HAZEL AND THE SLASHERS

I want to make it clear I would never condone the behaviour of whoever slashed Hazel Blears's car tyres. Such behaviour is counter-productive and also extremely frightening for whoever is at the receiving end. But to pretend, as Blears has done, it is just the behaviour of disaffected kids is equally wrong and not facing up to reality.
The fact is that Hazel Blears has lost the respect of many of her constituents, and that she should have been hauled in along with other Ministers to explain their conduct and, if necessary, face the consequences.
I think the public perception is that waving cheques around for £13,000 , the sum she avoided Capital Gains Tax by via an expenses scam , is too little too late and hardly likely to endear her to anyone struggling on a low income and wondering why an MP they invested faith in has let them down so badly.
Rule 1 for MPs. Never lose touch with the people who vote for you.
If you hang out with rich people, live a lifestyle vastly removed from the day-to-day experience of your voters, then don't be too surprised when people get angry.
Salford CLP , in my opinion, should have passed a vote of no confidence in Blears and elected someone who would have credibility with the electorate.

HAZEL SHOULD GO - BUT SHE WON'T

I've just watched Channel 4 News with footage from Salford where Hazel Blears as I write is facing a no-confidence motion from the CLP. Here's my prediction. She will survive. She will survive, not because she should, but because the CLP delegates will be under tremendous pressure and because many are scared of appearing disloyal in an area where comradeship still really means something.

I have the fondest of memories of my years in Salford - and of the Party members many of whom are sadly no longer with us. Hazel took over the seat from the late Stan Orme who spoke at a memorial service some years ago for the splendid left-wing MP Frank Allaun. Both were a credit to their Party and, in Frank's case, a lifelong supporter of CND.

Quite frankly, both these stalwarts would have been disgusted at the way Hazel Blears cravenly hung onto Cabinet office in the face of serious alegations and then plotted to bring down the Prime Minister. And I know that many members of the CLP are. The argument I've just heard from the CLP Chair that it would be wrong to pass a no confidence motion is I'm sure well-meant but utterly misguided. It would send a powerful message to the electorate if the constituency did what it should do tonight. Sadly, I don't think that will happen. Salford deserves better. And so does the Labour Party. UPDATE: Unfortunately, I was right. Bad call, comrades.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/mps-expenses/5572418/Hazel-Blears-survives-deselection-vote.html. .

NO CONFIDENCE IN HAZEL.......

Life is full of strange coincidences and one of the strangest is gatherng dust on my bookshelves in the form of a yellowing newspaper cutting. Back in 1990, a very young Hazel Blears was with me at the opening of the ( as then was) Labour History Museum in Manchester and Guardian photographer Don MacPhee captured this moment for posterity.A couple of years later, up popped Hazel again as a would-be PPC in Salford.
It was in the days when Branches actually got to question candidates and suffice to say my vote went to someone else. I left Salford shortly afterwards but have retained an interest in my old CLP - particularly the news that someone has been brave enough to table a "no confidence" motion in Ms Blears at next week's constituency meeting.
Already Hazel is eating humble pie and has conducted a contrite interview in which she expresses regret at doing the Party such damage by resigning on the eve of Euro polling. It won't wash.
Her expression as she was photographed post resignation was one of smug triumphalism. The wearing of the "Rocking The Boat" badge was both childish and inflammatory, to say the least. But it didn't work. Mandelson steadied the ship and the North West has ended up with Nick griffin as one of its Euro MPs . Blears must take part responsibility for that. Let me just say that if I were still a member of Salford CLP I would be voting for her to stand down. Apology or no apology. As my late mother used to say when I had misbehaved, sorry is too late.........

WHO ARE THE LOYALISTS NOW?

Just posted this on CiF article by John Harris
It's typical of a Blairite "loyalist" to wield the knife on the eve of an election where Labour is already set to do catastrophically. And risible that Blears talks of "re-connecting" with the Party, She should not just stand down from the Cabinet, she should be hauled in front of the NEC and de-barred from standing again. It's ironic that atfer years of the Left being told they are a destructive force within the Party, the ultras are bringing about the destruction of Gordon Brown - not out of political conviction, but personal spite, blind arrogance, and the assumption they have a God-given right to be in Government. They don't.The only good that can come out of this is a new Parliamentary Labour Party- devoid of the New Labour cabal which has now pressed the self-destruct button.