HOMES FOR LIFE

It was a throwaway few seconds on last night's Channel 4 News and I would have blogged straight afterwards but post-work exhaustion set in. But I still want it on record that David Cameron's plans announced for fixed term social housing rank as aming the most despicable ideas yet the ConDems have come up with.
Back in March we faced the painful task of handing back my dad's house to the housing association and I believe it's now occupied by a young family complete with new renovations and a satellite disc . Strange to think the place we knew as home for 35 years has gone but that's how it works. Or rather, should.
The idea people who are unable to afford to buy somewhere ( or maybe don't want to) should be kicked out is pretty disgusting. So much for Cam's concern about 'broken Britain.'
At a time when millions more homes are needed for social housing, he is proposing the very opposite. How compassionate. And how very Tory.

BUILDING THE RESISTANCE IN THE LRC

Chilling, isn't it, to watch the Tories in Manchester? Chilling because we know that in a year's time these chumps ( to use Mandelson's favourite, ahem, swear-word ) are likely to be in charge of the country - and Labour will be consigned to Opposition.
Such thoughts are not defeatist. They are realistic.And maybe our only hope of escaping this fate worse than death is to draw up the battle-lines now and make it clear what the difference is between us and the Tories. The problem is of course that cuts are also on Labour's agenda - what a difference it would make if we came out fighting instead of bowing to the demands of the CBI and IMF.
The LRC AGM on November 14 has the theme of Building The Resistance. And where we can, we MUST campaign against the threats we face to working people and the trade union movement.
Internal victories like having grassroots control of the NPF will mean precisely nothing if we're in the throes of a Tory Government. So in the months ahead it is absolutely vital that we campaign to retain as many Labour MPs as we can. promote socialist policies in and outside the Labour Party, and do not get so pre-occupied with navel-gazing that we lose sight of the bigger, terrifying picture.
On Wednesday night I'll be talking to the Greater Manchester LRC on the implications, politically, post-Labour conference and the week after I'm going over to Hazel Grove CLP to do something similar.
In my year as LRC co Vice-Chair, I've done my best to encourage others to mobilise and form local groups to give LP members a bit of hope that there is a progressive alternative. I hope to be re-elected in November to carry on that work.
The juggernaut of a Conservative Government is staring us straight in the face and now is not the time to abandon the radical policy changes we've called for in recent years. Policies like nationalisng the banks under democratic control, taking back control of the private utilities, defending union activists in struggle, could yet save us. Platitudes won't do it. Principles might. Now is the time... to come to the aid of our Party. And the Mps who are now fighting for their political lives. Here's what one of them, Jeremy Corbyn, MP for Islington North, has to say on the matter
http://l-r-c.org.uk/news/story/five-steps-to-the-return-of-labour-jeremy-corbyn/

OH NO, ANOTHER BLOODY TORY!

Oh joy. Some Tory I've never heard of is defecting to Labour. IDS supporter Quentin Davies (who,he?) is crossing the floor and will be no doubt a loyal supporter of PM Broon.

Oldham MP Phil Woolas is beside himself with glee and says this is the "most significant defection since 1945" or some crap like that. Why do some Labour MPs think it's great when Tories join them? Does that not suggest to their wildly beating hearts that maybe there could be something amiss with their policies and that they might be a tad too right-wing? More bad news for the left. More voting fodder for Gordon. No doubt QD will soon find himself in the "government of all the talents." Like Shaun Woodward. Who I once met late at night at Labour Party Conference and let's just say he's one of the most deeply unpleasant individuals I have ever come across.