GALLOWS HUMOUR

Things are not looking good this end for the local elections. Correction. They are looking bloody catastrophic. It was bad enough before the Tories decided not to stand a candidate in our ward for Calderdale council. Now it's a two-horse race in what's already a Lib Dem stronghold. Their candidate is a budgie-breeder from Todmorden with very little political experience. Ours is a really hard-working Parish Councillor who previously served on the "big council." and this is the THIRD time he has stood in three years. But, barring accidents. the budgie-man will win the day.

In Hebden Bridge, we 've got one leaflet out but there is no-one to help with canvassing on the day and virtually no-one to be there at the polling stations either . Our activists have disappeared . And who can blame them? Now I'm often accused of being negative (sometimes quite rightly) but even one of my chirpiest council colleagues is steeped in doom and gloom. Which worries me greatly.It got me to thinking about Really Bad Moments in my Labour Party history. These are probably the three worst.

1. 1983. Michael Foot defeated and Tony Benn losing seat. Campaigned for Hilary Benn in Ealing North ( when he WAS a Bennite) and we got trashed.

2. 1987. More election defeat. Despite what Thatcher had just done to the miners.

3. 1992. Mass hysteria at Chorlton Labour Club in Manchester when we unexpectedly lost.

This Thursday is likely to be another big baddie but the good news is on May 10 Blair is going. That has to be a positive. If we don't have a leadership contest after all the work put in then that will certainly be a downer. However, what we now know is that New Labour is in its death throes. And I have to say I was very heartened by the responses to the CiF piece in today's Guardian. Instead of the usual outpouring of cynical bile, these were for the most part people, frankly, desperate to see a proper debate around the Labour values they believe in. So, whatever happens on May 3 , let's carry on doing our best to ensure there is no Brown "coronation." Ten days to shake the world.......

RETURN OF THE BROAD CHURCH_-JOHN McDONNELL WRITES IN TODAY'S GUARDIAN

See today's Guardian - John McDonnell on the leadership contest

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/story/0,,2068362,00.html

LEADERSHIP POLL PUTS McDONNELL AHEAD OF CLARKE AND MEACHER

From today's Sunday Times: In a contest between Brown, Michael Meacher, John McDonnell and Charles Clarke, 80% of those expressing a preference said they would back Brown, with McDonnell on 9%, Meacher on 6% and Clarke on just 5%.

Given the media blackout this campaign has been subject to , and the fact the other two are ex-Ministers, this is a good base from which to start a full-on campaign in the glare at last of proper publicity. Let's hope the PLP take note of this ( and the other recent poll which said 78 per cent of the electorate want to see a leadership contest). Yes, it is about policies not personalities. And we have to try and keep things comradely and fight a united campaign whoever stands. But on this basis it is John, the backbencher who has come from nowhere and put in nine months' hard graft meeting Party members and trade unionists, who should be the left candidate on the ballot paper.

JOIN PCS PICKET LINES ON MAY DAY

On Tuesday 1 May 2007 there is a national strike by PCS union to save offices and defend jobs in Revenue and Customs. There will be a picket line outside the tax office at Southgate House in Halifax from 7.30 am to 10am. Nationally PCS is striking for no compulsory redundancies and relocations , fairer pay, and adequate staffing levels to provide a decent standard of customer service. Civil servants based in West Yorkshire, which includes the Halifax office, were told on November 16th last year that their work would be moved to Bradford, and that they either moved with it or would lose their jobs. An online petition has been set up by union activists to oppose these moves, anyone over 18 can sign sign my online petition here . If you would just consider signing it, to help people who work in Halifax stay in Halifax we would greatly appreciate it. Thank you Tracy Hunt office secretary for Halifax HMRC mobile number 07983549040

MAY 10 - CHAMPAGNE ON ICE

May 10 is the birthday of one of my oldest friends. This year, it also happens to be the day when Tony Blair is expected to announce his long overdue departure from Downing Street.Sundry bottles of the co-op's special offer Cava ( and maybe one or two bottles of the real thing) are likely to find a home here within the next couple of days and fellow Labour Party members will be texted, phoned and invited to drink deeply of the fizzy stuff once he makes the announcement.

However, the truth is that "celebrations" could fall a bit flat. Blair's resignation will come only days after the horrors of the local election results. It should have been announced two years ago, before the last General Election.

Whatever his past achievements ( and yes he was once an election winner) Blair should have acknowledged aeons ago that he was an electoral liability. But he didn't. We now face the consequences.Which are a hollowed-out Labour Party, deep disillusionment of the electorate, and the worst poll ratings since 1983.Which is why come the glorious day I will be downloading Things Can Only Get Better from the internet and blasting it out across the Calder Valley...........

UPDATE: 6PM

More info now in the Guardian and on the BBC. Under the agreement between the two camps, both candidates will apparently meet on the day Blair resigns and compare their levels of support. The one with the most goes forward.....and hopefully on to the ballot.

I'm glad to see that The Guardian is still sticking to its original line that John McDonnell is more likely to get the support. Meacher still claims he has 24 signed nominations. With more to come.

So we shall see. But at time of writing ,there is still not one MP coming forward as an official Meacher supporter. I draw certain conclusions from that.

DEAL OR NO DEAL?

Both The Times and the BBC today report that some kind of agreement has been struck between the two Left candidates for the Labour leadership . The basis being that whoever has the least nominations will step down. Good news.
The bad news is that Meacher is still equivocating and talking coyly about "centre-left candidates" ie himself being on the ballot. He's also sticking to his tale that he has 24 signed nominations. At the risk of being a bore about this, who are they and where are they? Not one statement of Meacher solidarity from a supporting MP. Odd. no?
It really looks as though this is going to go to the wire.The suspense would be killing me were it not for the fact I'm pretty fed-up with Meacher's antics. My heartfelt sympathies to the McDonnell camp. What a nightmare this must be.......

FANTASY WORLD MEACHER GOES TOO FAR

MY RESPONSE TO MEACHER LETTER IN TODAY'S GUARDIAN

(it's being considered for publication but just in case they don't ....)

Words fail me at the Michael Meacher letter in yesterday's Guardian. Two months ago, I extracted a public promise from him (in the Independent) that he would stand down in the event of getting less nominations than John McDonnell.McDonnell already has 12 publicly declared nominations from MPs on his website. Meacher has NONE.He claims he has signed statements of support from 25 MPs. So where are they? And who are they? In the past nine months, John McDonnell has earned the support of thousands of Party members, trade unionists and supporters who recognise his integrity and principles. Unlike Meacher, John did not support the war in Iraq, did not support top-up fees, foundation hospitals, or any of the other New Labour policies which Meacher subscribed to as a Minister. For most of us on the left, Meacher simply isn't the person to take Gordon Brown on with any credibility. For the most part,he has supported New Labour all the way. His recent "born-again" leftism was until recently accepted as sincere. Now he is using this belated zeal to try and sabotage a campaign with much support hard-won - and backed to the hilt by the grassroots.The notion that Brown would actively encourage John McDonnell as he's scared of a Meacherchallenge is risible. But this isn't funny any more. For the sake of the Labour Party and those of us who care about its future , and for the sake of his own standing within the Party, Michael must stand down now so we can have a contest.His personal attack on John McDonnell has ensured that I would never switch my vote to his under any circumstances. I suspect I am not alone.Coun Susan Press Calder Valley CLP 83 Bridge LanesHebden BridgeHX7 6AT

THE LONGEST SUICIDE NOTE IN HISTORY?

The famous sneer ( from Gerald Kaufman ) about Labour's election manifesto under Michael Foot can now surely be ascribed to Blair..........

A poll out today reveals that Labour has slipped to its lowest poll ratings since 1983, A monthly poll from Communicate for the Independent finds support for Labour had slipped four points to 27 per cent, leaving the party facing its worst poll ratings for nearly 25 years. Thanks, Tony. You leave the Party in a wonderful state.Things, as they say, can only get better.....

SYCOPHANTIC SPIN

Another little lecture about how we should be grateful to New Labour from Polly Toynbee this morning.My God, it does get tedious. It would make a real change to read a columnist who didn't kow-tow before the overbearing Brown bandwagon. To be fair, the Mirror and the Independent ( King Sycophant John Rentoul aside) at least give lip-service to other trains of thought from the status quo. But, throughout Blair's long goodbye, the Guardian has been absolutely appalling.Now Miliband is out of the frame , uber-Blairite Martin Kettle is distraught. "The end of new Labour" etc etc etc . As far as most of Fleet Street is concerned, it's game over. Their attitude is let's just wrap the whole thing up and give Brown his long-overdue present.Partisanship aside, there are many reasons why this is not a good idea. And many of them would, one hopes, have occurred to Brown himself.1.The electorate will not regard him as a "proper" leader. In the end, he will be resented hugely if there isn't a contest.2. No Labour leader has ever been "crowned."3. It's an affront to Party democracy and the democratic process in general4. We don't pay subs to have Soviet-style handovers decided by 350 members of a Party which has about 170,000 paid-up members5. Thousands of grassroots members and trade unionists don't actually agree with Gordon Brown.6.We will probably lose the next General Election as a result. That's enough to be going on with.

STAND DOWN MEACHER!

24 hours ago (less than, actually) I decided I was so hacked off with Michael Meacher and his parallel leadership universe that something had to be done. At 5pm, I created a Facebook group called Stand Down Meacher! Comrades,what a resounding success. We are heading for 100 members .... and counting. That's more in 24 hours than Meacher has managed in 2 months. Tom Watson MP has kindly put a link on his website so I have reciprocated. The power of the internet.....e-mail me if you want to join and are not on Facebook....that can quickly be remedied. Here's the link......

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=2345666146

Michael Meacher Spoilt My Breakfast !

Google alerts can damage your health - this morning one popped up from the Telegraph, where "Twilight Zone" leadership candidate Michael Meacher is still banging on about how he is going to get 44 nominations from the PLP. Yesterday, the Guardian said his campaign was "dead in the water." Today, like Dracula, Meacher rises up and says he has 25 MPs supporting him. OK, Michael, where are they ? And who are they? There are none on your website. I know of only three possible MPs supporting you. But then I'm hardly at the centre of the Westminster hub. Perhaps we are all wrong and there is an army of ardent Meacherite MPs set to rocket you onto the ballot. Somehow, I don't think so. Why? Because in your article you also say John McDonnell has the support of only 15 Mps. And that is complete and utter bunkum. Anyone got any garlic?

GORDON GUNS FOR JOHN McDONNELL

So much for Gordon Brown wanting a contest. Today's Guardian reports that his campaign team have launched a major offensive to stop one. Apparently, Jack Straw now has 217 MPs signed up to nominate Brown ( an awesome number by anyone's standards)
The garnering of names, says the Guardian, is a deliberate bid to stop any challenge whatsoever. Which is interesting because until recently the Brownites were scornful there was any chance at all of a left-wing contender getting anywhere near the magic 44. Now they have seen off Miliband, they are aiming to see off John McDonnell.
The Guardian confirms what I have been saying for weeks which is that the Meacher campaign is "dead in the water" with only 3 MPs signed up. However, it acknowledges John McDoinnell could be nearly there - and only 5 names short of the 44. A great day for Party democracy? A fantastic opportunity to debate policy? No chance.
Bully boy Brown is still determined to stop the Party having a contest. Even if , as one must acknowledge, he's runaway favourite to win. What kind of politician fears debate? What motivation will there be for anyone to stay in the Party when our MPs deny us a vote. And, mpost importantly, what kind of message does that send to an electorate already fed-up with spin and control freakery.
But let's be positive. This article ( and Michael White's appalling piece yesterday in the Guadian) are real signs that the Brownites are running scared and that the left can get there - against all the odds. So, at the risk of repeating myself, keep lobbying MPs, write to the papers, blog on the blogs. We have little over two weeks tomake a difference.......

IS THIS THE BEST WE CAN DO?

Bit late to post but have just been watching Question Time and am pretty appalled at the performance of Ed Miliband. If this is Labour's future then we don't have one.The phrase "car crash" springs to mind. Here is Susan's guide to TV performance.

Rule 1: When on platform, look interested in what other people are saying.

Rule 2:If you do not agree , do not have contemptuous sneer on face. Smile occasionally.

Rule 3: We all know about Cabinet collective responsibility, but parrotting "the line" in pompous fashion fools no-one. And puts TV screens at risk of collateral damage.

As you may have gathered, am no fan of New labour. But less clone-like Cabinet Ministers like Hilary Benn and Peter Hain at least display a modicum of INDIVIDUAL THOUGHT. But so-called Great White Hopes like the Milibands are wheeled on every week and , frankly, they are an embarrassment and a vote-loser. Prime Minister material? I don't think so.

DIANE ABBOTT IS ON-SIDE FOR LEADERSHIP CONTEST

We all remember the "Portillo moment" when it became crystal clear that Labour really was on course for a landslide victory in 1997. Well, 10 years on Michael Portillo is doing very nicely thankyou as a broadcaster and journalist - most prominently on Andrew Neil's discussion programme The Week.

His sparring partner on the sofa, Diane Abbott, could not be more different politically. But to be fair, Portillo is an intelligent guy who seems engaging company ( for a Tory anyway) . And, frankly, some of his recent pronouncements are far more "left" than the New Labour elite.

But in recent months I have found myself becoming increasingly irritated at what seemed like Diane's rather gung-ho support for Gordon Brown. So I am pleased to report that the somewhat maverick Campaign Group MP has finally put it on record that she WILL be nominating John McDonnell after all. Diane and Bob WareingMp are the latest to join the fast-growing list of endorsements. www.john4leader.org.uk

DAILY MIRROR 4JOHN !

Apart from garnering the 44 names needed to get PLP nomination, John McDonnell's major challenge has been getting ANY mainstream media coverage.With one or two exceptions, there has been very little. So I am delighted to see my NUJ colleague Kevin Maguire backing John as left candidate in today's Daily Mirror. Kevin is actually a huge fan of Gordon Brown. But as a traditional Labourite he also recognises there should be room for a variety of views within the Party. And, as someone not brought up in metropolitan dinner party circles, he also recognises a tireless campaigner who is on the side of the working-class. As we also have the backing of his fellow columnist Paul Routledge, looks like the Mirror is on-side.

LEFTY WHO'S JUST RIGHT
Kevin Maguire 18/04/2007
DO you oppose spending billions on weapons of mass destruction?
Do you favour tougher employment protection laws? Do you want an immediate halt to the privatisation of public services? Do you back a considerably higher minimum wage and state pension?
Do you think identity cards would be an expensive intrusion into our privacy? And did you oppose the Iraq war from the start?
If the answer is yes, then lefty John McDonnell might be the Labour leader for you.
Now, I have a sneaking admiration for the tenacity of his fellow lefty, ex-environment minister Michael Meacher.
But he voted for the Iraq war and ID cards, to take just two examples, and is splitting the Labour left. John McDonnell might never get the required 44 nominations to run for the Labour crown but, with Meacher in the race, he's certain to fail.
Meacher had his chance as a minister and should step back gracefully.
McDonnell is a tireless lefty campaigner and like any challenger, Blairite or otherwise, would almost certainly lose to Gordon Brown.
But if there is to be a contest and not a coronation, far better the Premier-in-waiting is challenged from the left as well as the right.

As part of his campaign for the Labour leadership, John McDonnell has written a manifesto for 21st socialism - "Another World Is Possible"
The book costs just £2.50 including postage and packaging. Copies will be dispatched following publication 1st May. The book is 64 pages, paperback and is approximately CD-sized

More info on www.john4Leader.org.uk

Election biog as seen on Hebweb

I was elected to Fairfield ward in 2003 and have been a Labour Party member for 30 years. Locally, Labour councillors have been a positive force for good on Hebden Royd. Since 2003, we have supported dozens of community groups including Hebden Junior Band, the Woodcraft Folk, the Alternative Technology Centre and intitiatives like the Hebden Bridge Arts Festival and Make Poverty History.
Our councillors helped shape the traffic review and pedestrianisation of Hebden Bridge, saved local bus services in my ward, and have contributed to employing an Environmental Community Warden to improve life in the town. With the help of Labour councillors Stewart Brown and Robin Dixon, we recently secured funding for Central Street.
I would be delighted to be re-elected for Fairfield. So I have to say a word or two about national issues. I know many voters in Hebden Royd are deeply concerned about the direction Labour has taken nationally. So am I.

Since 2003, I have been an active anti-war campaigner and recently attended the anti-Trident demo in London. In recent months, I have been campaigning for John McDonnell MP, who is hoping to stand on a socialist ticket against Gordon Brown. John inspired many at his recent meeting in Hebden Bridge and I hope people like him will be able to help us change direction in the months and years ahead.

On a personal note, I have lived in Fairfield for 10 years , am Chair of the Calderdale Branch of the National Union of Journalists and love living here after spending much of my life as a Mancunian townie. Thanks to local photographer Alison O'Brien, who has kindly supplied me with a series of photos from our recent Labour Party meeting at the Stubbing Wharf. Sometimes, you have to have a sense of humour to stick around..........

UNISON ABANDON LABOUR IN SCOTLAND

The sheer magnitude of the problems facing Labour if we do not change policy direction is illustrated starkly in Scotland - where UNISON is not supporting Labour.
The general council of the Scottiish TUC has agreed by ONE VOTE to back a Labour victory at the local and Holyrood elections as being in the best interests of workers.
Public service union Unison was among those which refused to support the STUC taking a party political position.
SSP leader Colin Fox, not someone I would normally have time for, is right to say this speaks volumes about the current state of the Labour Party.
Yet people like Dave Prentis seem determined to press on with their tacit support for Gordon Brown, whose recent policy pronouncements have not been good news for the public sector.The portents could not be clearer .The union activists have had enough , and they want Real Labour back ASAP.That does not mean endorsing New labour candidates at the forthcoming leadership and deputy leadership elections.

COUNTDOWN TO BUSH'S DEMISE

As recommended by my trade union comrade Linda Foley of the American Newspaper Guild........it should cheer up Monday no end!

http://www.bushslastday.com/

YO BROWN? NO BROWN!

Three days holed up in a Birmingham hotel - a comforting place to be when surrounded by fellow trade unionists and people generally of a left persuasion. Votes for more trade union rights, solidarity with strikers, against Trident, and supportive of the anti-war movement. Great speeches too from NUJ member Tony Benn, American comrade Linda Foley and John McDonnell, who is Chair of the union's Parliamentary Group. Now back to the real world.

Hideously, Gordon Brown is already cosying up to George Bush . It seems we are expected to believe that GB and GB (the GeeBee GeeBees) met unexpectedly when the Prezz dropped into talks the Chancellor was having with national security adviser Stephen Hadley.Bush , we are told, just popped his head round the door.

Yeah, right. What amazes me most ( apart from the fact that they expect us to believe this PR guff) is that Brown thinks this will somehow ENHANCE his standing with the British electorate and the Labour Party.

Alan Simpson MP in typical witty style described the said event as "speed dating" but the fact is that this is deeply depressing news for Labour . The Party is crying out for a new direction and all we get is more of the same. All those MPs who voted against the war should take careful note.

Former Defence Minister Peter Kilfoyle says it's" business as usual with the neo-cons" if Brown takes over.It's taken him THIS long to realise?????

WE NEED A SOCIALIST ON THE BALLOT PAPER!

Was not going to blog today as trying to clear work backlog before union conference but today's Guardian prompts a quick post. What an utterly pathetic shambles this leadership contest is becoming.

Apparently, the uber-Blairite wing are still hell-bent on persuading their Chosen One, David Miliband to stand for the party leadership next month.The aim, allegedly, is to look to raise nominations for Miliband from 44 MPs who would declare their support on the Labour party website minutes after Tony Blair announces his timetable for leaving office in early May.

Fantastic.No consultation with the Party, no thought to what the unions might think. To say the least, it is an unedifying scramble for power .The scenario presumably is that Miliband then comes forward "reluctantly" announcing his decision to go for it. And, hey presto,Brown is toast.

In their obsessive hatred of Brown, they have forgotten one thing. The electoral college. One-third of votes with members. One third of votes with trade unions. And around 200 MPs have already declared for Brown.

Miliband says he doesn't want to stand in case that makes Brown turn "left." Frankly, I hope he does stand .And get utterly trounced. It might just kill off New Labour. But, in a contest between Brown and Miliband I would have no-one who represented my views. That is the most sickening thing about all of this.

In John McDonnell, we have a candidate who has been campaigning for months and winning huge grassroots support. Thousands of us want to vote for a socialist.Are we going to be disenfranchoised because of the self-serving whims of the PLP.

I'm off to Birmingham in a couple of hours. Below is a list of target MPs who have a record as rebels. Lobby them NOW and help us get a decent, principled fight for the leadership. And pass the list on.........

griffithn@parliament.uk

gerrardn@parliament.uk

mcgovernj@parliament.uk

wrighta@parliament.uk

burgonc@parliament.uk

trickettj@parliament.uk

mitchellav@parliament.u

butlerd@parliament.uk

godsiffr@parliament.uk

cohenh@parliament.uk

hopkinsk@parliament.uk

taylordl@parliament.uk

singhm@parliament.uk

truswellp@parliament.uk

heyesd@parliament.uk

walleyj@parliament.uk

owena@parliament.uk

hamiltonf@parliament.uk

burdenr@parliament.uk

connartym@parliament.uk

prenticeg@parliament.uk

strangg@parliament.uk

purchasek@parliament.uk

morganj@parliament.uk

humblej@parliament.uk

jamessc@parliament.uk

gibsoni@parliament.uk

mullinc@parliament.uk

farrellyp@parliament.uk

havardh@parliament.uk

flynnp@parliament.uk

wilsonp@parliament.uk

hoeyk@parliament.uk

groganj@parliament.uk

claphamm@parliament.uk

hamiltonda@parliament.uk

cummingsj@parliament.uk

dunwoodyg@parliament.uk

taylormp@parliament.uk

walleyj@parliament.uk

buckk@parliament.uk

fisherm@parliament.uk

jacksong@parliament.uk

austinj@parliament.uk

davidsonig@parliament.uk

dismorea@parliament.uk

andersonda@parliament.uk

sarwarm@parliament.uk

OFF TO NUJ CENTENARY CONFERENCE

No blogging for past couple of days as have felt too brassed off to bother. Largely down to more nonsense from New Labour , pressure of work, and sheer laziness.

Now off to NUJ Conference in Birmingham tomorrow so will have to cope with four days' enforced absence from Internet (no laptop!) I will no doubt be scouring others' computers such is the addictive nature of the IT age.

Must pack paracetamols and leave the late-night drinking to younger members. Free tots of rum at the Hands Off Venezuela! meeting. Liquid solidarity!

HOSTAGES SELL THEIR STORIES TO WAVES OF OUTRAGE

The Government got it right over dealing with the capture of the 15 sailors and marine personnel in Iran.Now the spectacularly underwhelming Defence Minister Des Browne has scored a spectacular own goal by allowing the captives to sell their stories in the newspapers.
tags:
Since when has "serving your country" been an opportunity for a nice little earner from Rupert Murdoch? Today, the Ministry of Defence and the Royal Navy are understandably accused of undermining the reputation of Britain's armed force.The navy's move to suspend its usual rules - taken "as a result of exceptional media interest" and with the agreement of the defence secretary, Des Browne - has been condemned by opposition politicians, former officers and the families of dead service personnel. The Head of the Army, Sir Richard Dannett, is said to have issued an edict banning his troops from doing the same. Frankly, it's an outrage. An appalling insult to families who have lost loved ones in Iraq and elsewhere. And absolutely typical of a Government which has completely lost its moral compass

LOCAL ELECTIONS 2007 -VOTE LABOUR!

Just had official notification my nomination papers are OK - so that's the first hurdle over in being re-elected as a local councillor for the Fairfield ward . Only an idiot would under-estimate the unpopularity of Labour nationally at the moment. But in Hebden Royd the Labour track-record is second to none.

In the past four years, we have supported dozens of community groups, improved leisure facilities in Calder Holmes Park, backed Fairtrade initiatives, and achieved the best attendance records at council meetings. My council colleague Stewart Brown helped save local bus services and Coun Dave Young was one of the main instigators of the Environmental Street Warden scheme.

Hebden Royd Labour Party is NOT New Labour. As the above picture shows, our comrades have supported many anti-war demonstrations and affiliated to Labour Against The War.

We have called on Blair to stand down several times (we're still waiting) and a sizeable number of us hope to vote for John McDonnell as Labour leader in the forthcoming leadership contest.

Currently we have five councillors. There are 12 of us standing this time. Help us get a decent majority on the Town Council and vote Labour again.

HOME IMPROVEMENTS !

This internet lark is truly amazing. I am not even particularly computer literate. Yet with the click of one switch supplied by Google we now have videos and links to other left-wing websites broadly supportive of the Labour Left .
Ten years ago, this stuff would have seemed like science-fiction. In 1985, when I started out as a journalist, we still had manual typewriters and carbon copies. We thought the fax machine was pretty amazing!
Now here we are in a cyber-world where I firmly believe much of the future of political campaigning lies. Door-to-door canvassing and leafletting must still have its place and nothing beats a well-attended, old-fashioned political debate.
But the USP of the blogosphere is its ability to reach out and communicate all over the world, potentially to thousands of people. And the incredible beauty of it all is that blogs cost - virtually nothing.
In a world where the media is utterly dominated by Daily Mail-speak and right-wing billionaires like Rupert Murdoch, and even Labour-friendly papers like The Guardian fail to give a proper voice to socialists, ordinary people can publish their thoughts and share their hopes with others of like minds ( and hopefully those who disagree, too). I will be adding more interesting links in the days and weeks ahead .

NEW LABOUR AT ITS MOST NAUSEATING

Today, the Guardian has a piece by two particularly nauseating New Labour MPs.
Liam Byrne and Andy Burnham represent everything I hate about New Labour. They are smug careerists who, frankly, couldn't give a monkey's about the Labour Party. Nor do they have any principlestospeak of.
Indeed, their only concern is getting as high up the greasy pole as they possibly can. They have the gall to suggest that Labour doesn't need a contest and we should all line up behind Brown. And don't get me started on the words of wisdom re their "policy review" ie more privatisation .
Labour currently has 350 MPs in Parliament, of whom only about 100 are even halfway decent. The truly socialist contingent is probably only about 50 or so.
And when the wider public reads the rubbish being spouted on a daily basis by the likes of Byrne and Burnham, who can blame them for being cynical. Still, I'm glad to say 400 people who AREN'T cynical turned up to John McDonnell's leadership rally in London on Saturday. Fine speeches all round and a heartening day for everyone determined to see off the
bag-carriers and careerists who are currently running things.