We want a firmly class-based and left-wing general election campaign in 2015. We’ve got to say that Labour is the party of and for workers, not for neo-liberals, bankers, and the free market. That might alienate some people, but that’s tough.
Labour has to be a working-class party — a party for workers, pensioners, unemployed workers, single parents, the whole class.
It has to fight for positive rights for working-class people, and we want trade union activists out on the doorsteps of working-class households as Labour Party candidates making that case.
Just watching Crime Inc - from Thames TV back in 1984 - its brilliant, I'm glued to it as a history/documentary about the Mafia.
I saw bits of it back then and liked it, but watching it now - it really shows how to make a great long form series about a subject that most Brits wouldn't have much knowledge of bar watching The Godfather.
Blimey, one guy is shouting that the pole has broken, another is reinventing the English language and someones "gander is up"
Is that not the expression? *shrugs* I must have been using it wrong for years, or else Murray's pet goose is really pleased at his rallying. And "someone's" gander, please.
Getting the gander up may be used in on stud farms for geese, if they exist. Is that on your CV? If it is I'd be tempted to take it off, like those blokes who mop out cubicles in Amsterdam peep shows.
I'll leave it on just in case I feel like diversifying into a new industry.
"one member of the shadow cabinet worked with a trade union leader to try to unseat another frontbencher in a bitter re-selection battle, which has since been resolved"
If he can pull it off, remarkable. The Tories would lose their favourite attack, and the union's core radical mouthpieces will always vote Labour anyway, as they hate the Tories too much to risk otherwise.
"The punctured tyre had broken quite a crucial part of the floor, where the exhaust blows on it to create downforce. The fact I was able to overtake all those people despite having that damage was a real positive. "
That's superior race pace compared to Alonso despite some damage to the car.
the union's core radical mouthpieces will always vote Labour anyway, as they hate the Tories too much to risk otherwise.
I think you'll find that's very wrong. The unions created the Labour party, the reasons for having a political voice still exist, if that wasnt the Labour party it would be another seriously well organised and funded party.
"one member of the shadow cabinet worked with a trade union leader to try to unseat another frontbencher in a bitter re-selection battle, which has since been resolved"
Who was this? Andrea, can you say?
Can we engage in rampant speculation until Andrea confirms it.
I think it was Yvette Cooper trying to get Ed Balls unseated.
She knows if she was Shadow Chancellor, Labour would have 20 plus leads in the polls.
the union's core radical mouthpieces will always vote Labour anyway, as they hate the Tories too much to risk otherwise.
I think you'll find that's very wrong. The unions created the Labour party, the reasons for having a political voice still exist, if that wasnt the Labour party it would be another seriously well organised and funded party.
I don't think they have it in them to create a new party if Labour was lost as a direct link, so they wouldn't be as vocally as supportive, or financially, but they won't go anywhere I think. The 21st Century political reality and union reality is not the same as 20th. I don't think Ed M will take it as far as some would like, probably, but even with all their financial support, I think he is able to call their bluff and Labour still thrive.
For one thing, the unions may have created the Labour party, but that doesn't change the fact that the unions, despite Tory claims, run it now, they are just fighting additional marginalization, surely? So even with money they've already accepted it as a party which moved waaaay centre quite some time ago, even aping the Tories on some issues and still do, and they could not do a thing to stop it.
Mohannad Sabry SINAI CONFIRMED: full curfew imposed by military in border region, shops closed, roads blocked, anticipated street battles in coming hours.
I don't think they have it in them to create a new party if Labour was lost as a direct link
I disagree.
But I cant quite believe I'm talking about what would happen if the link was broken. It obviously wont be.
Indeed. But when it comes to politicians or those seeking to influence politics, my general belief is people's fears of losing out by undermining their own tribe generally outweighs their dislike of the general direction their party might be taking, so they end up having spines like biscuits dunked in tea.
I think growing up in an age of weak unions has made me not regard them(unions) as having that much balls (not Balls).
I was reflecting exactly on that. What's the timeline? Should we look to frontbenchers having seats next to each other going ahead to ahead for the redrawn seat? I guess we can rule out being something regarding 1997 boundary changes.....we have 2005 Scottish boundary changes, 2010 England and Wales boundary changes and the aborted 2012 changes... I suppose the 2 frontbenchers are current frontbenchers and not some from the past (John Reid/Helen Liddell's seats being merged together in 2005).
Khan/Chuka/Tessa after the aborted boundary recommendations?
"The punctured tyre had broken quite a crucial part of the floor, where the exhaust blows on it to create downforce. The fact I was able to overtake all those people despite having that damage was a real positive. "
That's superior race pace compared to Alonso despite some damage to the car.
It was an impressive drive. Like any of the top drivers (e.g. Alonso, Schumacher, Vettel), you may not like him, but you have to admit he's a blooming good driver.
With my speculation hat on, I wonder how difficult that would have made the car to drive? As the damage was on one side, did that mean the intact (right-hand?) side had more downforce than the damaged side? Or I wonder if altering the front-rear balance would have changed that much?
If the surgeon said that they are likely to be in trouble. It is a very intemperate thing to say about a member of the team. If false it is potentially a disciplinary matter, if true then such a statement is no way to raise concerns about the competence of staff.
NHS nurses..my daughter who is a staunch labourite is taking legal action against the nurses at her local hospital for the dangerous and callous treatment she received last week after surgery..on the advice of the surgeon who did the op.. Merciful angels they were most definitely not..in her words.."Lazy and callous"
In the surgeons words "Incompetent and dangerous idiots"
Well that's our relationship with Iran getting worse, but I'm sure Andrew Mitchell would sympathise, from the Paywall
The newly elected Iranian President has called British police “rude, rough and heartless” after revealing that he was arrested by them when on the run from the Shah of Iran.
Hassan Rowhani was left banging with his fists on a cell door when he was wrongly seized by Scotland Yard while staying at a house full of militants. Although he was not charged with an offence, his fingerprints were taken.
@jcorrigangolf So Scotland will win Wimbledon, Wales will win the lions tour, any chance England, all 50m of them, can contribute to this glorious July?
@jcorrigangolf So Scotland will win Wimbledon, Wales will win the lions tour, any chance England, all 50m of them, can contribute to this glorious July?
Not expecting an ashes win, then.
Technically that would be an England & Wales Ashes victory
I couldn't post to PB via the politicalbetting.com domain earlier, accessing this thread via politicalbetting.vanillaforums.com
Anyway, a bit late, but congrats to our BRITISH tennis ace Andy Murray for getting to a second successive Wimbledon final! Hopefully this will be his year!
Labour officials feared Unite had been illegally given restricted information about party members in another constituency.
According to documents seen by The Times, Labour’s compliance unit sounded the alarm after party members in Chester complained that they had received an unsolicited e-mail about a Unite Facebook site.
Labour officials feared that their information had been passed to Unite by a candidate hoping to contest the Chester seat at the election. The selection was eventually secured last month by Chris Matheson, a Unite official.
In a note circulated to everyone contesting the selection on April 5, Labour officials revealed that they feared the law may have been broken.
I'm glad it was not just my computer that was having problems.
I really can't think what Ed thinks he is doing here. A head on clash with the leader of the largest donor was risky enough but to take on all the unions? At once? He is over reaching himself.
I would be seriously surprised if Labour could hang together in such a scenario. I wonder what Ed Balls thinks about all this. He used to be close to some of those involved.
FPT. Just caught up with the threads today, totally amazed that this little gem tucked away in the Henry G Manson's article got absolutely no attention in the last thread. Especially in light of the current scandal engulfing the Labour party and their biggest Union donor UNITE.
"One area that is less well known relates to the proposed boundary changes that have since been dropped. This would have involved a good number of Labour MPs facing a neighbouring Labour MP in an internal section vote across the new constituency boundaries. A good number of panicky MPs took part in their own large scale recruitment drives with all manner of favours offered on occasion to help save their skin. This is one reason why there was such a boost in Labour membership in late 2010 and 2011 – it was as much down to the survival instincts of these MPs as it was the enthusiasm of a new Labour leader."
Today has lots of anniversaries. 30 years ago today, it rained. To be precise, it rained about 3 inches in about 40 minutes. 80 years ago, the then-not-yet-but-eventually headmaster of my secondary school was born. 20 years ago, the Daily Telegraph listed the abovementioned in its daily list of birthdays, because he was then the chairman of the Headmasters' Conference. 9 years ago today, I shook hands with this person: http://oi42.tinypic.com/2a6vwy1.jpg
I don't remember that being number 1 when I was walking home from school getting soaked to the skin in the torrential downpour which coincided with going-home time. At the time, I was also unaware of the fact that it was the headmaster's 50th birthday.
Comments
"You want the roof? You couldn't handle the roof!"
Was really proud of it, I had mentioned the following
1) Scotland's Andy Murray is struggling to get past a semi tonight, watch it here live.
2) And a headline story featuring the words pulls out, and siemens.
Not been watching the tennis for the last hour or so. Perplexed by the closed roof.
Labour has to be a working-class party — a party for workers, pensioners, unemployed workers, single parents, the whole class.
It has to fight for positive rights for working-class people, and we want trade union activists out on the doorsteps of working-class households as Labour Party candidates making that case.
http://www.workersliberty.org/story/2012/07/11/how-unite-plans-change-labour-party
Bring it on.
I saw bits of it back then and liked it, but watching it now - it really shows how to make a great long form series about a subject that most Brits wouldn't have much knowledge of bar watching The Godfather.
Highly recommended.
@GdnPolitics
Ed Miliband to explore historic break with trade unions http://bit.ly/17SXS0c
Here is a video showing how to get your gander up (parental advisory).
[Edited to say - oh bums, I just wanted to post a link, not a bloody picture]
"one member of the shadow cabinet worked with a trade union leader to try to unseat another frontbencher in a bitter re-selection battle, which has since been resolved"
Who was this? Andrea, can you say?
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/formula1/23195043
"The punctured tyre had broken quite a crucial part of the floor, where the exhaust blows on it to create downforce. The fact I was able to overtake all those people despite having that damage was a real positive. "
That's superior race pace compared to Alonso despite some damage to the car.
I think it was Yvette Cooper trying to get Ed Balls unseated.
She knows if she was Shadow Chancellor, Labour would have 20 plus leads in the polls.
Isn't Unite their biggest donor?
For one thing, the unions may have created the Labour party, but that doesn't change the fact that the unions, despite Tory claims, run it now, they are just fighting additional marginalization, surely? So even with money they've already accepted it as a party which moved waaaay centre quite some time ago, even aping the Tories on some issues and still do, and they could not do a thing to stop it.
But I cant quite believe I'm talking about what would happen if the link was broken. It obviously wont be.
SINAI CONFIRMED: full curfew imposed by military in border region, shops closed, roads blocked, anticipated street battles in coming hours.
It looks like full lockdown for Egypt.
Meanwhile a couple of local UKIP wins that were overlooked last night as too small to worry about.
http://www.ukiptelfordandwrekin.org.uk/two-by-election-wins-for-ukip/
I think growing up in an age of weak unions has made me not regard them(unions) as having that much balls (not Balls).
I was reflecting exactly on that. What's the timeline? Should we look to frontbenchers having seats next to each other going ahead to ahead for the redrawn seat? I guess we can rule out being something regarding 1997 boundary changes.....we have 2005 Scottish boundary changes, 2010 England and Wales boundary changes and the aborted 2012 changes...
I suppose the 2 frontbenchers are current frontbenchers and not some from the past (John Reid/Helen Liddell's seats being merged together in 2005).
Khan/Chuka/Tessa after the aborted boundary recommendations?
With my speculation hat on, I wonder how difficult that would have made the car to drive? As the damage was on one side, did that mean the intact (right-hand?) side had more downforce than the damaged side? Or I wonder if altering the front-rear balance would have changed that much?
I need to talk to a friendly aerodynamicist ...
"Andy, you're in the final. But admit it to the BBC, you're still crap really aren't you"...
So says the man who thought David Miliband was a shoo in to be leader of the Labour Party.
The newly elected Iranian President has called British police “rude, rough and heartless” after revealing that he was arrested by them when on the run from the Shah of Iran.
Hassan Rowhani was left banging with his fists on a cell door when he was wrongly seized by Scotland Yard while staying at a house full of militants. Although he was not charged with an offence, his fingerprints were taken.
So Scotland will win Wimbledon, Wales will win the lions tour, any chance England, all 50m of them, can contribute to this glorious July?
Not expecting an ashes win, then.
The CiFers are NOT happy...
It said on Sky that Murray has won 7 out of 18 matches against Djokovic.
@michaelsavage
Labour HQ raised concerns about a Data Protection breach linked to Unite in another constituency in April. See tomorrow's Times.
Anyway, a bit late, but congrats to our BRITISH tennis ace Andy Murray for getting to a second successive Wimbledon final! Hopefully this will be his year!
Off-topic: Thanks for all the advice about the piano...
I went with the Casio in the end, and so far I'm very happy.
Now here's a beautiful old song to take you into the wee small hours....(dunno about the player. I think he needs more practice!)
https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/13331381/Nancy.WAV
Does it sound like a piano? I think so, especially when played through a separate speaker system....
I really can't think what Ed thinks he is doing here. A head on clash with the leader of the largest donor was risky enough but to take on all the unions? At once? He is over reaching himself.
I would be seriously surprised if Labour could hang together in such a scenario. I wonder what Ed Balls thinks about all this. He used to be close to some of those involved.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eAxScPP7CUk&
This was number 1 exactly 30 years ago:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ncWYydlK-LA
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jane_Wiedlin
She was a member of The Go Gos, the girl band of which Belinda Carlisle was the lead singer.
"One area that is less well known relates to the proposed boundary changes that have since been dropped. This would have involved a good number of Labour MPs facing a neighbouring Labour MP in an internal section vote across the new constituency boundaries. A good number of panicky MPs took part in their own large scale recruitment drives with all manner of favours offered on occasion to help save their skin. This is one reason why there was such a boost in Labour membership in late 2010 and 2011 – it was as much down to the survival instincts of these MPs as it was the enthusiasm of a new Labour leader."
30 years ago today, it rained. To be precise, it rained about 3 inches in about 40 minutes.
80 years ago, the then-not-yet-but-eventually headmaster of my secondary school was born.
20 years ago, the Daily Telegraph listed the abovementioned in its daily list of birthdays, because he was then the chairman of the Headmasters' Conference.
9 years ago today, I shook hands with this person:
http://oi42.tinypic.com/2a6vwy1.jpg
This is a useful trick for accessing PB during high traffic events.