@Bond_James_Bond The danger for Ed Miliband is less about the polling and more whether he is able to lead the Labour party in his chosen direction. Or even whether he is able to carry on leading the Labour party at all. If he looks defeated on this now, having had a direct challenge to his authority by Unite, it's that serious.
@Southam - But what do you mean by 'win'? Unite storming out of the playground and refusing to play any more (and taking their £2.5m a year pocket money with them)?
At best they'll kiss and make up, issue a statement agreeing that Ed Miliband is leader of the Labour Party after all, and Len will promise to be a good boy in future. But that will still leave Labour looking as though the unions pull the strings, if they are still bankrolling the party.
Alternatively, they bust-up big time and bankrupt the party. That's not much of a win.
The truth of the matter is that Ed's Buddha-like inner calm means he's left it too late. Whatever he does now, it will look as though he was pushed into it by events outside his control. It will also leave a legacy of fraternal bitterness in the Labour movement. The party is hardly going to survive this lot without recriminations and disunity - and that's before they start getting into the nitty-gritty of difficult policy decisions.
All highly satisfactory, from my point of view .
Unite will not take their money away. And all voters know that the unions do bankroll the Labour party. But what they also know is that the unions do not pull the strings. Len McCluskey has made that very clear over the last two or three days.
At best they'll kiss and make up, agree that Ed Miliband is leader of the Labour Party after all, and Len will promise to be a good boy in future. But that will still leave Labour looking as though the unions pull the strings, if they are still bankrolling the party.
Yes. In other words, nothing of any significance will happen. Labour's supporters couldn't give a toss if "he unions pull the strings". It's a non-issue. It's like finding out that a lot of retired colonels donate to the Tories - it's a "so what?" moment.
It will also leave a legacy of fraternal bitterness in the Labour movement.
Isn't that a feature, though, rather than a bug? The whole basis of Labour is that those who stand out need to be levelled down. You can't base a party around various spheres of self-righteousness and rancour, and then expect its members to be nice to each other. You might just as well buy a dog and expect it not to want to go for walks or chew bones.
Labour's supporters could not care less if Labour has been infiltrated by Unite.
Are schoolteachers, human rights lawyers, BBC journalists, postal voters called Khan living on the sixth floor of a Sparkhill bungalow, Dundee slum tenants, and public sector employees all abruptly going to stop voting Labour because of this, this, this scandalous betrayal of their ideals and principles?
I am prepared to find out I am wrong about this, but the whole matter strikes me as electorally completely, utterly, achingly insignificant. While it will entertain Tories, it will not cost Labour a single vote. Not one.
This may make Miliband look and feel a bit silly in the Commons for a week or two, but he can deal with that. Blair looked silly in the Commons lying all the time, and it never harmed him electorally.
I don't suppose it will bother those people. The damage it can cause Labour is with centrist and floating voters many of whom switched from Labour to Cameron in 2010. Go back to Blair and why was Clause 4 so important? It was because it was showing that Labour were detoxifying from the past, winter of discontent etc. Labour need to be careful not to retoxify themselves on this (as the Tories have to be careful with the NHS). The other problem is that this undermines the new positioning last week, which was all about Labour being responsible (and centrist). While I didn't find that credible last week after 2 years of "no cuts", it looks even less credible now if they end up with a union dominated group of MPs.
@Southam - The overriding impression of the last few days is that Ed Miliband was Little Boy Lost while the big boys stitched things up behind the scenes. The fact that they did this so brazenly that they finally tripped over their own stitching doesn't make Ed look any better. Sorry.
Michael Crick @MichaelLCrick McCluskey: "It's depressing Labour leaders seems to have to have a Clause 4 moment .. Ed doesn't need that. I'm his friend."
Michael Crick @MichaelLCrick 15s McCluskey says Labour Party handling of Falkirk "absolutely amateurish"
Michael Crick @MichaelLCrick 56s McCluskey says he still supports Miliband as leader
Michael Crick @MichaelLCrick 1m McCluskey: Labour caught up in "anti-union Tory hysteria"
Michael Crick @MichaelLCrick 2m McCluskey: "Labour leadership has shot itself in the foot"
I don't suppose it will bother those people. The damage it can cause Labour is with centrist and floating voters many of whom switched from Labour to Cameron in 2010.
Good points but I'm not so sure. Labour in 2010 under Gordon Brown polled nearly 30%. If that man and his record did not dissuade those people from voting Labour, what effect will this storm in a teapot have?
Michael Crick @MichaelLCrick McCluskey: "It's depressing Labour leaders seems to have to have a Clause 4 moment .. Ed doesn't need that. I'm his friend."
@Southam - The overriding impression of the last few days is that Ed Miliband was Little Boy Lost while the big boys stitched things up behind the scenes. The fact that they did this so brazenly that they finally tripped over their own stitching doesn't make Ed look any better. Sorry.
That is indeed the mesaage that the Tories will seek to convey. Let's see if it resonates.
Len McCluskey seems to be thoroughly enjoying himself. It's the insouciance that should worry Ed Miliband. There's no sense in anything that Len McCluskey says that makes you think that he worries that:
"The King need not care how oft he fights... If we fight 100 times and beat him 99 he will be King still, but if he beats us but once, or the last time, we shall be hanged, we shall lose our estates, and our posterities be undone."
That absence of fear is something that Ed Miliband needs urgently to correct - if he still can.
I worked at a purpose built print company once. My first job.
Great training. Great working conditions. People (printers especially) earning a fortune.
The shopfloor was heavily unionised. Us office workers weren't. Almost every month there was a union/management dispute or another.
When the company started losing money the management tried to cut 10 staff. The union were outraged and called a strike.
I had to go to work, past the picket lines, for about a fortnight, as the company lost zillions in production, having to place all their work at other print sites.
Eventually the management gave in. The unions and shopfloor celebrated. Life went on.
About two years went by and the company, led by its head office in London, painstakingly and gradually shipped more and more work from us to sister sites. Sites that had less union intransigence.
In the end there was no work left to do. So the management announced they were shutting the site.
The union didn't take it seriously. Said the management wouldn't dare. Kept giving out propaganda messages saying they'd fight for another 6% payrise etc etc.
The unions were even saying this as machine assemblers from Turkey were taking the presses apart. It's all a hoax they said, hold on and they'll give in and bring all the work back.
Then there were no presses, no machines and the doors were shut. Forever. And the workers were horrified.
I'd already left, went on to a great job. But about 300 shopfloor staff who'd earned a fortune and enjoyed great conditions/overtime were put out of work.
I see a lot of the guys now (print is quite incestuous) and they all f*cking regret the day the hitched their carriages to the union. None of them ever earned the same money again.
I saw the bullying, intimidation, the-world-owed-us-a-favour mentality of the unions and I saw how the management constantly tried to accommodate them. I will never, ever trust a union again. It shaped my view of the world.
McCluskey and co look like they are cut from the same cloth.
Did anyone hear this on WATO? This is a comment from elsewhere
"A very fascinating interview on WatO in which Umunna completely lost it. They had a person on from a south west constituency who complained of the same thing as at Falkirk, none of the party high ups (inc. Miliband) would do anything about it and he and his fellows were threatened with a charge of bringing the party in to disrepute."
Labour's Falkirk report says contender Gregor Poynton, husb of front-bencher Gemma Doyle, recruited 11 members Jun 2012 on single £130 chque
*chortle*
It's the Blair and Brown wars resurfacing quite obviously. The PB tories hear the word "union" and start foaming at the mouth missing the point entirely as usual.
We'll see if wee Dougie get's Watson's old job as there's no way he and his mate Jim Murphy were those briefing against Watson in the shadow cabinet. Just like they would never dream of being the ones behind the early Blairite whisper campaign against little Ed in case he has forgotten. ;^ )
Alan Johnson must be the 'Michael Howard' candidate surely?
With Alistair Darling free to become Shadow CoE after September 2014, things might even start to look up for Labour before the 2015 General Election.
What's more, I can't see Johnson refusing to work with Clegg and even McCluskey would find it hard to challenge Johnson's union credentials.
Only if EM goes, which I struggle to see happening. There is a chance to turn this around but the window of opportunity is narrowing: the police stuff just comes across as running away and hoping someone else willl deal with it.
Len McCluskey seems to be thoroughly enjoying himself. It's the insouciance that should worry Ed Miliband. There's no sense in anything that Len McCluskey says that makes you think that he worries that:
"The King need not care how oft he fights... If we fight 100 times and beat him 99 he will be King still, but if he beats us but once, or the last time, we shall be hanged, we shall lose our estates, and our posterities be undone."
That absence of fear is something that Ed Miliband needs urgently to correct - if he still can.
He who pays the piper calls the tune.
Does the Labour Party need Lens money more than it does rEd?
Without the former it's bust. A new leader on the other hand is easier to find.
SO - So what does Ed have to DO to regain the inititative and change the narrative (that extends beyond partisan Tories like me) that he is reacting to events and not shaping them?
For example, at the most extreme, the party could suspend McCluskey's own personal membership: now that would send a signal about who's boss! In 1984 Kinnock not only fired weapons of mass expulsion on Militant but tore into Scargill for good meassure the very next day!
OK, that's not likely to happen, but merely issuing statements ain't going to cut the mustard, is it?
SO - So what does Ed have to DO to regain the inititative and change the narrative (that extends beyond partisan Tories like me) that he is reacting to events and not shaping them?
For example, at the most extreme, the party could suspend McCluskey's own personal membership: now that would send a signal about who's boss! In 1984 Kinnock not only fired weapons of mass expulsion on Militant but tore into Scargill for good meassure the very next day!
OK, that's not likely to happen, but merely issuing statements ain't going to cut the mustard, is it?
There is nothing Ed can do or say that will satisy partisan Tories and others who dislike the Labour party, so there's not much point in trying. He needs to show those who are not ill-disposed to Labour, as well as its members, its MPs, his shadow cabinet and the unions, that he is on top of events and will not allow Len to impose his views on the party.
He needs to show those who are not ill-disposed to Labour, as well as its members, its MPs, his shadow cabinet and the unions, that he is on top of events and will not allow Len to impose his views on the party.
Labour's Falkirk report says contender Gregor Poynton, husb of front-bencher Gemma Doyle, recruited 11 members Jun 2012 on single £130 chque
*chortle*
It's the Blair and Brown wars resurfacing quite obviously. The PB tories hear the word "union" and start foaming at the mouth missing the point entirely as usual.
We'll see if wee Dougie get's Watson's old job as there's no way he and his mate Jim Murphy were those briefing against Watson in the shadow cabinet. Just like they would never dream of being the ones behind the early Blairite whisper campaign against little Ed in case he has forgotten. ;^ )
Just for you,Pork, another outing for the Daily Mash summary of the situation, on which I think we can all agree:
"1. The Labour Party is a poisonous collection of chippy, tribal cretins, none of whom are capable of running a bath.
My own personal experience (which is limited to stories/moans from my midwife sister, attending the birth of my daughter , operation on a broken arm and visits to GPs on various riveting subjects as gout, chest pains and achilles heel and calf trouble) is that it is OK in terms of treatment and poor in terms of adminstration and politeness.
Where it does perform better is obviously the absence of unseemley scens about getting out insurance policies/chequebooks or credit cards when you enter a hospital and also I think overall healthcare does cost less for the same treatment level than most other countries (if you factor in insurance admin ,middlemen , inflated salaries for medical staff abroad, profiteering)
I think the tories do not appreciate the latter paragraph and Labour cannot see the former paragraph points. If woudl be good if we decided once and for all that a) the NHS is a good overall system that is here to stay and b) it is not 'wonderful nor ' full of 'angels' and that it needs to have a good look at itself from the inside and reform where necessary
SO - So what does Ed have to DO to regain the inititative and change the narrative (that extends beyond partisan Tories like me) that he is reacting to events and not shaping them?
For example, at the most extreme, the party could suspend McCluskey's own personal membership: now that would send a signal about who's boss! In 1984 Kinnock not only fired weapons of mass expulsion on Militant but tore into Scargill for good meassure the very next day!
OK, that's not likely to happen, but merely issuing statements ain't going to cut the mustard, is it?
There is nothing Ed can do or say that will satisy partisan Tories and others who dislike the Labour party, so there's not much point in trying. He needs to show those who are not ill-disposed to Labour, as well as its members, its MPs, his shadow cabinet and the unions, that he is on top of events and will not allow Len to impose his views on the party.
its now rEd vs the Hacks - they have him on the run. The Cons are just clapping and cheering - not really organising the chase.
SO - So what does Ed have to DO to regain the inititative and change the narrative (that extends beyond partisan Tories like me) that he is reacting to events and not shaping them?
For example, at the most extreme, the party could suspend McCluskey's own personal membership: now that would send a signal about who's boss! In 1984 Kinnock not only fired weapons of mass expulsion on Militant but tore into Scargill for good meassure the very next day!
OK, that's not likely to happen, but merely issuing statements ain't going to cut the mustard, is it?
There is nothing Ed can do or say that will satisy partisan Tories and others who dislike the Labour party, so there's not much point in trying. He needs to show those who are not ill-disposed to Labour, as well as its members, its MPs, his shadow cabinet and the unions, that he is on top of events and will not allow Len to impose his views on the party.
How? That was my question: you seem to be struggling a little in answering it. Fair enough.
Well, there's one thing that the press can't really moan about today and that's splits over the EU and the Tories - unless of course they think Ken not turning up is a story ;^ )
Labour's Falkirk report says contender Gregor Poynton, husb of front-bencher Gemma Doyle, recruited 11 members Jun 2012 on single £130 chque
*chortle*
It's the Blair and Brown wars resurfacing quite obviously. The PB tories hear the word "union" and start foaming at the mouth missing the point entirely as usual.
We'll see if wee Dougie get's Watson's old job as there's no way he and his mate Jim Murphy were those briefing against Watson in the shadow cabinet. Just like they would never dream of being the ones behind the early Blairite whisper campaign against little Ed in case he has forgotten. ;^ )
Just for you,Pork, another outing for the Daily Mash summary of the situation, on which I think we can all agree:
"1. The Labour Party is a poisonous collection of chippy, tribal cretins, none of whom are capable of running a bath.
2. This is especially true in Scotland.
3. Falkirk is in Scotland." As some of us have been pointing out for far longer than just since this story broke.
Amusingly, the stark contrast to Cammie's Cast Iron leadership of a united party couldn't be greater.
Or revenge against standing against Big Dora? Little Dromey has been selected for a safe ward in Lewisham. Emily Benn has been shortlisted for a couple of wards in Croydon (1 marginal and 1 safe):
I don't suppose it will bother those people. The damage it can cause Labour is with centrist and floating voters many of whom switched from Labour to Cameron in 2010.
Good points but I'm not so sure. Labour in 2010 under Gordon Brown polled nearly 30%. If that man and his record did not dissuade those people from voting Labour, what effect will this storm in a teapot have?
My point is that Labour are highly unlikely to win on 29% of the vote so need to win over new (or returning) voters who didn't vote for them in 2010. As for Gordon, I am starting to think I would rather have him back than Miliband. For all his faults Brown at least had a bit of gumption and wasn't so passive.
Nasreen Akhtar, polling station clerk at the Madeley Centre Polling Station, has today pleaded guilty to misconduct in public office for helping her nieces to cast fraudulent votes in the 2012 local government election in Derby.
Her nieces, Tameena and Samra Ali, have also pleaded guilty to personation by voting as people other than themselves.
Noshiela Maqsood has pleaded guilty to perverting the course of justice by trying to cover up the offending by claiming to police that she had voted in the Derby local government election when, in fact, she had not.
Abid Sabir, brother of Nasreen Akhtar, has also pleaded guilty to perverting the course of justice.
Mohammed Akbar, father in law of Noshiela Maqsood, was charged with perverting the course of justice, although the CPS has decided to offer no evidence in relation to this after he received a police caution for wasting police time.
Just how long will it take gullible tory eurosceptics to figure it out again this time around?
There is a fair chance that the European Union (Referendum) Bill will pass the Commons, and be enacted. If that occurs, it will create a massive political headache for the next government, regardless of the incumbent Prime Minister's convictions and regardless of which party wins the next general election.
My point is that Labour are highly unlikely to win on 29% of the vote so need to win over new (or returning) voters who didn't vote for them in 2010.
This cycle's a bit unusual because there's also a group of LibDem defectors. It's more like a realignment than the normal drift of floating voters. The upshot is that if Labour can hang on to Gordon's 29%, it's probably enough to put Ed Miliband in Downing Street without particularly needing to win over a lot of floating voters. At a push they may even be able to get a majority.
Just how long will it take gullible tory eurosceptics to figure it out again this time around?
There is a fair chance that the European Union (Referendum) Bill will pass the Commons, and be enacted. If that occurs, it will create a massive political headache for the next government, regardless of the incumbent Prime Minister's convictions and regardless of which party wins the next general election.
It's non-binding and symbolic. Like I said, we just have to wait to see how long it takes gullible tory eurosceptics to figure that out. Yet again.
SO - So what does Ed have to DO to regain the inititative and change the narrative (that extends beyond partisan Tories like me) that he is reacting to events and not shaping them?
For example, at the most extreme, the party could suspend McCluskey's own personal membership: now that would send a signal about who's boss! In 1984 Kinnock not only fired weapons of mass expulsion on Militant but tore into Scargill for good meassure the very next day!
OK, that's not likely to happen, but merely issuing statements ain't going to cut the mustard, is it?
Hi JohnO. Interesting question.
All Ed has to do is to explain clearly what was happening, and what measures he is going to put in place to make sure it is not going to happen again in the Labour party. He should reiterate the Labour party's commitment to broaden selection, and point to its track record using difficult decisions like all women shortlists.
He should then invite other parties to demonstrate how they make sure groups or individuals cannot influence selections. And perhaps ask the question how the other parties are getting on attracting a broad range of candidates for 2015. A few killer stats out there might make a useful point or two.
THE islands of Guernsey, Jersey and the Isle of Man are considering adopting Scottish Highers in favour of A levels amid concerns over English educational reform, it has emerged.
The three crown dependencies, which are autonomous from the UK but traditionally follow the English curriculum, are understood to be seeking alternatives to the current system due to fears the Westminster reforms being led by Michael Gove will damage young people’s prospects.
Guernsey’s education leader has met with Scottish Government officials as concerns grow that English plans for end-of-year exams at 16 and 18 will put some pupils at a disadvantage.
It's non-binding and symbolic. Like I said, we just have to wait to see how long it takes gullible tory eurosceptics to figure that out. Yet again.
The Bill is likely to sail through committee. It may encounter some difficulties on report. It is likely to receive a third reading, if it is reported. If the Bill passes the Commons, there is little chance of it being defeated in the Lords. That means that there is a real possibility that there will be a binding commitment on the statute book to hold a referendum before 1 January 2018. The fact this Bill is a political manoeuvre by Cameron does not alter the fact that there is a strong possibility that it will have more than symbolic consequences.
Just how long will it take gullible tory eurosceptics to figure it out again this time around?
There is a fair chance that the European Union (Referendum) Bill will pass the Commons, and be enacted. If that occurs, it will create a massive political headache for the next government, regardless of the incumbent Prime Minister's convictions and regardless of which party wins the next general election.
It's non-binding and symbolic. Like I said, we just have to wait to see how long it takes gullible tory eurosceptics to figure that out. Yet again.
Easy for you to say when you have a vote to leave the EU next Sept
Nasreen Akhtar, polling station clerk at the Madeley Centre Polling Station, has today pleaded guilty to misconduct in public office for helping her nieces to cast fraudulent votes in the 2012 local government election in Derby.
Her nieces, Tameena and Samra Ali, have also pleaded guilty to personation by voting as people other than themselves.
Noshiela Maqsood has pleaded guilty to perverting the course of justice by trying to cover up the offending by claiming to police that she had voted in the Derby local government election when, in fact, she had not.
Abid Sabir, brother of Nasreen Akhtar, has also pleaded guilty to perverting the course of justice.
Mohammed Akbar, father in law of Noshiela Maqsood, was charged with perverting the course of justice, although the CPS has decided to offer no evidence in relation to this after he received a police caution for wasting police time.
Plato
Does the article say whether the above voted for a single party, and, if so, which one?
Jim Murphy's right to insist Ed Miliband is the leader of the Scottish Labour Party after Falkirk row, not Unite. Or Johann Lamont. #indyref
Little Ed flapping about and throwing it to the Falkirk police is a wee bit of a gamble to say the least. It's not just the unions who were up to funny business as Jim Murphy knows.
It's non-binding and symbolic. Like I said, we just have to wait to see how long it takes gullible tory eurosceptics to figure that out. Yet again.
The Bill is likely to sail through committee. It may encounter some difficulties on report. It is likely to receive a third reading, if it is reported. If the Bill passes the Commons, there is little chance of it being defeated in the Lords. That means that there is a real possibility that there will be a binding commitment on the statute book to hold a referendum before 1 January 2018. The fact this Bill is a political manoeuvre by Cameron does not alter the fact that there is a strong possibility that it will have more than symbolic consequences.
If a future government doesn't want such a referendum, does it positively have to repeal it?
That may be difficult, if there's a hung Parliament, after 2015.
Vincent McAviney @VMcAVSKY 7m Breaking: 2/2 @Ed_Miliband also tells @joeyjonessky "Len McCluskey has behaved badly in this process" #fulkirk #unite
Vincent McAviney @VMcAVSKY 8m Breaking: @Ed_Miliband tells @joeyjonessky "I don't care about Len McCluskey I care about the Labour Party" calls Falkirk "exceptional" case
If a future government doesn't want such a referendum, does it positively have to repeal it?
That may be difficult, if there's a hung Parliament, after 2015.
Very good point, and one which has interesting implications for any putative coalition agreement. Having this on the statute book would make it a lot easier to have a Con/LD coalition.
@Sean_F That depends on the final drafting of the Bill. At present assuming the Bill was enacted and was not subsequently repealed, the Secretary of State would be obliged to lay orders before Parliament providing for the holding of the referendum before 1 January 2018. If the Secretary of State defaulted in that duty, a person with a sufficient interest could apply to the High Court for a mandamus to require him to do so. However, the orders could not be made unless they were approved by a resolution of each House of Parliament.
Vincent McAviney @VMcAVSKY 8m Breaking: @Ed_Miliband tells @joeyjonessky "I don't care about Len McCluskey I care about the Labour Party" calls Falkirk "exceptional" case
I care about the country might have been a better line.
Good late afternoon. Personally I think the NHS, as it is now - stinks. Many English doctors cannot diagnose or mis-diagnose and the foreign ones brought here are inferior and half cannot speak or understand english of any kind, let alone medical english. You would think their Medical Latin would be better; hardly.
The Israeli medical services are far superior, hospitals not only cleaner but spotless, and nursing of the old school still applies. --------------------------- On Survation: PurplePolitics UKIP beats Tories in 5 UK regions including: London, South West, East of England, North East and Yorkshire and Humber (Survation)
Bright, beautiful, sparkling UKIP on the rise. Sleazy tories and LDs on the slide.
How long before Brown's hilariously titled "United with Labour" splinter group of Better Together hits back at the Blairites
I have great hopes for Gordon's "United with Labour" effort. My stakes at Hills (best at 4/1) on 'Yes' are partly dependent on Gordon yet again weaving his own special brand of magic.
Worse than that. It means that Ed Miliband cannot refer to any other cases when seeking to arraign Len McCluskey in the court of public opinion. If this is an "exceptional" case, it's going to be harder to come down heavily on him.
Given his past electoral record, Gordon's United with Labour will result in Scotland voting NO and England calling a winning referendum to separate from Scotland. I am not sure who will take Wales in that scenario.
How long before Brown's hilariously titled "United with Labour" splinter group of Better Together hits back at the Blairites
I have great hopes for Gordon's "United with Labour" effort. My stakes at Hills (best at 4/1) on 'Yes' are partly dependent on Gordon yet again weaving his own special brand of magic.
Let's find out what Jeremy Hunt thinks of the NHS....
"In a wide ranging discussion with HSJ, the health secretary said the NHS was the fairest, most cost effective, and most transparent healthcare system in the world – and was among the safest.
However, he added the health service now needed to be as “bold” as its 1948 founders in challenging and changing accepted methods of delivering healthcare.
“The NHS is the fairest healthcare system in the world,” he told HSJ. “If you are socially disadvantaged, Britain is without question the best country in the world to be ill in.”
He added: “On financial stability – in study after study – the NHS comes out as the most cost effective.”
Noting that “the NHS continues to be the single biggest reason people are proud to be British”, he nevertheless claimed: “we need to be bold now – as the founders of the NHS where in 1948 – about saying models need to change.”
Asked if he had any sympathy for people who sought private healthcare because of concerns over NHS safety, he said: “No, because I think the NHS continues to be one of the safest healthcare systems in the world”. He stressed his recent speech on NHS patient safety displayed his ambition for it be “even safer”.
On the government’s response to the Francis report and attempts to improve quality and patient safety, Mr Hunt claimed the NHS was “already the most transparent healthcare system in the world in terms of the volume of information we publish, and we want to go further.”"
That's right folks - the most cost effective, the most transparent, and the fairest.
Given his past electoral record, Gordon's United with Labour will result in Scotland voting NO and England calling a winning referendum to separate from Scotland.
That'd do me fine Andrea. Obviously I'd prefer my fellow Scots to take matters into their own hands, but if the English grow a set of balls first then I'll still die a very happy man.
Comments
Not a good enemy to make.
Michael Crick @MichaelLCrick
McCluskey: "Labour leadership has shot itself in the foot"
Michael Crick @MichaelLCrick
McCluskey: "It's depressing Labour leaders seems to have to have a Clause 4 moment .. Ed doesn't need that. I'm his friend."
Michael Crick @MichaelLCrick 15s
McCluskey says Labour Party handling of Falkirk "absolutely amateurish"
Michael Crick @MichaelLCrick 56s
McCluskey says he still supports Miliband as leader
Michael Crick @MichaelLCrick 1m
McCluskey: Labour caught up in "anti-union Tory hysteria"
Michael Crick @MichaelLCrick 2m
McCluskey: "Labour leadership has shot itself in the foot"
Michael Crick @MichaelLCrick
McCluskey: "It's depressing Labour leaders seems to have to have a Clause 4 moment .. Ed doesn't need that. I'm his friend."
a ringing endorsement then...
(Everyone else is doing it so I want to join in.)
How is it that Miliband and McCluskey have not talked about this? Bizarre.
Tim Shipman (Mail) @ShippersUnbound
McCluskey says he hasn't spoken to Miliband about Falkirk
What on Earth is going on?
http://bit.ly/19YEaB2
वैडूर्यप्रभराजाय तथागताय
अर्हते सम्यक्सम्बुद्धाय तद्यथा
ओं भैषज्ये भैषज्ये महाभैषज्यसमुद्गते स्वाहा
Back and forth between Miliband and McCluskey now rivalling anything at Wimbledon.
http://nopenothope.blogspot.co.uk/2013/07/hnhs-unison-funders-threaten-ukip.html
Certainly taken the heat off rEd for avoiding the Referendum debate..
"The King need not care how oft he fights... If we fight 100 times and beat him 99 he will be King still, but if he beats us but once, or the last time, we shall be hanged, we shall lose our estates, and our posterities be undone."
That absence of fear is something that Ed Miliband needs urgently to correct - if he still can.
With Alistair Darling free to become Shadow CoE after September 2014, things might even start to look up for Labour before the 2015 General Election.
What's more, I can't see Johnson refusing to work with Clegg and even McCluskey would find it hard to challenge Johnson's union credentials.
Great training. Great working conditions. People (printers especially) earning a fortune.
The shopfloor was heavily unionised. Us office workers weren't. Almost every month there was a union/management dispute or another.
When the company started losing money the management tried to cut 10 staff. The union were outraged and called a strike.
I had to go to work, past the picket lines, for about a fortnight, as the company lost zillions in production, having to place all their work at other print sites.
Eventually the management gave in. The unions and shopfloor celebrated. Life went on.
About two years went by and the company, led by its head office in London, painstakingly and gradually shipped more and more work from us to sister sites. Sites that had less union intransigence.
In the end there was no work left to do. So the management announced they were shutting the site.
The union didn't take it seriously. Said the management wouldn't dare. Kept giving out propaganda messages saying they'd fight for another 6% payrise etc etc.
The unions were even saying this as machine assemblers from Turkey were taking the presses apart. It's all a hoax they said, hold on and they'll give in and bring all the work back.
Then there were no presses, no machines and the doors were shut. Forever. And the workers were horrified.
I'd already left, went on to a great job. But about 300 shopfloor staff who'd earned a fortune and enjoyed great conditions/overtime were put out of work.
I see a lot of the guys now (print is quite incestuous) and they all f*cking regret the day the hitched their carriages to the union. None of them ever earned the same money again.
I saw the bullying, intimidation, the-world-owed-us-a-favour mentality of the unions and I saw how the management constantly tried to accommodate them. I will never, ever trust a union again. It shaped my view of the world.
McCluskey and co look like they are cut from the same cloth.
Bunch of dumf*cks.
"A very fascinating interview on WatO in which Umunna completely lost it. They had a person on from a south west constituency who complained of the same thing as at Falkirk, none of the party high ups (inc. Miliband) would do anything about it and he and his fellows were threatened with a charge of bringing the party in to disrepute."
Slow as we expect them to be, they should really have figured it out by now. *chortle*
It's the Blair and Brown wars resurfacing quite obviously. The PB tories hear the word "union" and start foaming at the mouth missing the point entirely as usual.
We'll see if wee Dougie get's Watson's old job as there's no way he and his mate Jim Murphy were those briefing against Watson in the shadow cabinet. Just like they would never dream of being the ones behind the early Blairite whisper campaign against little Ed in case he has forgotten. ;^ )
Murnaghan @MurnaghanSky 6m
Ed Miliband is only party leader that hasn't been on #Murnaghan this year. Will he agree to come on this Sunday? #Miliband4Murnaghan
The eurozone crisis means the status quo is no longer an option for Labour. If it doesn't act, the UK may end up out of the EU
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2012/oct/26/labour-europe-eurozone-crisis-eu
Does the Labour Party need Lens money more than it does rEd?
Without the former it's bust. A new leader on the other hand is easier to find.
For example, at the most extreme, the party could suspend McCluskey's own personal membership: now that would send a signal about who's boss! In 1984 Kinnock not only fired weapons of mass expulsion on Militant but tore into Scargill for good meassure the very next day!
OK, that's not likely to happen, but merely issuing statements ain't going to cut the mustard, is it?
What would getting "on top of events" look like?
It's the Blair and Brown wars resurfacing quite obviously. The PB tories hear the word "union" and start foaming at the mouth missing the point entirely as usual.
We'll see if wee Dougie get's Watson's old job as there's no way he and his mate Jim Murphy were those briefing against Watson in the shadow cabinet. Just like they would never dream of being the ones behind the early Blairite whisper campaign against little Ed in case he has forgotten. ;^ )
Just for you,Pork, another outing for the Daily Mash summary of the situation, on which I think we can all agree:
"1. The Labour Party is a poisonous collection of chippy, tribal cretins, none of whom are capable of running a bath.
2. This is especially true in Scotland.
3. Falkirk is in Scotland."
Catherine McDonald has been deselected in Livesey ward!
Revenge for standing against a Unite-backed candidate
"1. The Labour Party is a poisonous collection of chippy, tribal cretins, none of whom are capable of running a bath.
2. This is especially true in Scotland.
3. Falkirk is in Scotland."
As some of us have been pointing out for far longer than just since this story broke.
Amusingly, the stark contrast to Cammie's Cast Iron leadership of a united party couldn't be greater. Or not.
Just how long will it take gullible tory eurosceptics to figure it out again this time around?
Or revenge against standing against Big Dora?
Little Dromey has been selected for a safe ward in Lewisham. Emily Benn has been shortlisted for a couple of wards in Croydon (1 marginal and 1 safe):
Did you have to mention Dromey Jr? You'll set off everyone who thinks his father was selected on an AWS!
"In 1984 Kinnock not only fired weapons of mass expulsion on Militant but tore into Scargill for good measure the very next day!"
And much good it did him at the 1987 GE....!
Nasreen Akhtar, polling station clerk at the Madeley Centre Polling Station, has today pleaded guilty to misconduct in public office for helping her nieces to cast fraudulent votes in the 2012 local government election in Derby.
Her nieces, Tameena and Samra Ali, have also pleaded guilty to personation by voting as people other than themselves.
Noshiela Maqsood has pleaded guilty to perverting the course of justice by trying to cover up the offending by claiming to police that she had voted in the Derby local government election when, in fact, she had not.
Abid Sabir, brother of Nasreen Akhtar, has also pleaded guilty to perverting the course of justice.
Mohammed Akbar, father in law of Noshiela Maqsood, was charged with perverting the course of justice, although the CPS has decided to offer no evidence in relation to this after he received a police caution for wasting police time.
Alternatively, you can write to us via:
The Bournemouth Labour Party
c/o Unite
283 Holdenhurst Road
Bournemouth
BH8 8EG
All Ed has to do is to explain clearly what was happening, and what measures he is going to put in place to make sure it is not going to happen again in the Labour party. He should reiterate the Labour party's commitment to broaden selection, and point to its track record using difficult decisions like all women shortlists.
He should then invite other parties to demonstrate how they make sure groups or individuals cannot influence selections. And perhaps ask the question how the other parties are getting on attracting a broad range of candidates for 2015. A few killer stats out there might make a useful point or two.
THE islands of Guernsey, Jersey and the Isle of Man are considering adopting Scottish Highers in favour of A levels amid concerns over English educational reform, it has emerged.
The three crown dependencies, which are autonomous from the UK but traditionally follow the English curriculum, are understood to be seeking alternatives to the current system due to fears the Westminster reforms being led by Michael Gove will damage young people’s prospects.
Guernsey’s education leader has met with Scottish Government officials as concerns grow that English plans for end-of-year exams at 16 and 18 will put some pupils at a disadvantage.
http://www.scotsman.com/news/education/british-islands-consider-adopting-scottish-highers-1-2991028
0% of my 'control group' of normal people has ever heard of either McLuskey or Wharton. And when told who they were, 100% showed no interest.
Get some perspective, one and all. It is sunny today.
"1. The Labour Party is a poisonous collection of chippy, tribal cretins, none of whom are capable of running a bath.
2. This is especially true in Scotland.
3. Falkirk is in Scotland.""
How long before the reek from Falkirk contaminates Alistair Darling's fragrant Better Together outfit?
Does the article say whether the above voted for a single party, and, if so, which one?
The site owner had requested that no one on PB embeds pictures into their posts on the site (for copyright reasons)
Thank you
Darling's already put Lamont in her place in a somewhat less than subtle manner. Little Ed flapping about and throwing it to the Falkirk police is a wee bit of a gamble to say the least. It's not just the unions who were up to funny business as Jim Murphy knows.
That may be difficult, if there's a hung Parliament, after 2015.
Has PB been taken over by NewsCorp or is a certain resident of Bedford still in command of HMS PoliticalBetting ??
Breaking: 2/2 @Ed_Miliband also tells @joeyjonessky "Len McCluskey has behaved badly in this process" #fulkirk #unite
Vincent McAviney @VMcAVSKY 8m
Breaking: @Ed_Miliband tells @joeyjonessky "I don't care about Len McCluskey I care about the Labour Party" calls Falkirk "exceptional" case
That depends on the final drafting of the Bill. At present assuming the Bill was enacted and was not subsequently repealed, the Secretary of State would be obliged to lay orders before Parliament providing for the holding of the referendum before 1 January 2018. If the Secretary of State defaulted in that duty, a person with a sufficient interest could apply to the High Court for a mandamus to require him to do so. However, the orders could not be made unless they were approved by a resolution of each House of Parliament.
Breaking: @Ed_Miliband tells @joeyjonessky "I don't care about Len McCluskey I care about the Labour Party" calls Falkirk "exceptional" case
I care about the country might have been a better line.
I believe that's a spoof Darling's twitter account.....
Many English doctors cannot diagnose or mis-diagnose and the foreign ones brought here are inferior and half cannot speak or understand english of any kind, let alone medical english. You would think their Medical Latin would be better; hardly.
The Israeli medical services are far superior, hospitals not only cleaner but spotless, and nursing of the old school still applies.
---------------------------
On Survation:
PurplePolitics
UKIP beats Tories in 5 UK regions including: London, South West, East of England, North East and Yorkshire and Humber (Survation)
Bright, beautiful, sparkling UKIP on the rise. Sleazy tories and LDs on the slide.
The man is Midas in reverse.
Cathy Newman @cathynewman
Absolute corker of a #c4news tonight. Ex undercover cop Bob Lambert admits using false identity in court. Watch at 7
And Lamont is hardly taking the lead.
I am not sure who will take Wales in that scenario.
"In a wide ranging discussion with HSJ, the health secretary said the NHS was the fairest, most cost effective, and most transparent healthcare system in the world – and was among the safest.
However, he added the health service now needed to be as “bold” as its 1948 founders in challenging and changing accepted methods of delivering healthcare.
“The NHS is the fairest healthcare system in the world,” he told HSJ. “If you are socially disadvantaged, Britain is without question the best country in the world to be ill in.”
He added: “On financial stability – in study after study – the NHS comes out as the most cost effective.”
Noting that “the NHS continues to be the single biggest reason people are proud to be British”, he nevertheless claimed: “we need to be bold now – as the founders of the NHS where in 1948 – about saying models need to change.”
Asked if he had any sympathy for people who sought private healthcare because of concerns over NHS safety, he said: “No, because I think the NHS continues to be one of the safest healthcare systems in the world”. He stressed his recent speech on NHS patient safety displayed his ambition for it be “even safer”.
On the government’s response to the Francis report and attempts to improve quality and patient safety, Mr Hunt claimed the NHS was “already the most transparent healthcare system in the world in terms of the volume of information we publish, and we want to go further.”"
That's right folks - the most cost effective, the most transparent, and the fairest.
Wouldn't it be more sensible for the Lib Dem and Labour leaderships to block the legislation now?