has there ever been a lamer labour leader than ed miliband?

[articul8]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2013/jul/04/falkirk-labour-unite-challenge-miliband


Martin Kettle has an article in the Guardian about the Unite/Falkirk MP candidate selection issue and nowhere mentions how Progress(right wing labour faction with own staff, etc) have repeatedly used underhand methods to get their people parachuted in to desired seats, then again shouldn't be surprised.

a number of unsubstantiated claims there - ordinary members feel resentful at the power of UNITE? Really? Unions are withering away?

 

[articul8]

Anyone confirm this?
http://labour-uncut.co.uk/2013/06/11/disunity-at-unite-means-trouble-for-labour/

Edit - seems to be true - interesting....

 

[articul8]

It's all going off now, Tom Watson's quit too
http://labourlist.org/2013/07/tom-watson-resigns-from-the-shadow-cabinet/

 

[RedDragon]

Well well, one weekend at glastonbury and he does this.

 

[ska invita]

Buddha-like qualities of patience, deep thought, compassion and resolve

...and who are Drenge??

 

[killer b]

he's always going on about rubbish bands no-one's ever heard of. and elbow.

 

[ska invita]

not that bad


I wonder what Gordon Brown thought of Arctic Monkeys at Glastonbury

 

[butchersapron]

The police are his favourite punk band.

 

[treelover]

Well on his wages he can afford to go to Glasto, apparently even Prince Harry was there!

 

[Maurice Picarda]

Buddha-like qualities of patience, deep thought, compassion and resolve
...and who are Drenge??

Watson has a nerve comparing anybody to Buddha.

 

[youngian]

McCluskey in the New Statesman

http://www.newstatesman.com/politics/20 ... nst-labour

On the whole a low key measured response. Neither Watson or McCluskey are fools and have probably got some backroom deal in exchange for batting this entryist puppet master stuff into the grass.

The swivel eyed nutters sort of have a point when they say the media is full of liberals. In their eyes it means lefties but essentially they are fairplay Oxbridge grads who, unlike the nutters, at least have some level of professional and intellectual rigour.

However the idea of working class trade union types from Liverpool wielding power is an anathema to them and they will go on and on and on in pushing the Lynton Crosby agenda on rampant trade union power controlling the Labour Party. In contrast the Tories being questioned by the 'liberal media' about being bankrolled by a fraudulent Belizean tax dodger just means keeping your head down for a few days.

From the McCluskey article-

It is certainly our belief that Labour needs more trade unionists in Parliament, as opposed to seats being handed out on a grace-and-favour basis to Oxbridge-educated “special advisers”, but we make no apology for that. Labour’s future depends on it becoming more representative of the communities it seeks to represent.

Update: Just watching BBC Six o Clock News to see how is this is playing:
"Over to Jame Landale at Westminster"
"Yes Sophie there is a battle of Labour's soul going on blah blah blah"

 

[DJ Squelch]

Well on his wages he can afford to go to Glasto,

he was playing so got in free

 

[redsquirrel]

there's no party line - it's his view, and one I have some sympathy with as it goes.

While still trying to get Labour into power, where they can implement their cuts. Wanker

 

[William of Walworth]

he was playing so got in free

I was working so got in free ...

 

[articul8]

While still trying to get Labour into power, where they can implement their cuts. Wanker

If Labour don't get into power the Tories stay there, you daft prick. The point is to fight for a Labour government to offer a real alternative.

 

[butchersapron]

The point you prat, is that your fight is already lost. And today you seem to be surprised to find this out.

 

[stethoscope]

If Labour don't get into power the Tories stay there, you daft prick. The point is to fight for a Labour government to offer a real alternative.

When's Labour going to 'offer a real alternative'? Do we have any firm dates yet from inside the camp?

 

[articul8]

it's losing, I'll grant you that.

 

[butchersapron]

There is no fight to lose actually. The fight happened years and years ago. It's over. Apart from a few black knights threatening to bite peoples legs off.

 

[articul8]

Then why the fright on about Unite? - they know that's the main point of weakness

 

[butchersapron]

Then why the fright on about Unite? - they know that's the main point of weakness

The fright on? Now you're leg-biting with unite. Fucking desperate? The fright. Identifying a chance to cause trouble with sheer terror only reveals the depths of your delusions.

 

[articul8]

There is a fright - they saw that Unite were being successful in signing up union members to CLPs and influencing selections. That's why they flew into a flap.

 

[treelover]

owever the idea of working class trade union types from Liverpool wielding power is an anathema to them and they will go on and on and on in pushing the Lynton Crosby agenda on rampant trade union power controlling the Labour Party. In contrast the Tories being questioned by the 'liberal media' about being bankrolled by a fraudulent Belizean tax dodger just means keeping your head down for a few days.

This, the mainstream media is now full of Oxbridge types who while paying lip service to the 'working man or woman' in the abstract, can't hide the fact they don't really feel comfortable around real working class people, especially ones who may have influence.

 

[butchersapron]

There is a fright - they saw that Unite were being successful in signing up union members to CLPs and influencing selections. That's why they flew into a flap.

No, they saw that people with largely the same aims within the same party using the same methods but who they compete with for positions had fucked up so jumped on it. Nothing more, nothing less. Go get em articul8:

 

[stethoscope]

There is a fright - they saw that Unite were being successful in signing up union members to CLPs and influencing selections. That's why they flew into a flap.

This 'flap' won't change anything. Labour Party so worries about the press and the right accusing it of being 'in the lap of the Unions' that they'll just toss it off. Unions moan about the positioning of the party and make noise to appease, but they won't really ever withdraw their support and certainly won't force any real change inside the party.

 

[articul8]

they've got the power to do more than moan. I want to seem them use it

 

[butchersapron]

Astonishing, he first wants another fight that's already been lost in order to win another fight that's already been lost - delusion on self-delusion flapping itself into ever deeper delusion.

 

[butchersapron]

The 'left moving' miliband (copyright articul8) has allowed the police to be called in over this. Oh what an awful fright!

 

[articul8]

There was an earlier moment in his leadership when it appeared he was marking out territory to the somehwhat to the left of New Labour - I'm afraid that has been superseded by a conservative bid to regain "credibility" from the markets. I've nowhere claimed he's been moving left of late.

I'd like to see McCluskey up the ante to, and put down redlines which - if crossed - would trigger a complete halt to funding.

 

[butchersapron]

'Of late'. So as normal, you were right to be wrong at that point. Everyone else pointing it out to you were wrong to be right at that point. Utter politician weaseling.

What you want is a product of the above delusions. Grow up.