I'M MANDY, FLY ME......

The decision to bring back Peter Mandelson from the political hinterland was hailed by many as a political masterstroke. Several months on, it seems that Mandy's return has only led to more travails for the Government.
Mandelson's bid to part-privatise the Royal Mail has been met with howls of protest from MPs , trade unions and grassroots members . It breaks a Manifesto commitment to keep the service public and is opposed by 65 per cent of the public, according to the latest poll.
Then there is the furore over Mandelson's friendship with BAA boss Roland Rudd, and the deeply unpopular policy on the Heathrow third runway.
At today's National Policy Forum in Bristol, the PM was met by angry protestors. Yet he continues to plough on with a plan opposed by over 130 MPs, including several PPSs.
One wonders why the counsel of so many in the labour movement is studiously ignored at a time when Labour is facing serious difficulties.

UNIONS CLOSE RANKS AGAINST ROYAL MAIL PRIVATISATION

From today's Guardian Letters

At Warwick University, in the summer of 2008, the affiliated trade unions collectively participated in a series of policy discussions with representatives of the Labour party and Downing Street. The purpose and outcome of those discussions was to reach a policy agreement that was satisfactory to all participants.
Within that Warwick agreement was a clear commitment to maintaining Royal Mail in the public sector: "We have set out a vision of a wholly publicly owned, integrated Royal Mail group in good health providing customers with an excellent service and its employees with rewarding employment."
This commitment was agreed by all affiliated trade unions in the belief that it guaranteed the future of Royal Mail as "wholly publicly owned". This was our belief in the summer, and it was the belief of the 2008 Labour party conference, which voted to support this policy.
We are deeply concerned that the Labour party now appears to be willing to break that commitment by adopting the recommendations of the Hooper report. Its proposals to bring in a "strategic partner", via an exchange of equity, clearly constitutes the part privatisation of Royal Mail.
The affiliated trade unions believe that the part-privatisation of Royal Mail is electorally unpopular, politically unwise and damaging to the concept of universal service provision. Furthermore, to break a pledge so recently made undermines the legitimacy of our policy process and raises questions about the validity of other agreements reached.
We are unanimous in our opposition to the proposed privatisation of Royal Mail, and ask that the government reconsiders its response before it becomes a dividing line within our movement.
Billy Hayes general secretary, CWU
Tony Woodley Tulo chair and joint general secretary,
Unite the Union
Paul Kenny Tulo vice-chair and general secretary, GMB
Derek Simpson joint general secretary,
Unite the Union
Dave Prentis general secretary, Unison
John Hannett general secretary, Usdaw
Michael Leahy general secretary, Community
Alan Ritchie general secretary, Ucatt
Gerry Doherty general secretary, TSSA

IVAN CAMERON

I was driving round Keighley this morning when I heard on the news that David Cameron's son had died . I gasped with shock because, well, you don't expect six-year-olds, even ones you don't know, to die. Most journalists today are saying they know how he feels because they have got kids, too. Well, I haven't got kids which rules me out of that particular line of rhetoris. But what I do know is that hearing sad news like that makes you get a grip and realise that in the end there is a hell of a lot more to life than chasing votes and winnng or losing in what is only in real terms a passing year or two on this planet. Losing a child is one of the worst tragedies that can happen to anyone. At any age.

OVER 150 LABOUR MPs SIGN ROYAL MAIL EDM

ROYAL MAIL
13.01.2009
Smith, Geraldine
That this House notes that the Labour Party Conference 2008, with the backing of Ministers, supported a vision of a wholly publicly-owned, integrated Royal Mail Group; welcomes the conclusion of the Hooper Report that the current universal service obligation offered by Royal Mail, including six days a week delivery, must be protected and that the primary duty of a new regulator should be to maintain it; further welcomes the recommendations in the Report that the Government should take responsibility for the pensions deficit which followed an extended contributions holiday; endorses the call for a new relationship between management and postal unions and welcomes the commitment of the Communication Workers Union to negotiate an agreement which would support the modernisation of the industry; observes that in 2007 the Government agreed to a £1.2 billion loan facility on commercial terms to modernise Royal Mail operations; rejects the recommendation of the Hooper Report to sell a minority stake in Royal Mail which would risk fracturing one of Britain's greatest public services; further notes that the Government is currently advertising for a new Chair of Royal Mail; and urges the Secretary of State to appoint a Chair and management team who are committed to the principles of a modern public enterprise.

A poster called Labour Forward suggests my views are way out of kilter with the PLP. As over 150 MPs , most Labour, have now signed the above EDM and fiercely oppose Mandelson's proposals I would dare to suggest it is he, not us, who does not ubnderstabd the current political zeitgeist. These proposals will only go through with Tory support - that doesn't help any of us seeking to be elected either now or in the future. Madness........if you go to the Compass website you can sign up and register your opposition too.

OF TIME AND THE CITY...

Tonight to the flicks to see Of Time And The City, Terence Davis's film about Liverpool.I was really looking forard to it as the plaudits have been massive but found it curiously disengaging and disappointing. This film charts my childhood: Mine was in Manchester but it's a parallel experience if you're a working-class kid from that era The slums being knocked down in favour of high-rise flats, the images which look more akin to the 1930's than the 1960's The poverty, collapse of working-class communities . Etc. There is great footage from the North West Film Archive and much to appreciate.

But Davies's rather dismissive attitudes to the Catholic church, popular culture and lack of political analysis are rather a let-down to anyone who grew up in the environment he is clearly now so distanced from. If, like me, you remember the terraced streets , close communities, the things which are so much a part of your life that affection and class solidarity, rather than ascetic appreciation, is stil the overriding emotion, hard to be impressed.A view share by my companion who grew up in similar circumstances in Scotland. And Davies's plummy delivery, frankly,put the lid on it.

WELFARE REFORM BILL

This excellent piece is worth reading as Parliament gets set to take the Welfare Reform Bill a stage further.........

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2009/feb/23/madeleine-bunting-welfare-reform

THEIR CRISIS NOT OURS.......

The LRC has launched a new campaign - Their Crisis Not Ours - of which more anon. The immediate goal is activities up and down the country culiminating in a day of action on April 22 - Budget Day. It's a work in progress but the new blog is a good start.

HOMES- NOT DEBT

It's reported today that Northern Rock is to offer offer up to £14bn extra in new mortgages over the next two years to help kick-start the ailing housing market.
Would it not be more to the point for semi-nationalised concerns to start working with the Government to addres the real crisis we face in social housing for rent? At a time when job securioy and the ability to save deposits for mortgages are both utterly skwed by the state of the economy, surely it's the moment to take back the housing agenda and turn it into an electoral positive.

A VERY BRITISH PURSUIT.....

I'm a bit of a fan of political diaries - most politicians leave their memoirs to the time when they have taken the Chiltern Hundreds and retired from Westminster. Not so Chris Mullin.

The MP for Sunderland is standing down but befiore he goes he's publishing his memoirs of life in Government in a ( very) junior capacity.

I've been reading them on-line and the tone is frankly, tedious and embittered. A former man of the left, and author of the spendid A Very British Coup, Mullin became a devotee of New Labour ( see Tony Benn's diaries) and briefly, clearly, cherished dreams of senior office. Enough to eschew independence as a backbencher for the toil of junior ministerial life .

To his credit, Chris Mullin voted against the Iraq War and in latter years has re-gained something of his "cred" but to my mind someone who has benefitted from the patronage of Government office should not now be publishing personal tittle-tattle about senior figures at a time when Labour is in serious trouble. He may be leaving it all behind him. But the Party is going to be fighting for its life at the next election .

On a personal note, I've met Chris Mullin and have no doubt he is a clever man who once had reason to harbour dreams of high office. But when charisma bypasses were invented he was one of the first in the queue for the operation

Sean Penn-GiveThat Man An Oscar

Tonight to the flicks to see Sean Penn in Milk, a reallly excellent film which served as a therapeutic way of recognising the intricacies involved in the political process. And

a remnder how far we have travelled in the last 30 years when it comes to LGBT issues. Brilliant stuff, and he deserves an Oscar. Also a role-model for anyonje fighting the Establishment

UPDATE: He won!

HEATHROW DEMO IN DOWNING STREET

Tomorrow I'm taking a day off from campaigning and intend to catch up with all the news I have missed while knocking on doors and delivering leaflets. In case there is anyone out there interested in aspiring to be a PPC, let me warn you it is a long, slow process which demands time, stamina and considerable personal , political and financial investment.

I'm pleased to note there was a protest yesterday in Downing Street against the third runway at Heathrow - a decision which, interestingly, Jon Cruddas described as "craven" in an article in yesterday's Independent. As he is now a bit of an unofficial cheerleader for Harriet Harman, one could speculate that the Cabinet is clearly divided on the issue. It's clear that the protests will continue on the ground and the local MP John McDonnell was one of the speakers at yesterday's protest, organised by environmental campaigners. Labour MPs in London and many other parts of the country know this is one decision which could cost them their seats, and put Labour into Opposition, unless it is reversed.

NUJ ACTION IN LEEDS

FACEBOOK has the details here.

http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http://www.nujleft.org%2F2009%2F02%2Fheroic-struggle-taking-place-in-leeds%2F

ON THE ROAD AGAIN......

I've spent most of the week getting out and about in Keighley and talking to Party members. Which precludes much time for blogging. Tomorrow I'll be on the road again then off to an NUJ rally in Leeds where journalists are on strike.
Next week in Manchester there is a rally against Royal mail privatisation at the Mechanics' Instute - Feb 26 - organised by the Public Services Not Private Profit campaign,
Tonight I'm off to an extraordinary meeting of my CLP to ask NEC members some questions on their decision to not endorse our PPC - which means the whole selection will be re-run and of course that we have lost an excellent candidate.
When Labour is in such difficulty nationally and when decisions are made which one does not agree with it would be easy to become disaffected. The only thing one can do when either campaigning on a personal or wider level is to keep on keeping on. And that is what I intend to do.

KAUFMAN ON GAZA

Gerald Kaufman, MP for Manchester Gorton, has been around since I was too young to vote. He would never describe himself as being on the left of the Labour Party but he is one of the best constituency MPs there is - and on Palestine his stance has been admirable.
Last night he spoke at a benefit for medical aid in Gaza and this is what he said:
"The slaughter we have seen in Gaza is only the latest blood soaked episode of many. In Gaza they have not got sewage, they have not gotmedical supplies or hospitals, they have not got schools to go to.
"It is for us to demonstrate that what is going on in the Middle East can't be excused by saying Jews were killed in the Holocaust. Many of my family were killed in the Holocaust. They did not die to provide cover for Israeli Jews to kill Palestinians."
"What we have to do is to give a voice to the people who care until Justice is brought to the people of Palestine.
"Nobody believed that apartheid would go in South Africa. But it did go. Now Apartheid in Palestine has to go. And it will go if we work for it to go. The erection of an Apartheid state can not go on. "

GOODBYE BILL

Three months ago I attended a meeting in Manchester of the Mayors For Peace working group. One of the people at that meeting was Councillor Bill Risby, who sadly died yesterday .

I'm pretty much at a loss to know what to say as Bill and his family have been part of my life for over 30 years.

Bill devoted his life to the labour and trade union movement. He was , right until the time of his death, a passionate advocate for peace and an instigator of the Nuclear Free Zone movement. He was a former Lord Mayor of Manchester, a hard-working Labour councillor in north Manchester for over 40 years, and a committed family man . Above all, he was a fundamentally decent person who I would always refer to when people asked me why I stayed loyal to Labour. We used to joke that the Party had moved so far to the right that he had somehow ended up on the "left." But he remained loyal to Labour and remained hopeful that one day his brand of moderate socialism would win the day. Many of the great and good in Manchester have been paying tribute today. I'm just glad that I knew him for so long - and will always remember him with great affection. Two days before he died, he sent me a message of support for my campaign in Keighley. That will stay on record as a tribute to the support he showed me through decades of political and personal friendship. It won't be forgotten

SENDING OUT THE WRONG MESSAGE

It's a gloomy Sunday for Labour as a new opinion poll in the Independent puts us 16 points behind the Tories. The other bad news is that David Freud, architect of the proposed Welfare Reform Bill proposals, is to join the Tories as a Shadow Welfare spokesman.
What does that say about the people we are entrusting with the future vision of the Labour Party? I think it says that the Government has been entirely on the wrong track on this one and needs to get back to basics and admit the proposals were misguided and wrong.
At a time when thousands are losing their jobs and every day the recession bites harder, Labour needs to change tack and get back to being Labour - before it is too late.

MORTALITY AND THE MEDIA

There is something inherently obscene about the media feeding frenzy on celebrities who are dying of cancer. A horrible relish with which it charts the physical decline of people once regarded as objects of desire - now obviously wracked and ravaged with illness.
Paparazzi photographers prey on the sight of former heartthrob Patrick Swayze, terminally ill with pancreatic cancer. And still smoking.......Why wouldn't he? .
Jade Goody, desperate and dying, is the stuff of front page news as she fuels the tabloids with ever more horrible stories of last-ditch treatment and how she is determined to make as much possible money out of her plight.
This is an invidious and frankly vile use of people's suffering to boost newspaper sales and make the rest of us feel a little better about another mundane Sunday morning - in which we can all kid ourselves we are among the immortals and no such trauma will ever happen to us.
It is also an inhumane and disgraceful indictment of our dumbed-down newspapers and magazines that make capital out of other people's misery. We are all on a one-way ticket to oblivion. So why is it news?

ONCE YOU BECOME THE STORY.....

Long ago Alisdair Campbell was forced to resign as a Number 10 aide after he "became the story" during the awful days of the Hutton Inquiry.
In a much lesser kind of way, it looks as though his former ally Derek Draper has lost the plot in a screaming match with David Hencke of The Guardian.
Hencke is one of the good guys in the media - a genuinely independent-minded kind of political journalist
Draper once had a career as Peter Mandelson's aide and left politics for a while to pursue a career as a psycho-analyst. The spat is allegedly over whether he lied about his credentials.
My brains are pretty scrambled tonight after answering myriads of questions in Keighley but one thing I do know. Derek Draper has made himself a bit of a laughing-stock - thanks to his obviously humoungous ego, the whole venture seems doomed.

WHAT HAPPENED IN CALDER VALLEY

As this is now in the public domain via the local press I just want to post some thoughts on the fact that the Calder Valley selection is now going to be totally re-run.
The first is that a highly marginal constituency now faces a Herculean task in hanging on at the next election. The second is that individuals who opposed our elected candidate, Janet Oosthuysen, deliberately and wilfully went to the media with disparaging remarks and personal allegations which were utterly groundless. The third is that the NEC took six months to decide not to endorse her. Which means that a whole two years after our MP announced she was standing down we do not have a candidate in place. It is an absolutely appalling fiasco which has led many members just to walk away and/or consider resigning from the Party.
I'm glad to say that Janet is not one of them. And neither am I.
Our CLP is having a meeting with NEC members next week and I will be raising all my concerns then. The biggest sadness in all of this is that our constituency is utterly torn asunder and that we have lost much of the support which would have enabled us to win. It is not a result which any of us , particularly those of us who stayed quiet in the hope that justice would prevail, and that the NEC would support us, wanted.

SUSAN PRESS 4 KEIGHLEY ON FACEBOOK

My support group is here. Over 200 members already and a bit of a morale booster in what is a fiercely-fought campaign by all the candidates. To join, just click on the link...........and meanwhile I will keep on keeping on. Much to do in the next four weeks........
http://www.facebook.com/board.php?status=256&uid=59137719107#/group.php?gid=59137719107