WHAT WE NEED IS A LABOUR PARTY.......

Ex Blairites like Polly Toynbee and Simon Jenkins are now a bit like ex-smokers in their resolve to cast off the fumes of an ideology they once fervently espoused. In his call for a renwed Labour Party, Simon Jenkins gives little credence to the notion there is much left of the democratic socialist tradition. He should get out beyond the Westminster bubble but nevertheless an interesting piece which gives weight to my current plea to people NOT to leave the Party. One I make with rather more vigour since the dire Euro results......


http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2009/jun/23/labour-left-democracy

WE ARE NOT THE STUPID PARTY......

Former New Labour acolyte Polly Toynbee makes many sensible remarks in today's Guardian -but still manages to draw the wrong conclusions. Quite rightly, she argues that voters are punishing Labour because a Labour Government punished the poor.
Labour, she says, is now the "stupid Party". Which shows just how disengaged this Guardianista is from the realities of life outside the media elite. Yes, the Government is almost unbelievably stupid. The Prime Minister more so. It almost beggars belief that in less than 12 months the country has swerved from goodwill and support for Blair's long-awaited replacement to poll showings lower than any in my lifetime. So what are they to do? Do the obvious progressive thing and bridge the widening gap between rich and poor, tax the rich, build more council houses, stop privatisng and outsourcing everything, stand up for civil liberties and internationalism. No, they are heading to the Right and ignoring every bit of sound advice from backbench MPs and activists. The phrase "lions led by donkeys" springs to mind.
Despite Polly's ire, she is also unable to grasp the obvious nettle and veer away from the predictable conclusions of someone who spends their spare time on the Fabian dinner party circuit - with warm words for right-wing hope James Purnell who is yet another New Labour clone and no solution whatsoever to the problems which we face.
To use Tony Benn's old phrase, it is the POLICIES not the PERSONALITIES at fault here. Though God knows I can't imagine enjoying a pint with any of the Brown coterie.
Polly, the Party on the ground is far from stupid. The grassroots know the game is up unless the Government reverts back to Labour - not New Labour - policies. Frankly, they know more than the politicos, wonks, apparatchiks and overpaid journalists who have solidly backed this reactionary Government - and Gordon Brown. Last year, the Party wanted a leadership contest and was denied it by MPs , plus the influential, omniscient likes of Toynbee, Martin Kettle, and COMPASS guru Neal Lawson who all joined forces and held hands in support of a man who is the biggest disaster as Leader we have ever had. In retrospect, how stupid was that.
We are where we are, which is looking into the abyss. But don't blame the Party. Apologies for ranting but I get SO angry reading commentators who haven't got a bloody clue how much the ordinary Labour Party members are sick of being preached at and lumbered with awful policies which will lead us even further into the mire. However much we protest......