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.

AT LEAST I DON'T HAVE TO QUEUE.....

Well, I never. My Labour Paty Conference credentials have just arrived a whole three weeks before it starts which means thankfully I won't have to queue ( as per usual) for late accreditation. But I must warn fellow delegates and visitors that the process for putting your pass together is a little technical and I have already managed to mess it up.
This year may also be the first for some time in which there are not "lanyard wars" as the official tag has been paid for by UNITE - not as in previous years dodgy outfits like Sky TV. A reflection, perhaps, of how the Party is now dependent on the unions for money.
On another note, I was slightly lambasted over the weekend for being pleasant to Alisdair Darling. I was only pointing out at least he was telling the truth about the economy.....the point is of course that without a change in policy in favour of the low-paid and the many (not the few fat cats) people will continue to be, as he put it, "pissed off" with the Government. Hope everyone else gets their credentials in good time - could be a sign of course that there are fewer of us going this year.......