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.

TEXTING FOR KAREN

First thing this morning I got a text message from a friend urging support via my mobile phone for NHS worker Karen Reissman, sacked by Manchester Mental Health Trust for speaking out on behalf of patients. UNISON members backed a strike today to defend her and I am glad to note that John McDonnell is now seeking to raise her case in Parliament.It would also be nice to see some Manchester MPs putting their heads above the parapet for once....Karen addressed our NUJ rally on Monday in Manchester.