Roy Hattersley is a decent old cove for a right-wing Labourite. Anyone who Tony Blair allegedly called a c*** can't be all bad. In recent years, he has earned a reputation as a paid-up member of the awkward squad but now 
he is reverting to type. Today in the Guardian, Roy was positively embarrassing in his praise for Brown. This was, he said, a "new dawn." He felt more optimistic than for 13 years about the state of the Labour Party. So what if there were Tories in the cabinet, Labour leaders have a habit of annoying the members. Etc, etc,etc. Right, let's be clear about this.
This is not a new dawn in any way, shape or form. Brown is the co-architect of New Labour (that bloody logo is back) and carrying on as such.To suggest that John Smith, Wilson or Callaghan would have welcomed anti trade union Tories ( and non card-carrying ones at that) into the Cabinet is, frankly, bollocks. Wilson was a former Bevanite and even Sunny Jim had his limits.Even Denis Healey wanted to tax the rich.......
OK, this is Brown's honeymoon period. And good to see the Tories all over the place. Thank God we didn't have Blair emoting all over the TV last weekend in Glasgow ( and I bet he would have been at the Diana concert, too) . But Brown talks the same talk - it's just more dour and miserable. People often ascribe these personality traits to lefties so I can only asssume some have mistaken Brown's earnest demeanour for socialist values. Yes, he talks of the "many,not the few" then appoints the only Minister with a butler to the Cabinet, honours Sir Digby Dastardly and welcomes him into the Cabinet of "all the talents."
Forgive me if I'm not falling over myself with joy. Frankly, Roy, I'm spitting feathers.....
Monday, 2 July 2007
ROY'S FALSE DAWN
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4 comments:
Digby Jones isn't a member of the cabinet
I like Roy Hattersly, he is a sensible person. However, he is in this case, wrong about Gordon Brown, being a "new dawn", Gordon is as right wing, if not more so, than Tony Blair. The problem for the centre-left and left of the party is that we have no-where else creditable to turn to.
Although, I am sure the Liberal Party thought that in the 19th century, seeing Labour as a fringe party, and we all know what happend to the Liberals....
Anonymous. Apologies, Digby is only in Govt. That's still rubbish.
Geraint, we can't "go" anywhere I agree. But what coincerns me is that if even sensible right-wingers like RH put on rose-coloured specs there will be no checks and balances for Gordon. There's nothing "new" about his policies. It's business as usual, albeit with a welcome lack of showbiz .
I think sensible right wingers will soon get fed-up of Brown, once the "honey moon period" is over, or even before then. I think at the moment it could be a bit of wishfull thinking, I hope anyway.
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