NARROWING THE GAP......

The news in today's Independent that the Tories are now only eight points ahead is a welcome respite from months of bad news for the Labour Party. See what nationalising the banks does for our standing with the electorate! The problem is of course that they have not been wholly nationalised and unfortunately the deal is when they're back in a healthy shape they will be sold off again. Maybe.....
Can you imagine how popular Labour would be if we now took on the fat cat utilities, took them back into public ownership and slashed people's fuel bills just in time for Christmas.Just a thought.
Meanwhile the Glenrothes by-election is coming up and who knows maybe Labour can hang on. I hope so because as things stand we're facing the prospect of a hung Parliament. Compared to the scenario in the summer, that's pretty amazing. But we have to put clear red water between us and the Tories - or events could yet upset the applecart. George Osborne may be toast thanks to his friendship with Russian oligarchs but the spectre of Peter Mandelson is still of course lurking in the background. The "People's Programme" advocated by the LRC is the best way forward of convincing ordinary voters that the vast majority of Labour Party members and a sizeable chunk of MPs are still on their side.You can see Andrew Fisher of the Left Economics Advisory Panel being interviewed on BBC News 24 about the crisis here

X FACTOR POLITICS MUST STOP

Apparently, a new poll says that 55 per cent of Labour voters want a "younger, fresher, charismatic leader," which almost makes me feel sorry for Charles Clarke. He is currently doing the rounds in what is clearly a thinly veiled bid to take soundings on his leadership prospects. To be fair to Clarke, even he is calling for an end to the 42 days terrorism legislation, a sort out on the 10p tax issue and revision of the Post Office closures. But I simply cannot see that he would win the support of the wider constituency of trade unionists and Party members . However that's not really the issue. Had the Lib Dems had some sense and appointed Vince Cable as their Leader, instead of ingenue Nick Clegg, they would be in a far better place. Our problem isn't generational, it's ideological. I am now imposing a blogging ban on myself as i have a mountain of work to do, including a pile of essays and marking.