A MATTER OF HONOUR?

Charles Clarke is now a political "heavyweight" in one sense only. He weighs too much. In typically bruising and bullying style, he's just had another go at Gordon Brown and says he should consider standing down "with honour". Of course, Clarke is still pissed off that he never got the chance to stand against Brown in a leadership contest. Ever since he has doggedly pursued an agenda of personal, not political , criticism of the man.
The irony of all this is of course that if Brown were to be replaced by one of Clarke's mates ( or heaven forfend Clarke himself) it would make not one iota of difference to Labour's poll ratings. In fact things would probably get worse as the Government would lurch even further to the right. It was Clarke, remember, who suggested people should start paying for NHS treatment, Clarke who with Alan Milburn launched the 20/20 Vision thing......( what happened to that by the way) . So Clarke is no friend of those of us who want to see a return to Labour values. Quite the opposite.However in two weeks' time we the ordinary members have the chance to ensure that next time there's a leadership contest - and it could be sooner than we think - we really do have a choice. The Calder Valley resolution changing the PLP quota for nominations from 12.5 to 7.5 per cent of the PLP will be debated on the Tuesday of Conference .My take on it is here.

X FACTOR POLITICS MUST STOP

Apparently, a new poll says that 55 per cent of Labour voters want a "younger, fresher, charismatic leader," which almost makes me feel sorry for Charles Clarke. He is currently doing the rounds in what is clearly a thinly veiled bid to take soundings on his leadership prospects. To be fair to Clarke, even he is calling for an end to the 42 days terrorism legislation, a sort out on the 10p tax issue and revision of the Post Office closures. But I simply cannot see that he would win the support of the wider constituency of trade unionists and Party members . However that's not really the issue. Had the Lib Dems had some sense and appointed Vince Cable as their Leader, instead of ingenue Nick Clegg, they would be in a far better place. Our problem isn't generational, it's ideological. I am now imposing a blogging ban on myself as i have a mountain of work to do, including a pile of essays and marking.

THE BODYSNATCHERS .....

Charles Clarke and Alan Milburn are the Burke and Hare of New Labour .Their mission in life sems to be to "bodysnatch" Gordon Brown with the aim of deterring him from doing anything remotely "off-message" or un-arch-Blairite. Milburn is giving it large about how Labour could lose the next election and that Brown's policies might be one of the reasons why. In the last two weeks, Clarke has also kept up a barrage of criticisms and warnings - presumably to scare him into putting into place the last nails in the coffin of the labour movement. Both are still gutted they could not stop Brown becoming Leader but both are wasting their time in trying to cling on to the script of 1997. That's the very reason why Labour is trailing so far behind the Tories.

The hollow husk which is New Labour 's politburo has little to be picked at. It is devoid of any substance which appeals to anyone beyond a dwindling band of Progress supporters. In two winnable constituencies, Nottingham Soluth and Streatham, expectations that Blairites would win the day have been confounded.

Instead two Compass supporters have been selected ( much to the chagrin of right-wingers like Luke Akehurst ) Now Compass doesn't exactly have me whooping with delight but soft left candidates we share some policy positions on are, obviously, far preferable to uber-Blairites of the Burke and Hare tendency. Hard left ones ( much as I hate that terminology) would of course be even better,

CLARKE IS PART OF THE PROBLEM, NOT THE SOLUTION

You have to laugh, albeit hollowly, when Charles Clarke comes on the radio and says what great mates he and Gordon are. Of course they are. Why else would he lambast him in the most recent edition of the Blairite publication Progress.

Brown, you see, has upset the ultras by not doing ENOUGH to fulfil the New Labour agenda. Which is a recipe we are told for 10 more years of Conservative rule. In that respect at least, Clarke is right about Brown. But for the wrong reasons. Unless he changes course, the Tories will win the next election.

We have wasted nearly three years of Government agonising over when Blair was going, then not having an open and honest contest for the leadership, and now going down blind Brownite alleys of neo-Conservative policies and trying to out-Cameronise Cameron.

So anxious is this Govt to please the right's agenda that the checks and balances surrounding police searches are likely to be taken away. Another recipe for disaster. Today, the Govt blocked attempts by the left to bring about a more equitable National Insurance system - ensuting the rich paid the same percentage of their earnings in NI contributions as we do. These things should not be happening.

The PLP has got to find a proper voice and start mobilising and campaigning for decent Labour policies. And if that means rebellions then for God's sake rebel.

The other option is a slow and painful sleepwalk to the much greater disaster of Conservative Government. Even if these days, sometimes, I wonder would anyone actually notice the difference........

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.