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Archive for August, 2010

Where are they now: keeping track of the ex-MPs

12/08/2010, 05:00:24 PM

In Harold McMillan’s opinion, the only quality needed to be an MP is ‘the ability to write a good letter’. In these harsher times however, our legislators are expected to embrace the portfolio career, accepting with equanimity the judgement of the electorate and swapping the trappings of office for the chill winds of civvy street.

So what does a pre-retirement age ex-MP do back out in the real world?

Naturally, some opt for the metamorphosis from political caterpillar to corporate butterfly. As secretary of state for education and skills, Ruth Kelly held one of the great jobs in politics. But, still only 42, she gave up her marginal Bolton West seat at the last election. Labour actually went on to hold it. And Kelly went on to a new gaff in west London and a new job as ‘Senior Manager – Strategy for Global Business’ at HSBC. There was a time when former ministers could expect to idle away their afternoons on company boards as adornments. Those days are passed. Ruth will be expected to graft. (more…)

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Seizing opportunities in opposition: Danczuck’s first move

12/08/2010, 02:23:10 PM

Opposition is about seizing opportunities.

Remembering that the public can be irrepressible to dire effect, Rochdale’s new MP Simon Danczuk has brought the one who shouted loudest straight to the front line.

The ‘bigoted-woman’, Gillian Duffy, who has reportedly made a full recovery after being mortally offended by Gordon Brown, enjoyed a finger buffet as Danczuk’s guest of honour at the official opening of his Rochdale constituency office.

Over a prawn sandwich (possibly ham) Duffy admitted: “I never wanted to hurt the Labour Party at all. I wanted them to get in at the last election. I felt very sorry for Gordon Brown, because he had everything to lose. He’s been in politics a very, very long time, it’s his life.”

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The Brown inner circle: from spearhead to shambles, by Dan Hodges

12/08/2010, 12:00:25 PM

On Sunday I had my first opportunity to watch ‘Five Days That Changed Britain’, Nick Robinson’s exposé of the deals, double deals and expressions of sincerity from Nick Clegg that culminated in the establishment of the Tory-Lib Dem coalition. Although the programme wasn’t revelatory, I found it candid, insightful and, to my surprise, moving. There was something genuinely poignant in the picture it drew of Gordon Brown’s growing isolation as the political options narrowed and his enemies closed in.

It reminded me of a little vignette from the morning after the election, when Gordon arrived at Labour HQ to address party workers. After a few brief words of thanks, he prepared to depart for Downing Street, only to be unceremoniously bundled into a side room by Peter Mandelson and Alastair Campbell, who proceeded to lay out their strategy for a grand alliance to keep the party, (though not necessarily him), in power.

Peter, Alastair and Andrew Adonis featured at length in the transition drama, and were clearly – to the extent that we had a negotiating strategy – its architects. Which goes beyond poignancy, stampedes right past pathos and dives headlong into Shakespearian tragedy. At his darkest hour, with all hope fading, the King calls out for his trusted aides, only to find himself surrounded by the henchman of his bitterest foe. “That one might read the book of fate/And see the revolution of the times”. Or, in Gordon’s case, the Sun and the Mail.

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Paul Corby remembers Jimmy Reid

12/08/2010, 09:00:45 AM

At the Upper Clyde shipyard, 1972

The great socialist folk singer, Pete Seeger, always said that he wanted to be with “the live hearts”, wherever they may be and in whatever numbers they were fighting the struggle. Jimmy Reid was always a “live heart”.

To begin Jimmy’s life near the end, he eventually rejected Labour for the SNP because he felt Labour to be paradoxically a Thatcherite party.

And he was right to say that Labour had left its working class base behind, and Labour had sadly lost confidence in working class people. Most of its leaders and indeed most of the leading trade union bureaucracy no longer live, mix and socialise with the working class they represent. But Jimmy was absolutely at one with them to the end. (more…)

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Thursday News Review

12/08/2010, 07:49:24 AM

Straw backs Miliband Snr

Jack Straw is backing David Miliband for the Labour leadership

Labour leadership contender David Miliband tonight received the endorsement of another party heavyweight, as the shadow justice secretary, Jack Straw, gave the elder Miliband his vote. In a letter to Blackburn Labour members, Straw pledged his support to Miliband, joining the shadow home secretary, Alan Johnson, and the shadow chancellor, Alistair Darling, in proclaiming him as their pick to take over from Gordon Brown. Explaining his decision, Straw draws drew attention to Miliband’s role running the leadership campaigns of both Brown and Tony Blair. – The Guardian

Mr Straw, who announced last week that he is to retire from the Shadow Cabinet in October, said in a letter to party members in his Blackburn constituency: “In my view there is one outstanding candidate with the qualities necessary both to be Leader of the Opposition, and then Prime Minister.”In my judgment it is David Miliband who without doubt should be our next Leader. He will get my vote.” – The Independent

All the candidates have strengths. In my view, however, there is one outstanding candidate with the qualities necessary both to be Leader of the Opposition, and then Prime Minister. And don’t forget, the post of Opposition Leader is probably the most difficult and exposed of any in British politics. The Conservatives got through three Opposition Leaders before they elected one who could achieve even half a victory. Only three Labour leaders (Attlee, Wilson, Blair) in our post-war period have won elections. – Jack Straw, Blackburn Labour

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Charm offensives and the future of the Liberal Democrats

11/08/2010, 05:09:44 PM

Jerry Hayes would be amazed if Tories and Liberal Democrats didn’t stand as coalition candidates at the next general election. Would this extend to the formation of a new centre party encompassing elements of both Toryism and Liberalism? Peter Bingle thinks so.

Whether it is something as loose as Tory/Lib Dem understandings in certain seats or as formal as a new centre party, Denis MacShane is convinced that the government’s mishandling of Sheffield Forgemasters means that something will have to give for Nick Clegg to retain his Sheffield Hallam constituency.

Clegg’s desires to remain both on the green benches and in the ministerial Jaguar drive the electoral relationship between the Liberal Democrats and the Tories inexorably closer. Chris Huhne seems as in need of a Tory helping hand as Clegg and Sayeeda Waarsi did nothing today to suggest that this would not be extended.

Neither this prospect nor the realities of the coalition please all Liberal Democrats, though. Lembit Opik’s stand-up comedy, for example, is spiced with anti-Clegg jibes. “I saw him in Portcullis House after the election. It was strange that he didn’t see me, but it was a large lift”.

Opik may well be saying publicly the kinds of things which the Liberal Democrat backbench part of the coalition is saying privately. And this, as Tim Montgomerie observes, is a coalition in three parts: “1) the almost indistinguishable front benches; 2) the Tory right; 3) the left of the Liberal Democrats who, in their hearts, would still have preferred a deal with Labour.”

It is hard to imagine closer electoral relations between the Tories and the Liberal Democrats not producing fireworks unless this changes. Whatever closer electoral relations Cameron and Clegg are aiming for, they will struggle to achieve them unless they can bind their backbenches into the coalition to a greater degree. But the irreconcilables will, by definition, elude the charms of their party leaders. Labour should now be charming those Liberal Democrats who potentially fall into this category.

Simon Hughes is the leading figure in this group and is joined by the likes of John Pugh, Jenny Willott, Tim Farron, Paul Burstow, Norman Baker and David Heath. Whatever happens, gently encouraging Liberal Democrats of this vintage to think ill of Clegg and Cameron and well of Labour is likely to assist Labour’s hopes of returning to government. Perhaps, Labour-Lib Dem bonding over beers at Opik’s next gig would be a logical step.

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Kirstin Hay says that Johanna Baxter would make the NEC more accountable

11/08/2010, 02:23:34 PM

I joined the Labour party just after the general election, because I felt that I had taken a Labour government for granted, and now felt I had to fight to get one back. I didn’t even know then that the national executive committee (NEC) existed, let alone who my representative on it was. Odd perhaps for someone so new to politics but, given the number of internal elections taking place right now, I felt it my duty to find out how my new party operated before casting my votes.

I soon discovered that the NEC is important. It is the governing body that oversees the overall direction of the party and our policy-making process. The six representatives in the CLP section are elected bi-annually by one member one vote and this year we have our chance to decide who will represent us.

Call me old fashioned, but I would quite like to know who is standing for election to this vital part of the party machinery. The party seems to think that I need three months to decide on the leadership election, yet only three weeks to make a considered decision about who represents me on the NEC (the party will only confirm who is on the ballot when they send out the ballot packs in September). Is this transparency, consistency or accountability in action? I don’t think so. (more…)

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Crowdsourcing the leadership

11/08/2010, 01:06:46 PM

Last week’s now legendary Andy Burnham interview completed our set of leadership interviews. Each of the brave candidates has now faced your questions in the Labour Uncut Crowdsourcing Hotseat (LUCH).

First up was Ed Balls. Amongst his challenges were physically fighting David Miliband and going to war with Russia. We got by far the most questions of all the interviewees for Ed B, many of which were not from Labour supporters. We got almost as many complaints from Labour supporters for not having a stricter comments policy. But we are looking for a prime minister, not just a Labour leader, and so the questions got asked.

The Labour Uncut Crowdsourcing Hotseat (LUCH)

The next to take on your questions was Diane Abbott. We interviewed Diane the night before nominations closed – and she was in defiant mood. She was completely unphased by the questions, which included her son’s private education, the demographic of her leadership opponents and how much she is paid by the BBC. She did, however, get a little bit diva when we tried to take her picture.

Next up was the first of the Milibrothers. David, as big bro, stepped up as the third leadership contender in the LUCH. He was bouncy and inquisitive, with a firm handshake and a busy office. He even let us take his picture. In fact, he let us take quite a few. He answered your questions on votes at 16, the cuts to BSF, and set out his position on zombies.

Following close behind was Miliband Jnr. Ed faced questions on baseball, Babe Ruth, marriage equality, the nuclear industry, Clem Attlee and more. His office was buzzing, his team were youthful, and it was the most relaxed and giggle-filled interview of the lot.

Finally, Andy Burnham invited us round for a cuppa and an interview so honest and open it almost made us feel uncomfortable. He bounced ideas and questions off his team, got excited about music, got uncontrollable about football and gave pretty frank responses to everything else.

Just in case you missed them, here are the interviews in full:

The Ed Balls interview

The Diane Abbott interview

The David Miliband interview

The Ed Miliband interview

The Andy Burnham interview

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Wednesday News Review

11/08/2010, 08:58:56 AM

Blackburn: cuts

Grim up North

Labour Party councillors in Blackburn have failed to overturn plans to cut £4m from the council budget.Blackburn-with-Darwen Council is trying to save about £40m in the next four years as it prepares for a reduction in grants given to local government. – BBC NEWS.

Jimmy Reid

Tributes were paid this morning to Scots journalist and ex-trade union activist Jimmy Reid, who died on Tuesday night. The 78-year-old, who led the campaign against the closure of Glasgow’s shipyards in the 1970s, passed away in hospital at 9pm. He is believed to have suffered a number of heart attacks and had been in poor health for a number of years.On Wednesday, his former colleagues said they were in mourning for a “great Scot and a true internationalist”. – STV.

Charlie

Charles Kennedy, the former leader of the Liberal Democrats, has separated from his wife Sarah, the couple’s lawyers have confirmed.
The couple said their “amicable” separation would be “an entirely private family matter… Our ongoing and overriding priority will obviously remain our son.” – Sky News.

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Trots, stitch-ups and door-knocks: the leadership candidates’ parliamentary selections

10/08/2010, 03:41:33 PM

In his wonderful Uncut interview last week, Andy Burnham set great store by the manner of his initial selection as a Parliamentary candidate in 2001.

He adduced it as evidence that he is a man of the people. A proper party person who got selected the proper way, with no help from anyone, no special treatment, no favours. Which is more than can be said, Burnham clearly implies, for the coddled and over-promoted princelings who are his leadership rivals. (more…)

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