LIGHT RELIEF 2

As local readers of this blog will be aware, we have a celebrity candidate in nearby Todmorden. Stephenie Booth ( wife of Tony and mother-in-law to Tony B ) is standing as Labour 's choice for the Calderdale elections. Somehow or other ( nothing to do with me ) this has come to the attention of the Independent On Sunday - she is quoted as saying she won't be "using her connections" to try and get votes. Well I have some news for her. I know you have been away from the UK for some time Steph but I'm afraid that round here, the Blair connection is NOT a winner. And, frankly, I would play it down. As much as possible.......
Tony Booth, of course, has for many years enjoyed something of a reputation as a" fiery left winger." Which his unexpected attendance last year at a John4Leader meeting in Hebden Bridge seemed to back up. However in a recent interview, he said his next choice of Labour leader would be James Purnell or Hazel Blears.... oh dear

BLAIR'S UNETHICAL BANK LINK

In this week's Morning Star the admirable Jeremy Corbyn MP points out that the bank to which Tony Blair is now a well-paid advisor (£500,000 a year with perks) hardly cuts it on the ethical front.

J Morgan Chase is the third biggest bank in the US with assets of £1.3 trillion dollars and an absolutely ghastly track -record. A couple of years ago, environmentalist campaigners for the Rainforest Action Network and Greenpeace slammed its IMDs - Investments of Mass Destruction. The bank cleaned up its act a bit followin g intensive lobbying but still has links with four out of 5 of the world's largest arms dealers and companies who have picked up lucrative contracts in Iraq and Saudi Arabia. No surprise Blair fits in so well....nor that he is now best chums with Nicholas Sarkozy. The only question I have is why he was so keen to hang on as PM when he is clearly cleaning up big-style financially with the help of his arch-capitalist friends .

BLAIR'S LAST 24 HOURS AS LABOUR LEADER

At 12 noon tomorrow Tony Blair is to announce his resignation as Labour leader. So why aren't I whooping with joy? Many of his acolytes will soon go with him and Labour has the chance to renew and change. But I have to say my gut instinct is that it won't under a Brown Premiership. Nor will it, obviously, unless there is a contest. Which is by no means certain.
Tomorrow, we will also find out who goes forward from the left to try and get the 44names for the ballot. I really can't believe it will be Michael Meacher. But, given the snakepit of Westminster, who knows......so for now the fizzy stuff remains unopened.

TEN YEARS ON.........

Ignorance is bliss.Thus it was 10 years ago that I sat happily over a Turkish meze dinner with a friend following Tony Blair's arrival in Number 10."We were elected as New Labour, and we will govern as New Labour," he had just told a grateful nation. The thing was that most of didn't quite know what that meant. Well, we certainly do now.
I'd just like to say that sometimes we/I need reminding that this Govt HAS done good things. Earlier today, I was talking to a Minister who shall remain nameless -let's just say his dad is voting for a very maverick leadership ticket. Anyway, he was waxing lyrical about how under Labour we had done much to assuage global poverty, helped write off billions in Third World debt, and the "fantastic" job which Blair and Brown had done at the G8 summit and so on. Now I accept that's probably true .I also accept the Northern Ireland peace process, minimum wage, SureStart, and the money invested in health and education. But I honestly think most of the electorate have forgotten.
I think they are tired of being patronised and preached at, tired of seeing British soldiers being brought back in coffins, tired of sleaze , and what they perceive as the sheer hypocrisy at the top.
Now maybe that's unfair. After all, even the most rebellious of Labour rebels vote WITH the Govt about 75 percent of the time. I concede Gordon Brown MUST have good intentions.It''s just what he is saying that is the problem. More of the same. More New Labour. More fights against the "war on terror." It is all deeply disheartening. On Thursday, judging from the levels of public vitriol being hurled at Blair ( Socialist Worker has already switched its tack to Unite Against Brown) I think it will be far worse than anyone is expecting.The irony is that he is now doing what many of us in the Party asked him to a couple of years ago. He's going. But it's too little, too late. People still want to give him a "kicking." And Brown is now just as much associated with what has become a tainted brand.
According to my interviewee, we need "more straightforward politics." That's absolutely right. No spin, no sleaze, honest opinions, and honest difference of opinions. Unless Labour's "broad church" is allowed to congregate once again , and Brown starts listening instead of pontificating, he really is courting disaster. And, if he somehow manages to scupper a leadership contest, he is courting the biggest disaster of all. A Tory Government.

MAY 10 - CHAMPAGNE ON ICE

May 10 is the birthday of one of my oldest friends. This year, it also happens to be the day when Tony Blair is expected to announce his long overdue departure from Downing Street.Sundry bottles of the co-op's special offer Cava ( and maybe one or two bottles of the real thing) are likely to find a home here within the next couple of days and fellow Labour Party members will be texted, phoned and invited to drink deeply of the fizzy stuff once he makes the announcement.

However, the truth is that "celebrations" could fall a bit flat. Blair's resignation will come only days after the horrors of the local election results. It should have been announced two years ago, before the last General Election.

Whatever his past achievements ( and yes he was once an election winner) Blair should have acknowledged aeons ago that he was an electoral liability. But he didn't. We now face the consequences.Which are a hollowed-out Labour Party, deep disillusionment of the electorate, and the worst poll ratings since 1983.Which is why come the glorious day I will be downloading Things Can Only Get Better from the internet and blasting it out across the Calder Valley...........

PRINCE OF DARKNESS RETURNS

Today's Guardian: "Peter Mandelson has accused the prime minister of "unreasonable and irresponsible" behaviour in the way he granted concessions to Sinn Féin during Downing Street's attempts to broker a peace deal in Northern Ireland. As Mr Blair tries once again to revive power sharing, he is criticised by one of his closest political allies of "conceding and capitulating" to republican demands." Why am I not surprised Mandelson is back from the Euro hinterland. No doubt scheming and plotting to persuade Boy Miliband to put his hat in the ring.