Blairite Watch

[nino_savatte]

I couldn't find a thread for this, so I thought I'd start one. I'm sure there will be other Blairites who will pop up in the press and make the same claims about the need to cut, and how the voters should be regarded merely as ballot fodder.

Earlier this year, Rachel Reeves claimed that Labour wasn't the party of benefits claimants. Today, she justifies her decision to abstain on the Tax Credits vote. The article itself relies on cold figures from the House of Commons library but there is nothing in this article that could be described as 'human'.

New figures that I commissioned from the House of Commons library show by exactly how much families on the minimum wage will lose out. A family with two children and two parents, each earning the minimum wage, will see their income fall by £1,847 in 2016-17. By the end of this parliament, this family will have lost a devastating £7,700. A family with one earner on the minimum wage will be £1,525 worse off in 2016-17, and almost £7,000 worse off in total over the course of the parliament.

But even at this late stage, the government must ensure that the national living wage can deliver an increase in people’s take-home pay.If Osborne were to delay his cuts to tax credits by just two years, it would enable two years of wage growth from the national living wage, raising the incomes of families who will then be better placed, and better prepared, to withstand these cuts. It would also enable a proper distributional impact assessment to be carried out, and support to be put in place to stop the “work penalty”, where people are being unfairly penalised for going out to work.
Giving with one hand, taking away with the other won’t solve issue of low pay

 

[Maurice Picarda]

She is justifying her decision to vote against the government, and nino_savatte will no doubt correct the claim that she's supporting abstention in this piece.

 

[Frankie Jack]

There's little about Rachel Reeves, or the other Blairites, that could be described as human in politics or attitude.

 

[JHE]

If tax credits are worth defending and some Blairites are to be criticised for failing to defend them, it is only fair to remember that tax credits are a legacy of the Blair-Brown years.

 

[nino_savatte]

She is justifying her decision to vote against the government, and nino_savatte will no doubt correct the claim that she's supporting abstention in this piece.

What on earth are you talking about? She abstained on the farcical Fiscal Charter and this piece is an attempt to placate her critics, and by doing so, she's making one of the weakest arguments I've ever read.

Benefit claimants are voters too. You and Reeves would do well to remember that.

 

[Maurice Picarda]

The tax credits vote and the fiscal charter votes are different things. You said, in your post above, that she was abstaining on the first.

 

[nino_savatte]

The tax credits vote and the fiscal charter votes are different things. You said, in your post above, that she was abstaining on the first.

No shit but the two are related. Keep digging.

 

[Pickman's model]

this will end well

 

[J Ed]

The tax credits vote and the fiscal charter votes are different things. You said, in your post above, that she was abstaining on the first.

It's a hard life when you have to spend your life twatsplaining to the Corbynjugend

 

[nino_savatte]

Like Hodges, McTernan appears to be having a very public disintegration.

Good luck, Seumas Milne: here's what I wish they'd told me when I took the job
Good luck, enjoy it - and don’t let the monkeys in the cheap seats throw peanuts at you.

Good luck, Seumas Milne: here's what I wish they'd told me when I took the job

This is hilarious.

Start with the facts. Politics is a Maslowian hierarchy – the base is security, the middle is delivery (or competence) and at the top is aspiration - the kind of country and society they want to live. If you cannot convince on security – economic, homeland, national, environmental – then you aren’t heard on public services. If you are not trusted on delivery of health and education then it does not matter what your vision of the good society is – however wonderful. Too often the left starts with collective aspiration and all the great things we can do, forgetting the scaffolding. Map where Labour is and where the Tories are. Be honest – whole sight, or all the rest is desolation. And then plan how to wrest topics from the Tories one by one, and own and occupy them for Labour. A fight over hospital deficits is about competence not about privatisation – the former disconfirms and damages the overall Tory brand, the latter just makes Labour feel good. Cuts to tax credits and job losses in steel are about insecurity domestically and globally. Always attach the stories, messages and actions of the day

He hasn't really written this to Milne, he's written this to himself and other Blairites. It's like a flea-infested, moth-eaten comfort blanket.

 

[agricola]

He hasn't really written this to Milne, he's written this to himself and other Blairites. It's like a flea-infested, moth-eaten comfort blanket.

... with McTernan as both flea and moth.

 

[nino_savatte]

Danczuk says he'll mount a "stalking horse" leadership challenge to Corbyn [if things don't go his way]. He's more panto horse than stalking horse, imo.

Jeremy Corbyn faces a “stalking horse” leadership challenge next year from Simon Danczuk, the backbencher known for his campaigning work, if Labour performs poorly at May’s Scottish, Welsh and London elections.

Mr Danczuk, who is on the party’s right wing, is understood to be considering a challenge that he hopes would trigger a wider contest.

The MP confirmed to The Independent on Sunday that he “wouldn’t rule out” standing should Labour continue to struggle at the ballot box in the wake of its disastrous general election in May. The former leader, Ed Miliband, entered the ballot with hopes of winning, only to see the party reduced from 258 to 232 seats; the Conservatives, by contrast, secured their first outright majority since 1992.
Corbyn could face a leadership challenge from Simon Danczuk

What a deluded narcissistic cunt he is.

 

[littlebabyjesus]

Like Hodges, McTernan appears to be having a very public disintegration.


This is hilarious.



He hasn't really written this to Milne, he's written this to himself and other Blairites. It's like a flea-infested, moth-eaten comfort blanket.

That's extraordinary. And he said 'homeland'. As in 'homeland security'. Fuck me.

 

[J Ed]

That's extraordinary. And he said 'homeland'. As in 'homeland security'. Fuck me.

McCarthy's Zombie stumbles onwards at Progress HQ

 

[MrSki]

 

[nino_savatte]

As apologies go, it's mealy-mouthed. He'd much rather blame others for his failures and his zeal. A typical narcissist, I'd say.

 

[agricola]

As apologies go, it's mealy-mouthed. He'd much rather blame others for his failures and his zeal. A typical narcissist, I'd say.

It is a typical Blair apology - ie: not an apology at all. As we all know now, the intelligence he received told him what Iraqi WMD capability was (ie: very little to none), that there was no link between Saddam and al-Qaeda, and probably told Blair what was likely to happen if they went in; he ignored all of it and had some other stuff fabricated instead.

 

[nino_savatte]

Dismal Danczuk demands payment for a Guardian interview. He really is the pits.
Simon Danczuk: 'Why would Jeremy Corbyn discipline me? It's all part of the new politics'

He doesn't get it.

But Danczuk denies allegations of disloyalty. “I think it’s all part of the new politics,” he says, with admirable chutzpah. “I get the impression Jeremy is relaxed about it. Tony Blair as leader never disciplined Jeremy for the attacks that he made on Tony. Why would Jeremy want to discipline me for speaking out and sharing my constructive comments on his leadership?” He insists he quietly receives a lot of support from other MPs. “I think what has been written is generally well received actually. They say: ‘Keep doing what you’re doing, it’s important.’”

His ego is massive.

He is adamant that what he calls his “constructive criticism” is already working. “I have a genuine desire to help Jeremy win elections, both next year and in the run-up to and including 2020. I think he’s listened to some of the things I’ve been saying ... I raised the issue about him not wearing a white poppy, wearing a red one [at Corbyn’s first PLP meeting]. And that’s what he now does. I’ve raised the point about singing the national anthem. That’s what he now does. I’ve raised the point about his relationship with the queen and I think he’s modified that. I genuinely think this is a new kind of politics that is genuinely welcome. There’s much more openness. Much more debate. Jeremy is a breath of fresh air in allowing that debate to take place, in terms of reinvigorating the party.”

He's as thick as pigshit

The curious thing about Danczuk’s columns in the Mail on Sunday is that he is now writing for the paper that essentially accused him of being a wife-beater this summer. The paper aired allegations long circulating in Rochdale that he had ditched Karen and their first son at Alicante airport in 2008. The story quoted Karen’s dad, Martin Burke, alleging that his daughter had called from the airport, distraught. “She told me, ‘He’s drunk, he’s very angry, he’s beaten me up, he’s threatening to kill me,’” the paper quoted him as saying. But both Karen and Simon denied the argument was violent. An internal Labour party investigation found in Simon’s favour, and resulted in the expulsion of five party members for circulating false and malicious allegations against him.

There's only one thing for it: get rid of him.

 

[DotCommunist]

he's also a lying piece of shit, all that 'jeremy is fresh air' bollocks. Five minutes ago he was sharpenning his stilletto in public

He insists he quietly receives a lot of support from other MPs.

numerous pms of support

 

[nino_savatte]

Mandelson appeared on Hardtalk on the BBC News Channel a few days ago. I changed channels before he could speak. This is the man who attended a party on Oleg Deripaska's yacht along with George 'I can't add up' Osborne. Here's Mandelson telling Bellend Sackur how, with no apparent sense of irony, there is no "credible, effective opposition".
Mandelson on Labour leadership: Sad day for this country - BBC News

 

[likesfish]

simon Danczuk is a deluded fool the blairites lost and they lost badly corbyn has managed to recruit more new members to the labour party than the tories have

 

[nino_savatte]

Poor deluded Lukehurst.

I can't see that happening. Can you?

 

[J Ed]

'Moderate'

 

[DotCommunist]

interesting isn't it, how the neoliberals position themselves as moderate and seek to characterise any opposition as dangerous radicals. From where I'm sat the 'moderates' pose far more of a risk than mr elbow patch

 

[agricola]

I can't see that happening. Can you?

No - but given what Mandleson (and Hodges) have said about democracy in the past, that isn't important.

 

[nino_savatte]

No - but given what Mandleson (and Hodges) have said about democracy in the past, that isn't important.

What they're hoping for is that a charismatic leader; a messiah figure, perhaps, who will come along and wipe away their tears and lead them to the promised land.

 

[Frankie Jack]

What they're hoping for is that a charismatic leader; a messiah figure, perhaps, who will come along and wipe away their tears and lead them to the promised land.

BlairJa Vu..?

 

[brogdale]

This is funny...

 

[brogdale]

Baron Hain of Neath

 

[cantsin]

Blairite actress Frances Barber ( v anti Scot Nats / anti Corbo etc ) , has hit the headlines after being apparently verbally abused by a 'Sharia Uber' driver the night before last before for her ( very modest ) attire / generally 'being a women / out at night ' .

frances barber ‏@francesbarber13 Nov 23
Just had a sharia Uber driver, first time in London. Shocked. Reported.

check her twitt feed to see she'd been pretty riled up about Islam in the previous days / weeks ( post Paris ) , and if fact has some proper previous on the matter :
Zelo Street: Frances Barber – Stick To Acting .

Can't help wondering if there might be any Cathy Newman "ushered out of the mosque / um, well not by anyone in particular..." or indeed anyone at all actually, as the cameras proved... style confusion involved ( initial 'Sharia Uber'tweet @ 2.15 am, after awards ceremony ) .

Insulting an obviously well known woman in an Uber Cab late at night on a west end pick up where there must be late female customers every night of the week, for her dress sense when she's covered up v modestly all in black , with all the records etc of the journey stored / recorded...just seems a bit far fetched . Should never put anything past religious bigots of all hues, but just not feeling this ...