One of the key objectives of our campaign is create such a climate of radical political debate that people and organisations find it common sense to adopt our analysis and policies. Gramsci in the twenty first century!
What I am a bit surprised about is the rapidity of the acceptance of some of our ideas and the individuals who are now espousing them.
Her are just a few extraordinary examples.
On Saturday I spoke at a well attended debate with Harriet Harman convened by Nottingham South CLP. After I had raised the issue of council housing and in response to questions from party members Harriet agreed that the way in which the Government had failed to respond to the Labour Party's conference decisions on the need to invest in council housing was not adequate and housing policy must be reviewed. She also extolled the virtues of trade union rights but didn't go as far as endorsing our Trade Union Freedom Bill.
In the same week both Peter Hain, Hilary Benn and John Cruddas, all of whom voted for the war against Iraq, became critical of the Government's policy failures over Iraq and called for a new solution to the crisis.
On Sunday even I was a bit shocked to read that John Reid had announced that he was looking at splitting up the Home Office into two departments. We had only published a press release to this effect a week before, based upon discussions with representatives from the justice unions.
On Monday (today)Compass publishes its economic policy booklet and virtually repeats the tax proposals and support for Land Value Tax that we had adopted at the Labour Representation Committee conference in 2005.
And then we see reports that ideas are circulating in Government on the need to tackle international tax avoidance. This was an issue taken up by the Tax Justice Campaign and in 2005 endorsed by the Left Economic Adisory Panel (LEAP), the group of Left economists which I set up and chair.
I knew this run of success wouldn't last so I wasn't surprised to read of the leaked memo from David Bennett, Head of Number 10's policy directorate, setting out the policy ideas for Blair's legacy agenda, currently being discussed in joint working parties with Gordon Brown's people. This memo proposes a "clean sheet redesign of Whitehall" resulting in a "radical (50%) downsizing."
The leak comes on the eve of the TUC's lobby of Parliament on privatisation and public service cuts, plus the day before the announcement of the PCS ballot on compulsory redundancies.
It confirms the scale of the threat to our public services by the privatisation obsessed leadership of Blair and Brown and the need for co-ordinated action in support of public service workers under threat whether it is an NHS worker facing privatisation or a civil servant facing compulsory redundancy. We need to stand together.
7 Comments:
John, brilliant as usual! It doesn't surprise that the Blairites of yesterday are slowly but surely turning into "real" Labourites , especially when it comes to those Blair backers who are currently seeking to be elected to the office of deputy leader of the party. They know that the party's members want to return to the true values of the labour movement (solidarity, public ownership, etc.) and, as I believe Gordon Brown said in one of his more sober moments, that the party gets back to being "what it's best at being - being LABOUR". The deputy-leadership hopefuls are very aware that they need to (radically) break with Blair personally( if not with his legacy)if they don't wish to condemn the entire race for deputy to being an utter and complete farce, that is... Anyhow, I'm expecting you to win the leadership election by a landslide, and yet again, wish you best of luck in your endeavour to reclaim this party which is ours -the Labour Party!
Is it a case of Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery or outright plagiarism of your ideas, John?
I am less inclined to believe that GB is getting nearer to understanding the wishes of the party until he utters such words himself. Leaving it to his willowy followers is a crafty way of avoiding a U-turn if he gets into power.
Once bitten twice shy!
We shall stand together, and occupy the same position as always.
I wouldn't be that suprised John. The policies that your campaign promotes represent the genuine feeling of real Labour members and also will resonate with Labour voters who've been dissapointed with the failings of New Labour.
These New Labour types also are aware of this mood, hence their recent wanderings into soft left territory. It may also be an attempt to undercut your own programme with the upcoming leadership election. The difference is we always said it and always mean it.
As regards these New Labour cretins, doesn't Ruth Kelly's stance on Gay adoption rights show the total degeneration of this new labour clique. When your "Equality minister" refuses to comment on whether homosexuality is a sin you get the feeling that these are the last days of Rome for New Labour. Why not comment unless you've got something to hide? It is also speaks volumes that this oddball sect, Opus Dei, requires their hatefilled members to take their backward teachings into their own workplace. I suggest Kelly goes back to chasing the holy grail, so that a sane individual can properly address issues such as exclusion, prejudice and bigotry.
Mark, Worcester.
Hmmm... the road to Damascus stuff being spouted by the likes of P Hain (though fair play to him over the exposure of the shameful and murderous RUC/Loyalist collusion ) is welcome but I'm deeply suspicious. It would be REALLY helpful to our campaign if one of these born-again Labourites ( as opposed to New Labour) endorsed your candidature.That goes particularly for Jon Cruddas, who for no reason that I can really fathom seems to be accepted as a "left" candidate.Yes, they will "talk the talk" because it suits them at the moment.But only those with principles in the Party will really do anything to change matters.Let's keep putting on the pressure!
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