Comments on: The Toynbee tendency is Labour’s greatest weakness

By: Steven

Steven — Tue, 22 Jan 2013 00:01:57 +0000

David Talbot: “That was purely political though.” [re your opposition to Livingstone]

Your tweet: “Proof the Honours system is broken; Ken Livingstone was offered a CBE” suggests something else.

By: Paul Scott

Paul Scott — Sun, 20 Jan 2013 10:32:30 +0000

Just another political article all about TACTICS.
What about principles, beliefs, and policies? They are what matter, yet are almost completely lacking from modern politics.

The electorate don’t want another Labour Govt, because all Labour Govts have ever done, throughout British history, is tax, borrow & spend, irrsponsibly. They did it again (not in the first Blair term, but by 2001 they were in full throw money at everything mode, and look where it got us).

I’ll vote for ANY party that comes up with some decent, principled, workable ideas & policies. I’m not seeing that from any of the 3 main parties, just a lot of rhetoric & obsession with tactics.

As Alastair Campbell corrected stated on This Week, Cameron is obsessed with tactics, and doesn’t have a strategy at all. Same is very much true of New/Old/One Nation (!!!) Labour! No principles, no policies (other than more spending & borrowing), just a thirst to get back into “power”. We need to sling them all out, and start again in British politics.

By: neil mcilveen

neil mcilveen — Sat, 19 Jan 2013 13:50:40 +0000

I agree wholeheartedly with the content of David’s article. The lacklustre approach to the fast appraching next General Election by all in the LP needs to change quickly. We seem to be content to defend what we have and not to go for realistically winnable seats. The lack of local funds available to fight the ‘should win’ Council seats doesn’t help!

By: Liberal Neil

Liberal Neil — Fri, 18 Jan 2013 18:55:17 +0000

john problem “Ed should go for the jugular and ram home the fact that the deficit has increased by 50% since this lot took over.”

That would be a great idea if it was true.

In fact the deficit has already been reduced from £156bn in 2009/10 to £122bn in 2011/12, a 22% reduction.

By: David Talbot

David Talbot — Wed, 16 Jan 2013 20:38:06 +0000

Steven,

That was purely political though.

And I did, just about, signal my intent to vote for Livingstone on that great bastion of support, Labour Uncut:

http://labour-uncut.co.uk/2012/04/18/break-out-the-nose-pegs-and-vote-for-livingstone/

I also reference Polly Toynbee in that article, funnily enough.

By: Steven

Steven — Wed, 16 Jan 2013 18:15:45 +0000

David: “increasingly snide” & “tiresome”

Sorry mate, no need to take it personally. Though I admit, the political often harbours a personal dimension – hence your own antagonism towards Ken Livingstone.

By: john p Reid

john p Reid — Wed, 16 Jan 2013 16:12:41 +0000

well said ex labour

By: Steven

Steven — Wed, 16 Jan 2013 16:11:10 +0000

MellorSJ: ““Tory-heavy media”??? Have you listened to the BBC lately?”

Yes – and it seems to have been transformed into an unending Nigel Farage show.

By: Renie Anjeh

Renie Anjeh — Wed, 16 Jan 2013 11:36:08 +0000

I disagree with what you have said about the list. It won’t limit the amount of gains in fact there are seats we could take, which are not included on the list. The idea is that the party targets its resources, including using organising to those communities. The thing is that in 2005, Howard could not win anyway. In 2015, Miliband can win.
As for Toynbee, she does make a fair point. No PM has ever increased his share of the vote since 1974 not even Blair or Thathcer. Cameron cannot win an overall majority, it is just impossible. But that is not to say that Labour will definately win a majority or get in government – we have work to do.

By: Ex-Labour

Ex-Labour — Wed, 16 Jan 2013 10:39:11 +0000

@ Paul J

Is that opposed to the f*ckwit looney lefties on here ?

I comment on here to say what I feel as a Labour voter of 30 years now totally f*cked off with the looney left who live in some virtual socialist uptopia and expect everyone else to pay for it. Those who opine in the media – cue Toynbee, Jones etc are a godsend to the Conservatives who can rightly say “look what a bunch of tw*ts Labour are”.

Now how about you growing those balls you talk about ?