That management must be and should be - the public sector. And it's frankly astonishing that the Treasury will shell out billions of pounds of our money for this enterprise yet fail to rescue operations like Remploy.

CHRISTMAS PRESENT FOR PENSIONERS

Extremely glad to hear Peter Hain on this Monday's Today programme dropping strong hints that his plea on behalf of 125,000 pensioners has been listened to.
According to earlier reports, Hain was "appalled" that both the PM and Chancellor were blocking a rescue bid battled for by trade unions Community and UNITE in the European courts but now they are believed to have agreed a deal to restore 90 per cent of of the value of the pensions covered by a government-backed Financial Assistance Scheme - putting them into line with other employees whose pensions are covered by the Pension Protection Fund which was introduced in 2005 and financed by a levy on companies.Hain will make an announcement later today.....

POLLS WORST YET FOR BROWN.....

Today's Sunday Times has a poll which puts the Tories 13 points ahead of Labour - their best result for 15 years. Brown's personal rating has slumped to - 26 from a summer high of + 38 per cent - or something like that. Takes some doing, really.But frankly Brown lousing it up is becoming increasingly exasperating , irritating and inexcusable.

It seems some of the Cabinet are fed-up too - well, sod the principles, eh, some of their livelihoods are at stake.

It's seriously hard to summon up much sympathy for a man whose raison d'etre is seemingly letting down pensioners, the disabled, the low-paid. And , oh yes, disappearing when the going gets a bit tricky.From a blogger's point of view, it is not exactly inspirational stuff......maybe he will nationalise Northern Rock this week and give us something to celebrate over Christmas.

BRITAIN HANDS OVER BASRA

Only a churl would not be delighted at the sight of the British Army handing over Basra back to the Iraqis. But I can't help thinking of the many thousands of lives lost in this five long years of death and human suffering. Suffering which continues despite the very welcome drop in violence of recent months. Thousands still without basic sanitation, food, healthcare.Refugees desperate for somewhere to go. Peop,e desperate for stability. The kind of conditions outlined by peace campaigner Kathy Kelly whom I met recently. So let's get the last of the troops home in the New Year. ASAP.And, unlike Ann Clwyd, still defending the indefensible on Channel 4 News tonight, let's stop pretending that the US and British presence in Iraq has been anything but a disaster for the Iraqi people. The sonner it's over the better.

MORE PRIVATISATION IS THE MESSAGE

Thanks to the generosity of the co-op movement, I have a monumental hangover and brain is addled so thanks due to regular poster "Frenetic" for alerting me to item on the BBC website in which Gordon Brown outlines his game plan for the public sector . Basically, it's a very predictable agenda of more and more "choice" and marketisation - remember , those reforms which were painted as utterly Blairite and which he was supposed to be AGAINST. Reforms opposed by UNISON - the same union which nominated him as Leader. So I trust Dave Prentis feels like a bit of a turkey, now. The only thing the left can do in the face of this wilful ignoring of its concerns is to keep campaigning, keep explaining and lobbying MPs. But it's very depressing indeed.

LISBON NO-SHOW

How many times can Gordon Brown bottle it. Turning up late to Lisbon becuase he had "prior commitments" is just another case of him doing a Macavity and disappearing. And the trouble is that, unlike TB, he is not a very good liar. For a "conviction politician" he does not seem to have much courage. Anyway, have got rid of one hangover following last night's gathering of Manchester Evening News feature writers and now off to drink wine and eat at Sam's Chop House in Manchester with people from the co-op movement. Game terrine and confit of duck. Very Dickensian......

HEBDEN ROYD GOES TO HOUSE OF COMMONS

It's not often that our Town Council gets mentioned in Parliament but look in Hansard and you will see that our MP Chris McCafferty this week raised the issue of our support for the "People's Millions" initiative with Culture Minister Gerry Sutcliffe. We're to receive £68,000 to renovate the local park after winning an "X factor" type contest on the Calendar regional news programme and yes it's fantastic news for local people . Largely down to the wonderful efforts of our Project Officer Naomi Goddard ( her appointment was a Labour idea) and I really don't want to rain on anyone's parade here.
But it's frankly a disgrace that small councils like ours are forced to take part in such contests because of the penny-pinching attitude of the Tories who run Calderdale Council and are in charge of the purse-strings. Some time ago, the Town Council discussed taking the park back into our ownership and that is something I hope we can take forward in the New Year. In the long-term that's the best solution

CONGRATULATIONS......

To my fellow town councillor and friend Janet Oosthuysen who last night was selected as our candidate for the Metropolitan Calderdale council next year. The Calder ward has not been a Labour seat for some years but last year we were within a whisker of winning and , with a political, community-based campaign the our chances are better than ever. We will be knocking on doors, going out to local radical groups and aiming to engage with people on an issue by issue basis. Janet, who is one of three LRC members on the Hebden Royd Town Council, has set up a campaign Committee and we will ned HELP in the New Year.

BOBBIES TO THE BARRICADES?

Anyone else getting a sense of deja vu over Gordon Brown's style of Labour leadership? I have been reading Piers Morgan's mildly entertaining book, The Insider, which is a "set book" for my media studies students. Amid the endless name-dropping and tales of alcohol-fuelled lunches, there are some interesting insights into the New Labour psyche. Blair's big idea was to face down all opposition - on the basis that it boosted the public's perception of him as being in control ( and sod the Labour Party in the process). Now Brown is going down a very similar road and has been doing for six months. He's currently ( quite unnecessarily) facing the prospect of a major rebellion on terrorism legislation AND a strike by police who are pissed-off at their pay award. Now you might say the prospect of police striking is pretty remote. But exactly the same would have been said of the prison officers....
Seems the police world too has its bloggers And one says "Every single colleague of mine is ranting at the moment. They are all openly discussing going on strike too, should the opportunity ever arise... Morale amongst my peers is lower than I have ever seen."
If Gordon wants a fight, he may well have picked the wrong targets. There are no on-side union bureaucrats to stop the bobbies going into battle. And that would seriously be a disaster for this Government.

PETER'S FRIEND.....

Ex Campaign Group MP Harry Barnes has for months championed Peter Hain as a closet leftie and at one stage called repeatedly for him to stand as Leader. Actually, in a straight choice between him and Brown, I would probably agree. But given Hain's abysmal showing in the Deputy Leadership contest ( I did actually vote for him...) we now know that will never happen. So what has he got to lose......

Harry now reckons Hain is incensed at the Govt's refusal to bale out 125,000 workers whose pensions have been wrecked and "privately appalled." Well, if he has an ounce of courage left then , yes, he should resign from the Government. But I'm not holding my breath.

In recent weeks he has also presided over the draconian "Welfare To Work" proposals at the DWP, reneged on promises to stop the closure of Remploy factories, and backed Gordon all the way. Call me cynical but I would not be surprised to learn that Hain realises he's so screwed by the donations farce that he knows a future re-shuffle will see him out on his ear. In which case he will then veer left and , like Frank Dobson and Clare Short, re-discover his "left" credentials and bleat from the backbenches. Only to be dismissed as an "embittered ex Minister." In no way is he now a credible left figure.

CABINET REBELLION - WHY THIS ISSUE ?

Today's Guardian has an extremely interesting piece alleging that 10 Ministers are up in arms about the official position on police pay - which begs lots of questions.

Vaz has tabled an EDM calling on the government to back down, and claims "Yesterday ... 10 ministers spoke to me, all concerned, and said they had spoken to Jacqui (Smith) .
He adds Police Minister Tony McNulty, was "surrounded" by concerned MPs in the Commons tearoom yesterday and seems to think the Home Secretary will look at this again.

The conclusion must be that the Cabinet cannot countenance the prospect of the police striking, yet is prepared to face down and accept similarly unfair pay awards for public sector workers and prison officers. Not to mention the closure of REMPLOY factories on which a promised deal was reneged on. I Have no problem with the Cabinet rebelling on this isue. I think they are right. But this suggests to me there are also other issues on which Ministers privately disagree with the PM yet cannot find the wherewithal to make their voices heard. And why should the police be treated differently. Maybe because Middle England would throw its hands up in horror at bobbies going on the barricades.....and appalude the Govt being tough on the union activists.....

KAREN REISSMANN -FIGHT GOES ON

Not good news for the campaign to reinstate Karen Reissmann . her appeal has been rejected but the news is that the fight very much goes on tomorrow . I can't make it as we have a key selection meeting here but would urge anyone who can to go. More details here

Protest rally at 6pm, Piccadilly Gardens, Manchester city centre, tomorrow (Tuesday Dec 11)

MANIC MONDAYS

Basically, Monday is now a pretty difficult day for blogging as from 7.30am till 7pm am away from home and teaching/travelling to and from work at a local university. Anyway inspiration not exactly in full flow as am now completely knackered. Interestingly , though, looks as though Northern Rock may be nationalised after all following the pull-out of a major private equity company and concern over the viability of Virgin. The Bank Of England and the Treasury it seems are now more or less on side so isn't it time the Government bit the bullet and went for this eminently sensible, not ideological solution.
Meanwhile, things have gone pretty quiet on the trade union link furore which probably means Brown is aiming for deals behind doors when he gets back from the Middle East . The union leaders must NOT be allowed to get away with another beer and sandwiches stitch-up. And hey , even Luke Akehurst supports us on this one........

MPs FEEL THE PINCH.....NOT

Say what you like about Gordon Brown, he is nothing if not consistent. Yes, MPs and Ministers are apparently to be told they will have to settle for a wage rise of less than 2 per cent as part of his clampdown on public sector pay. The "spin" on this is of course that this is the "same "as the police, who will today announce plans to strike over the squeeze on their pay. But, as well know, MPs and Ministers earn a damn sight more than most of us. In particular, public sector workers. One former Minister has apparently been bleating that a 68 per cent pay rise should be the order of the day. Making backbencher's salaries a "modest" £100,000. Yeah, right.

MERSEYSIDE LRC LAUNCH

Today to launch of Merseyside LRC in weather, frankly, bad beyond belief. Had plans to Christmas shop afterwards then night out with friend who lives near Chester but driven back home by freezing temperatures and, in truth, hate Christmas shopping anyway. Liverpool West Derby MP Bob Wareing and LRC Chair John McDonnell were at the launch .Bob , who left the Labour Party recently , gave a very poignant speech about his lifetime in the Labour movement and it's a sad reflection on the way he has been treated that he should feel compelled to do so.
As with other recent LRC meetings we were still able to draw good positives on building for the future . Merseyside LRC now plans to meet monthly. . speakers from UNISON, PCS and good to note three regional LRC groups launched in past week across the country. The North of England left is seriously getting its act together and we're going to need to build on new links in the year ahead. Sorry to disappoint the New Labour apologists but whatever is thrown at us in weeks to come we are ready to fight back.

BALDRICK STRIKES BACK.......

Interesting article by ex NEC member Tony Robinson in this week's New Statesman. Tony, aka Baldrick from Blackadder, was once one of Tony Blair's most enthusiastic cheerleaders but his years on the NEC and first-hand knowledge of the leadership's control freakery have made him critical of the "top down" aproach which is destroying this Party and which continues to do so under Brown. Don't agree with all of it but overall view generally sound......

http://www.newstatesman.com/200712070008

THE REAL WORLD...........

Will be out and about over weekend with no time to blog...........probably report back Sunday . Real life, thankfully, sometimes intervenes with cyberspace.

LEEDS GIVES GREEN LIGHT TO COUNCIL HOMES

Great news from Leeds , where council houses are to be built for the first time in almost 30 years. I mean PROPER council houses. Up to 1000 every year until 2020. Not "affordable" but "rentable."
The city council today unveiled plans to start building properties for rent as early as next year as part of a £2.6 billion bid to ease the pressure on the city's deepening housing crisis. Leeds by the way is no hotbed of socialism but run by a coalition of Conservatives and Liberal Democrats.........

WELL SAID CRUDDAS AND TRICKETT

There is an excellent article here http://www.newstatesman.com/200712060017 signed jointly by Jon Cruddas and John Trickett. My only quibble is they are still clutching at the straw that somehow Gordon Brown is going to listen to what they have to say and that change will come from top down. I just don't buy that one anymore. I suspect they also think that privately but anyway it's a good piece and let's hope the left can build alliances in the months to come. Because we're going to need to muster all the resources we can.......and thanks to Peter Kenyon for pointing this out.

WELL SAID, VINCE!

I still owe Vince Mills a pint from last summer. I tried to buy him one in Bournemouth but he was en route somewhere else. Now I probably owe him another one now after shamelessly nicking a piece he has written from the Morning Star but I hope he will forgive me. Vince is a member of the LRC and Campaign for Socialism in Scotland. Like me, he used to have a lot more faith that we could use existing structures within the Party to "re-claim " it. And maybe, like me , he used to think the end of Blair would herald a new era which would at least be social democrat if not socialist. That simply hasn't happened. So if we are ever to build the Labour Party again then we have to reach out beyond it in a new way.

Trade union activists are as disillusioned as any other Labour Party members, not least because trade unionists are watching a Labour government that consciously works to limit the effectiveness of the trade union movement.
I have, therefore, come to the conclusion that there are not the resources within the Labour Party to bring about the transformation which we seek.
Clearly, the left needs a vehicle for bringing activists together in a way that will not only allow us to pool resources but also to begin a dialogue about the nature of our common problem, contemporary capitalism.
The new Labour leadership is, of course, deeply hostile to the Labour Party being used in that way because, as promulgators of feral capitalism, they are part of the problem we seek to address.
The LRC has to become the change that we seek.
Founded originally in 1900 to fight for political representation for the working class and refounded in July 2004 to fight for socialist policies in the Labour Party, it has the history and the flexibility to bring together those forces willing to fight with us for socialist policies in and beyond the Labour Party.
I am not saying that the Labour Party cannot be salvaged as a vehicle for radical change.
I am saying, however, that we need to work together with those forces that are willing to work together with us, whether they are committed to the central role of the Labour Party or not, to bring about the alliance we need to attack poverty and inequality in Scotland and the rest of the UK.
The one option that we do not have is that of doing nothing.
There are too many people in Scotland, Britain and, more importantly, beyond it in the Middle East and Africa who are suffering too much.
Inaction is being complicit with that suffering. Let's end both

BRITISH VALUES......

There is a nauseating piece by Liam Byrne in today's Guardian on immigration. It serves to elaborate on why the Government is setting the Daily Mail's agenda and introducing immigration controls which basically exclude black people.It's all masked in hideous rhetoric about "British common sense" which has obviously been written by a Civil Servant
Byrne ( or whoever wrote this for him) has the gall to then conclude
"The rules are unambiguous: speak the language, obey the law, and pay your taxes like the rest of us. " These "rules" however obviously don't apply to members of the Cabinet who break electoral law, or rich businessman who use loopholes to pay less tax than those on minimum wage .What disingenuous, mendacious nonsense.
PS: Not adding a picture of Byrne as don't want to spoil anyone's lunch......

NEW IMMIGRATION POLICY AN UTTER DISGRACE

New Labour's utterly disgusting dog-whistling on immigration continues . The BBC reports that unskilled workers from non-EU countries will be banned from taking jobs for the "foreseeable future." Apparently, this exercise is designed to reassert "British values" ( as in British jobs for British workers) and no doubt it will be heartily applauded by the Daily Mail electorate it's designed to appeal to. The BNP will be pretty pleased, too.
Under the new rules announced by the Home Scretary, which come into force in 100 days' time, spouses who apply for entry to the UK may also have to sit English language assessments.
An Australian-style points-based immigration system , on the lines approved by right-wing ex-PM Howard, chcuked out of office a couple of days ago, comes into force in April .
Immigration Minister Liam Byrne , who let's just say is one of the least appealing members of this Govt, says the system is geared towards the the top tier of highly skilled migrants, "key contributors" to the UK economy. Who also happen to be , er, white. This grandstanding to the right makes me sick to my stomach. The number of unskilled workers from outside the EU is already restricted, with only about 12,000 permitted to take jobs in the UK in the past year under existing sector-based and agricultural schemes. That will now be reduced to zero, with all migrant jobs in the low skilled sectors expected to be filled by workers from Bulgaria and Romania. Try telling me that's not racist, illiberal and a betrayal of everything the labour movement stands for.

JOINED AT THE HIP..........

The US National Intelligence Estimate report, which was published on Monday, concluded: "Tehran's decision to halt its nuclear weapons programme suggests it is less determined to develop nuclear weapons than we have been judging since 2005." Number 10's immediate response? There is still "a serious risk" and action may have to be taken. Conclusion. Brown is as much in bed with Bush as Blair ever was . As Stop The War Coalition's Lindsey German put it, "joined at the hip."

LRC MERSEYSIDE LAUNCH - DECEMBER 8

This Saturday December 8 will see the launch of Merseyside LRC and I have been invited to go along and join in the discussion on the way forward for the left. The mood within the Party has darkened once again in the wake of the dodgy donations scandal - and even more importantly for me - the threat to the trade union link . However, I look forward to a constructive afternoon.
LRC Chair John McDonnell MP and Liverpool West Derby MP Bob Wareing are both speaking and I'm sure there will be plenty of time for people to contribute. People from Greater Manchester ( who are in the process of organising their own LRC events in the New Year) are also going and anyone else is welcome. If you're interested the venue is the People's Community Centre near the RC cathedral at 12noon. Merseyside was once the epicentre of the UK left so let's hope this will herald a revival of radical socialist ideas.

MEASURED BLOGGING.....

The blogosphere is a strange beast. Bit like listening to the radio. You build up a picture in your head of what fellow bloggers look and sound like. Which is interesting because, should you actually meet up, as I did recently with several splendid bloggers, the pre-conceptions can be utterly wrong!
One of my most regular visitors here is e10rifles who I suspect I must have met or, at least, know via various meetings. Perhaps at some stage I will find out......Anyway, he ( I assume it's a he ) has written an excellent, considered post on the Party funding issue to which I happily link. It is possibly time for us to start e-mailing MPs and let them know in no uncertain terms that current talk of weakening the trade union link is simply not acceptable. And can only lead to further disaffiliations and loss of members.

DENHAM JOINS THE WRECKERS

Anyone remember John Denham ?He was touted as the "acceptable" soft left alternative in a leadership contest on the grounds he had ( quite admirably) resigned over Iraq. Well, tonight, on Newsnight, he became no doubt the first of many Government Ministers to spout the line that we're going to cap union donations in the interests of "transparency." Shameful stuff. None of the current flak which is flying around is ANYTHING to do with the unions. The PLP, allegedly, gave Brown a "warm" reception tonight and I have the most horrible of feelings that they are going to roll over and die and concede on the funding issue. As, indeed, they have rolled over and died on almost every issue since 2003. Why hasn't anyone in this Govt got the guts to DEMAND the resignations of Hain and Alexander or, indeed, resign themselves. Tonight's Newsnight poll reveals that 53 per cent of the British public associate Brown with sleaze. So what does he do? Stop hobnobbing with rich donors? Back the unions . No, he bloody well attends a fund-raising dinner with, er, the rich.. If I sound angry and a bit incoherent, well I probably am.

HOW TO LOSE FRIENDS........

Those of you like me who became sad anoraks during the dim and distant days of the run-up to Labour's long-awaited ( but ultimately disappointing) change in leadership will recall how Kevin Maguire was one of "Big Gordie's" biggest allies. So, interesting to read via Paul Staines that even the diehards are, to be blunt, disillusioned and pissed-off. Maguire says:
"I accept Brown knew nothing, but instead of making grandiose speeches about a fresh start in politics, he should've been studying Labour's books.
Nor do cheap stunts like shamefully pouring tea for Maggie Thatcher look so clever when you're in trouble and desperate for friends. Fair-weather right-wingers Brown wooed are long gone, firm backers he recklessly took for granted no longer prepared to give him the benefit of the doubt.
Brown will pay dearly for repeating Tony Blair's mistake, neglecting Labour's core while pegging his big tent on the shifting sands of floating voters."
Maguire, who I have had one or two professional dealings with over the years, is one of the many who had illusions in Brown. At heart, he's a socialist.He did indeed speak out in favour of John McDonnell as the logical choice for the left. All in the past.
But how sad it is that Brown has disappointed so many, so quickly. And so unnecessarily........But no time for wallowing. Time to fight back........

HANDS OFF CHAVEZ!

No doubt the neo-cons in Washington will be cracking open the bubbly at the news that Hugo Chavez narrowly lost the vote (51 per cent) to extend his powers . On Channel 4 news, a GWB aparatchik called James Roberts could barely contain his glee that the "dictator" had been stalled. As George Galloway pointed out with his usual aplomb ( yes, yes I know Big Brother but he really is usually a good operator on the TV) Chavez has won more elections than any other leader in the world and accepted the vote with grace. Maybe this time he went too far, too fast. Who knows......I don't claim in any sense to be an authority. What I do know is the CIA and their friends will have poured millions into ensuring Chavez lost this vote and will be doing their damndest to get rid of him before the five years left of his office is up.Socialists must defend any attack by the hawks in the White House on venezuela. ! Viva Chavez!

SO WHO WILL BE FIRST TO GO???????

All day at the coalface teaching and return to mayhem on the internet over the donations row which is really becoming farcical. Peter Hain is surely in deep trouble and Wendy Alexander is also well in the mire . If Peter Watt had to resign, then maybe it's time they both considered their position . And let's not see New Labour using THEIR ineptitude and questionable practices to try and destroy the union link. We have a serious fight on our hands as Gordon heads for the panic button, which is also exceptionally convenient for him. The Labour Party, as I said yesterday , must be saved from the disgraceful expediency of the Brownites. If Brown tries to go down this road then serious questions need to be asked and serious rebellion is the only answer both within the PLP and of course the unions. He has no God-given right to do as he pleases . Time, even, to think about another Leader and challenging his authority directly. It took Blair six years to lose the loyalty of many activists. Brown has managed to undermine himself in just six MONTHS. I can't believe that people like PLP chair Tony Lloyd, who was at the Karen Reissmann rally last Saturday , would stand by and let this happen . Can I .........

SAVE THE LABOUR PARTY!

The true nature of New Labour's planned agenda in the wake of the Abrahams scandal today revealed in the Guardian. And, apologies for yet again quoting Jackie Ashley. But this is the way the wind is blowing in the media "elite." And at Number 10. They can't wait to have a go at finally putting the last coffin in the nail of Labour's federal structure. Indeed, it is hailed as a "new dawn."
And, as Ashley says: "If Labour breaks the union link, and relies instead on donations from individual trade unionists and members, then the party would be profoundly changed. One of the great differences between Labour and the liberal tradition, going back a century, would vanish." And so, of course, would the Labour Party.

ERIC CLAPTON REVISITED

You know you are getting very old when you switch on the South Bank Show to see a "retrospective" and think, hang on a minute, this guy was on it " fairly recently". Actually, 20 years since I watched Eric Clapton being interviewed by Melvyn Bragg. Aaargh....Nothing to do with left politics. Just another small reminder that life really ain't a dress rehearsal. Done my homework for tomorrow's teaching sessions. Off to bed..............

TRADE UNION LINK IN MORTAL DANGER.....

Yes, I said I wasn't blogging today but fortified by Diet Coke and aspirin feel sufficiently outraged to report that Brown is now considering - wait for it - capping trade union donations and changing the political levy system. Effectively, that would be the end of the Labour Party as we know it. And if it happens I will resign my membership. End of story.
This move, originally proposed by the Hayden Phillips enquiry, was vehemently opposed by the PLP and NEC. Now, disgracefully, the furore over David Abrahams is being used as an excuse to revive the idea again. This MUST be nipped in the bud immediately. It's, frankly, a sign of Brown's desperation and I would urge all members, MPs and union activists to mobilise NOW to stop it happening .
Meanwhile back on Planet Zog Roy Hattersley, writing in today's Observer, says his faith in Gordon Brown is " undiminished." He then refers , mysteriously, to a speech made by Brown in "Manchester" on the theme of "Best When We Are Labour." Actually, Roy, the speech was made in Bournemouth in 2003 when Gordon was still grandstanding to the left. Light years ago.......

GLOOMY SUNDAY

The weather is foul, I have a pretty bad hangover after an excursion to a Thai restaurant in Manchester last night , AND hours of work to do later. A brief recce of the papers reveals acres of newsprint concerning the dodgy donations scandal. Deeply depressing. Can't be bothered blogging much today but at least yesterday had some positives.The meal ( in a very strange restaurant in the middle of nowhere in East Manchester) was good and I also went to a meeting in Manchester where I met Yasmin Qureshi, who will be standing in Bolton South East at the next election. She's honest, impressive and left of centre. Not qualities to be commonly found in PPCs these days.........

WENDY ON THE CHOPPING-BLOCK!

You really could not make it up..... just winding down for the night and about to switch computer off when heard on PM that Wendy Alexander ( the other Scot to be appointed Leader this year without an election) could be forced to resign over accepting an illegal donation from a Jersey businessman - and writing him a thankyou letter.

HEAD FOR LABOUR HOME.....

In my first enthusiasm for blogging ( which has since dissipated somewhat) I used to spend far too much time on Labour Home , where my pseudonym was grimupnorth........ During the run-up to the (non) leadership contest and Deputy Leadership contests, it was a great place to go for a verbal scrap and, often, entertaining as wel as informative. In recent months I've stopped being a regular as the format is now a bit dreary and it tends to be dominated by fans of the status quo. However, LRC supporter Duncan Hall has just posted an article on the current crisis enveloping the Govt and, as with everything Dunc writes, it's worth a read. His analysis is absolutely correct.

A GREAT DAY TO GO OUT CAMPAIGNING?

If you are a Labour Party member then you will have received, like me, an e-mail urging you to join the big Campaign Day tomorrow. What fantastic timing....... Cabinet Ministers fighting like rats in a sack over who did what in the dodgy donations scandal, talk of Jack Straw replacing Brown as "caretaker "Prime Minister, knives out for Harriet Harman, Labour 11 points behind in the opinion polls. None of which detracts from the fact that 99.99 per cent of Party members are of course honest, hard-working and committed and have absolutely nothing to do with this mess. But the latest farrago is not one from which we are going to recover quickly. As it happens, I have pressing work commitments tomorrow and cannot go out leafletting ( or whatever) . The best of luck to those who do because they are going to need it......

LET'S BLAME THE RUSSIANS,,,,,,,

More unbelievable guff from P Toynbee in today's Guardian.If I appear to have a minor fixation with the female columnists who act as propaganda machines for Gordon Brown/New Labour then it's largely because I am also a journalist and find it utterly baffling they get paid so much money for writing such garbage. Polly, for example, simply cannot believe that it's possible Russia has better literacy levels than this country. In fact, she says the Russians are way above us because they , er, fiddle the statistics. Really.
When I visited the Soviet Union ( as it then was) in 1989 people were desperate for books - Penguin novels were prized items and other languages were taught as a matter of course in schools. Even the youngest of children could speak some English and/or German.
How can reading skills improve when no-one picks up a book? In very recent conversations with older students, and I'm talking university level, I'm amazed at the fact the vast majority simply do not read. Nor see the need to. But were I 30 years younger with hundreds of satellite channels, ready access to computer games, and junk magazines with no words but plenty of pics of "celebrities" , maybe I would be the same. My generation got one hour of children's TV , precious little spending money and public libraries offered us escapism now found 24/7 elsewhere. In Russia, I suspect, things are as they were here 40 years ago. As for the rest of Polly's article well it's the same line trotted out by Jackie Ashley the other day. And, talking of Russia, I have no doubt they would both have been gainfully employed on Pravda. Because their blind loyalty to this Government is similarly unacceptable.

POLICE TO INVESTIGATE ABRAHAMS DONATIONS

Headline news @ 6pm: Looks like the police are now definitely to investigate the dodgy donations. So here we are again. Less than six months after Brown becomes PM with the promise of a different kind of politics, more questions being asked by Scotland Yard. It beggars belief, really. Frankly, this is a small, elite coterie at the top of New Labour. Unfortunately, it rebounds on all of us. And the electorate are not going to be impressed. God knows what the next round of opinion polls will bring. It really is time the Party cleaned up its act along the lines suggested here

RETAIL THERAPY

Today is not a good day in our family calendar as it's 21 years today since my mum died. But instead of dwelling on the past I did what she would have wanted me to do. Which is go out and celebrate life by spending some money on myself.
Oddly enough, I was stopped in the street by someone from BBC Woman's Hour doing interviews and, for once, the media were not remotely interested in my political views. No, I was asked what I thought of the Whistles shop window in King Street, Manchester. Well, I had two thoughts, One: I could not really afford any of the clothes ; Two, they were all about size 8 so a bit impractical. But I gave it my best shot which, to anyone who knows my penchant for NOT shopping, is a bit of a laugh, really.
I tend to scour the charity shops , buy shoes when the existing pair are completely done for and so on..... Anyway, in the wake of this interview I proceeded to spend quite a bit of the hard-earned money that I have in reserve on utter fripperies.
I hate consumerism and think Christmas is basically a huge commercial con which gets too many people into far too much debt but even so occasionally we all need the odd treat. Then I got back and opened the big box of chocolates which a friend brought round the other day. Probably not quite such a good idea.......

THE REAL SCANDAL

So it looks as though the dodgy donations story is going to run and run. Nothing the papers like more than subterfuge and possible scandal. This Abrahams guy was apparently barred from the list of candidates for the local council in Newcastle - which takes a bit of doing.........He is clearly an eccentric ( am being kind) and the kind of person you would run a mile from.
The real scandal is of course not the Labour Party's utter ineptitude in this matter. Bad as it is. The scandal is a Leader completely at sea and at odds with the hopes and values of his increasingly small band of members. 170,000 and going down.....At the grassroots, the reality is seriously starting to kick in that Brown is NOT the saviour of even social democracy. Even moderates like Peter Kenyon are talking about Brown "riding roughshod over the working class." Right-wing rhetoric, the "big tent" , betrayal on climate change, authoritarian and punitive attitudes to immigration, pronouncements on unemployment benefit which would have been applauded by Norman Tebbit. And now reneging on promises to allow councils more freedom to build new homes,The list goes on and on ... . in the first six months of his premiership, Gordon Brown has disappointed many . Mr Bean, by comparison, is rather endearing.......

DEFEND COUNCIL HOUSING - AGAIN !

Back in the "halcyon days" of Gordon Brown's honeymoon as Leader, much was made of his renewed commitment to council housing. Now it appears that our hopes were a) a little premature and b) will be dashed unless serious pressure is put on the Govt and MPs to amend the Housing Bill which was discussed this week. See John McDonnell's blog for more details and links .

IS IT TIME FOR A SEQUEL?

Back in 1996, I was enthralled by Peter Flannery's Our Friends In The North - a truly epic tale of north-east political corruption, encompassing also revolutionary socialism , sexual liberation, gangland corruption and the birth of New Labour. In the last episode Mary, (played by Gina McKee) was about to become a Blairite MP. At the time the programme was transmitted, precious few of us realised the awful implications of this. How interesting it would be to find out what had happened to the fictional characters. My guess is Mary would now be in the Cabinet, former Marxist revolutionary Nicky (Chris Eccleston) would be a Number 10 spin doctor, Tory businesman Tosker dead of a heart attack and alcoholic Geordie (Daniel Craig) working for the voluntary sector. The new series would , obviously, end at the Trimdon Labour Club with a prominent local businesman in the front row as Tony Blair (played by himself) announces his resignation. ......

OXBRIDGE RADICALS REUNITED........

Turning away for a moment from Labour's squalid donations fiasco, it was good to see protestors out on the streets demonstrating against the disgraceful decision by the Oxford Union to allow Nick Griffin and David Irving to spout their racist bile.

Inevitably, this led to comments from more reactionary commentators about "privileged" students grandstanding. Well, I was glad to see a bit of a revival of student radicalism.

At Cambridge in the 1970s, we weren't all swanning around in Brideshead Revisited mode.

Rock Against Racism and the original Anti Nazi League were in full flood. Coaches of women students went down to London for a Reclaim The Night march in Soho in 1978 ( on similar lines to the one held in London on Saturday night) .We even had a rather bizarre "Blue Jeans Day" in which we all wore denim to show solidarity with gay men. As someone pointed out at the time, as we all wore denim anyway, how would anyone know....

Still, we were pretty solidly egalitarian at my college though I daresay some of my former comrades have long gone over to the dark side and become very rich. But not all.

In fact, two of my exact contemporaries in COLS - Cambridge Organisation of Labour Students - are now on the National Committee of the LRC. Which, statistically, is pretty extraordinary. One of our other contemporaries, " Red Andy" Marr, used to sell Socialist Action in the market square and sport a Lenin cap. Well, we all know what happened to him....

OUR FRIEND IN THE NORTH.......

Hazel Blears, John Hutton, Margaret Jay, all mixed up in the Abrams scandal. Couldn't happen to a nicer bunch......... As Gordon turned down the unknown donor and Harman didn't even query it methinks she could be toast. Geoff Hoon , meanwhile, blethering pathetically on Channel 4 News This really is a car crash.

IS HARRIET'S HEAD ABOUT TO ROLL?

So, Harriet Harman took a dodgy donation from Abrams in the name of one of his financial conduits. Will she have to resign? Consensus after today's Press conferencwe seems to be that Brown was not quite 100 percent behind her. We shall see.

Amused to hear Bob Marshall-Andrews on PM describing this as "Shakespearian tragedy" which I think frankly is bigging up a fairly depressing re-run of the last days of the Blair regime with poll ratings to match. Bob, I understand, was very recently going round Westminster telling everyone Brown was the "real deal" and a great socialist. Presumably he has changed his mind.Philip Gould also talking tosh on the radio about Peter Watt and his "great integrity" on World At One which could well be so but after all the cash for honours stuff just isn't going to wash with the public. Like Victor Meldrew, they just DON'T BELIEVE IT and we're going to have to do better than this To be fair, Watt has done the decent thing and resigned.

But, if Bob is right and we are in Shakespearian mode. Two thoughts.

"When troubles come, they come not in single spies but in battalions."

"Something is rotten in the state of Denmark."

GOOD NEWS

Protestors have seemingly stopped the Oxford Union debate with the odious David Irving and Nick Griffin going ahead........

AND BAD NEWS....

Lead story on 10pm news is that Peter Watt, Labour's General Secretary,has been forced to resign over the latest donations scandal. Tomorrow's PM press conference should be interesting......

BRANSON'S BID ACCEPTED BY GOVT

Optimistic as ever , I have just joined a Facebook campaign group to Nationalise Northern Rock. But it looks as though the £900-plus of my money as a taxpayer which has already been ploughed into it will now be appropriated by Richard Branson and eventually make a nice fat proft for both Branson his shareholders. The Government has just confirmed it will back his bid to absorb Northern Rock into "Virgin Money." What a woeful lack of radical imagination on the Govt's part. And a woeful waste of public money....

SYLVIE KRIN STUFF

I sometimes don't know whether to laugh or cry at the New Labour cheerleaders in the Guardian. A classic one today. Got back late from my teaching hours to catch some serious anger at a piece by Jackie Ashley in today's CiF. http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/story/0,,2217024,00.html

Ashley is a serious journalist, an intelligent woman who presumably has a fine political brain. Yet she is still trotting out the tiresome line that we haven't seen the "real" Gordon , who presumably is this progressive social democrat we were promised just an election or so ago. "I've met him," she coos. And we're supposed to be impressed. So what? I couldn't care less if she has dinner round Number 10 every night . We are surely judging the man on his policies, not his social skills. And these are, increasingly, found wanting by anyone who is part of the mainstream Labour family. Never mind the hard left.

Her piece today is positively embarrassing in its sycophancy. Sylvie Krin stuff. So let's get real. Gordon is in a hole. One entirely of his own making. Borne largely of a dogged refusal to steer left of centre and stay true to the Labour principles he supposedly believes in.

The blogs are starting to fill with nasty personal innuendo about the man which I have no time for at all. But let's stop this pretence still being touted by the soft left that somehow Brown's "vision" is about to glow red . They are all in utter denial.

What you see, as the left said all along, is what you get. It's now up to the PLP to decide if they want this rightward tack to continue - or do something about it.

DONATION DEJA VU......

On a personal note, I have not had the greatest of weeks. But Labour's has been worse. Northern Rock, data going missing, dreadful poll ratings and then today the papers were splashed with more bad publicity about donations, with Jack Straw expressing concern about the" transparency" of donations to the Labour Party after a property developer admitted channelling the money through friends to keep his identity secret.
Labour has launched its own internal inquiry into the £400,000 received from Ray Ruddick and Janet Kidd, with Straw calling for watchdogs at the Electoral Commission to look into the donations .Here we go again......

ONCE A CATHOLIC...

Today, I have decided, I will go to Mass. This is not some act of piety . I'm not a devout Catholic. Nor even a good one. I have lapsed more times than I've said the rosary. But occasionally I feel the need for some spiritual solace. And it's cheaper than retail therapy and not as fattening as chocolates. The last time I revealed my closet Catholicism to a group of lefties they were, well, a bit horrified. But I draw strength from people like Kathy Kelly, a wonderful peace campaigner I met a couple of weeks ago who is a member of the Catholic Worker movement ( which I must confess I had never heard of until I researched the article. The big difficulty with Catholicism is not the teachings of Christ or Thomas Aquinas ( the basis of the CWM) but the sexual edicts from the Vatican As a 16-year-old, I can remember arguing fiercely with a Jesuit priest that the Church's teachings on contraception were utterly illogical. Anyone remember the "rhythm method" ........
I also believe in a woman's right to choose . No woman undertakes to have an abortion lightly and contraception should therefore be universally available, and free . And many make the mistake of assuming all catholics are reactionary on these and other issues . Far from it.
The Parish Priest at the church I am going to is an active socialist and Labour Party member.has organised coaches to anti-war demonstrations, solidarity missions to Peru. Monsignor Bruce Kent, after all, was the leader of CND . Anyway ( she said defensively) I'm not about to turn into Julie Andrews. Even if the hills are on my doorstep.......

CHRISTMAS LIGHTS GO ON IN HEBDEN

OK, hardly the big political struggle. But I was instrumental in improving Hebden's frankly tatty Christmas lights extravaganza. Legged it back from Manchester to make the carols round the tree with friends including fellow Councillor Janet Oosthuysen ( pictured with me) , who I sincerely hope will be standing for the "big council " in Calderdale in May. Janet was with me in London for the LRC conference last weekend and will be a fine addition to the Council. The weather was, actually, very grim. But our spirits round here on the left are pretty sunny.

TONY LLOYD BACKS KAREN

Heartening day at the rally and demonstration in support of Karen Reissmann today in Manchester . I was really pleased to see Manchester Central MP Tony Lloyd speaking up in support of a fellow trade unionist who has been wrongly victimised. Yes, we in the Labour Party have a different position politically. But this is about a hard-working woman who has been sacked for speaking out about the conditions of mental health patients. As Tony said, we stand together to support each other in the labour movement. Whatever our diffrerent views . My NUJ coleague jenny Lennox was also on the platfom along with many of Karen's co-workers. People travelled from as far afield as Glasgow and London to support her and many trade union reps were there -including the RMT, NUT, NUJ, many UNISON branches. A great day and a great feeling to be with people committed to fighting for the NHS. This is where we on the left need to be. Out there, campaigning, talking to people and making it clear there are many of us in the Party who are not sticking rigidly to the New Labour agenda. Support too from Coronation Street actor Chris Bisson, Shameless writer Paul Abbott. Loads more banners than I have seen in recent times. We have to win this campaign. And I think we will.

POLL MELTDOWN FOR BROWN BUT LIGHTS ON THE HORIZON IN HEBDEN BRIDGE

A poll splashed across today's Guardian gives Labour 31 per cent - its worst rating since the last days of Tony Blair. The "Brown bounce" is but a memory and many must be rueing the day the election was called off. Meanwhile have a busy day going to the Manchester protest in support of Karen Reissman and then, by way of contrast, straight back to hebden bridge for the official Christmas lights switch-on and carols round the tree. Should hopefully have photos of both.

TIME FOR MANCHESTER LABOUR TO SHOW KAREN SOLIDARITY

Enough of internet spats. I will be getting on the train to Manchester tomorrow to show a spot of solidarity to sacked UNISON activist Karen Reissman, who got a standing ovation at last week's LRC conference . The demo starts at 1pm tomorrow in the Peace Gardens in St Peter's Square. My comrade Miles has lots of background on this and .I note with particular concern that Manchester's Labour councillors have not been supportive. With, apparently, one interesting exception. I can confirm Miles's suggestion that Moston councillor Bill Risby was the only one to speak out in support of Karen at a Labour group meeting. Which is a) pretty ironic and b) a bloody sad reflection on the state of the Labour group . I've known Bill for over 30 years and he's a friend, a lifelong socialist and former trade union leader (SLADE) In my (long-gone) youth, we in the Manchester LPYS regarded Bill as a "sell-out" and indeed he was on the right of the Party then. He thought we were a bunch of barmy young Trotskyists ( we probably were) Even more ironically, many of those councillors who now are NOT coming out in support of Karen were regarded then as dangerous lefties. So I suspect the reality is this.

Bill has stayed where he always was politically - a decent moderate Labour man committed and supportive of any trade unionist wrongly sacked. Others, I suspect, prefer to dwell on the fact that Karen is an SWP member and somehow justify her treatment on sectarian grounds. Toeing , of course, the New Labour line....Why in God's name haven't the Manchester MPs spoken out in support of a woman who only last week received a letter confirming she was to be promoted - days after she had been sacked for speaking up for patients. Yet again, Labour is wrongfooted on a seriously important issue. It is enough to make one despair.

UNITED WE STAND......

A couple of days ago I posted what I thought was a pretty inocuous blog on the LRC conference. However, it resulted in a major slanging-match with all kinds of allegations being bandied around. So let us be absolutely clear.
About 250 to 300 people attended the conference with views ranging from the Compassite left to the Alliance for Workers Liberty and beyond. Speakers also represented a broad spectrum. Jon Trickett from Compass and moderate left Welsh AM Jane Davison. More "left" views were represented by Mark Serwotka from the PCS and Joe Marino of the Baker's Union.
The whole point of the day was to have an honest debate on the future of the left. Obviously, there are many differing views on this. Mark Serwotka didn't hold out much hope for the Labour Party but urged us to carry on fighting from within. He made it clear that in certain circumstances, he would support RESPECT ( or other left) candidates against right-wing Labour. I don't happen to share Mark's view on this. I think small parties like RESPECT , or the SP, only weaken the left. But , yes, I can see where he is coming from because the state of the Labour Govt is pretty dire. No, I won't be campaigning for any candidate who isn't Labour becaue I would get kicked out of the Party and that's not a very good strategy.
Some of the unions who back the LRC are disaffiliated from Labour. Should they be in it ? Why the hell not? The RMT still has a strong Parliamentary Group led by John McDonnell as indeed does my union the NUJ, also for solely ethical reasons not affilated to the Labour Party . I sincerely hope at some stage the FBU and RMT will come back to Labour and would regard their involvement with the LRC as a real positive on that score.
The big barney was, however, reserved for a comment or two I made about Jon Trickett and Jon Cruddas. In the former case, I thought it strange that Trickett should make a (very) long speech highly critical of Brown and not refer or explain to the reasons why he had nominated him. Frankly, a lot of us were listening in disbelief. Fine words, as they say, butter no parsnips..... but Trickett was listened to politely. Cruddas, as i pointed out in a throwaway remark, would probably not have been. Hardly controversial stuff. Stating, in fact, the bloody obvious. Yet I was accused of being "uncharitable"
So let's get this straight. I think nothing would be better than for the Compassites and centre-left to link up with the 30 or so socialist MPs to build a 100-strong PLP grouping which could really have an impact . More unites us than divides us. All that stuff.
But painful facts have to be faced. The biggest one being that Gordon Brown is NOT a closet leftie. Maybe he was once. He certainly isn't now. He goes on doggedly with plans for ID cards, more authoritarian terrorism legislation, Academies, nuclear weapons, third runways etc etc etc.And don't get me started on the cuts to disability benefit
In my very humble opinion the only way forward is to unite and campaign behind the polices like Trident, social housing, PFI, climate change, the issues which did win big backing from members in the deputy leadership campaign. But when was the last time you heard ANYONE on the centre-left really speaking out . And I don't mean anodyne pieces on Comment Is Free. If people like Trickett REALLY have a problem with the New labour agenda ( and I'm pretty convinced he does) then they should start working with the Campaign Group, LRC and grassroots campaigns around the issues we agree on. Let's hope this becomes a reality in the months and weeks ahead. Otherwise Labour will continue to slump further and further behind the Tories. And no wonder....

NO TO HEATHROW EXPANSION

It's quite extraordinary that , on the one hand, the Government pledges commitment to the environment. Then, on the other, is hell-bent on projects like expanding Heathrow.
The other day, I was in London for a meeting, arriving at King's Cross. The new rail terminal there is a wonder to behold and I can't wait for my first opportunity to travel on the Eurostar from there. Being a flying phobic, I have travelled to France and Italy by train and - it's wonderful. Last year I was forced to abandon overland plans and fly to Spain from Stansted. It was a miserable, tortuous experience. Two hours to get through security, one hour wait on the runway. More delays coming back. Apparently travel time from Heathrow to Frankfurt is 90 minutes but the whole experience takes a good five hours. Is this really an argument for expansion? Why aren't we doing more to get people on the trains to Europe by improving rail links to London , ofering cheaper fares. No, it's not a panacea but it would be a start.
Ministers like Ruth Kelly show a depressing inability to think out of the box ( to use a Blairite phrase) a woeful lack of imagination, and of cpurse a deermination to stick to the agenda of big business.
In today's Guardian , Kelly says abandoning expansion plans "might salve green consciences" will have no impact on the environment, because the global appetite for air travel will continue to grow at 5% a year. So, we might as well trade arms to anyone because people are always going to kill each other .. does it never occur to these people that you HAVE TO START SOMEWHERE. She then trots out the Brownite line which is always used against the left and the green lobby.
"If Heathrow is allowed to become uncompetitive, the flights and routes it operates will simply move elsewhere. All it will do is shift capacity over the Channel. It will make us feel pure, but with no benefit to the rest of the planet." That is, to say the least of it, a sweeping, fatuous statement. I hope those living in the area - and beyond - now redouble their efforts to fight the third runway. The Govt has ( just for a change) made up its mind ahead of any consultation. But the fight against the third runway will continue

CAROLINE BENN

Tomorrow marks the seventh anniversary of the death of Caroline Benn and today for some reason I feel compelled to write about her.

Probably because in recent years, I have observed at fairly close hand the sheer courage of Tony Benn as he carries on stoutly campaigning without the woman who was his "socialist soulmate." It always makes me feel more than a little sad because their story is the stuff of fairytale. They met as students at Oxford University and he proposed to her nine days later. She accepted. Later on, Tony bought the bench he proposed to her on and re-located it to their home in West London.

Throughout the many years they were married, Caroline Benn combined family life with commitment to socialism. She was president of the Socialist Education Association and her best-known book was a 1992 biography of Keir Hardie. She worked as an OU tutor and was a member of ILEA ( the Inner London Education Authority) and co-founder of the Campaign for Comprehensive Education. From a female perspective, she was also an extremely glamorous and elegant woman.

In 1981, I remember sitting in the foyer of Brighton's Grand Hotel ( no security cordons in those days) shortly after the news Benn had lost the deputy leadership by the narrowest of whiskers. We all were, as you may imagine, utterly gutted. Tony and Caroline came in to rapturous applause and stood on the hotel stairway acknowledging our support- gracious and inspiring in defeat.

A couple of years later, when Hilary Benn lost Ealing North in 1983, they were out in force at a post-election party - supplying champagne to cheer us all up ( even though the Benns don't drink!).They were in short a team . And , as anyone who has read the latest volume of Benn's diaries will be aware, it's taken tremendous willpower and commitment on Tony's part to carry on. So I will be thinking of him tomorrow.