The labour party has a new leader. Whatever your politics a strong opposition is essential to a democracy, Margaret Thatcher once lectured Frances Pym for saying he wanted to see a strong opposition but he was right. Democracy needs checks and balances.
Now I suspect that Ed Milliband isn't really red Ed but I think he ought to be a bit wary at some of the plaudits being thrown at him by his own party.
A union delegate lent over to Neil Kinnock and said "We've got our party back" and Kinnock said "I thought that was so accurate as an instantaneous response to the leader's speech".
Now may I'm sure that at least one labour councillor who reads this blog occasionally (Hi Corinna!) will agree with that but let me ask a question. What did Kinnock achieve? Did he make much difference to our lives? Uh no! Oh its oft stated he made Labour Electable but in 1992 he blew it and let Norman Lamont and John Major cock up the economy (no blaming any one but ourselves for that).
Blair may not be to everyone's cup of tea but he can at least point to increased spending on health, education and the minimum wage. Kinnock can point to his appearance on Have I got News for you.
As Roy Hattersley once said its easy to appeal to your core vote and get xx% of the vote and be in perpetual opposition. As Blair, Cameron and Clegg know without power you can't achieve anything. A lesson that Ed Milliband had better learn damn quick. The British people are conservative with a small c and they don't like extremes.
2 comments:
we get what we deserve eh?...and the difference between cameron, clegg and miliband is? answers on a postage stamp written with a marker pen please.
i think you'll find there are major differences.
what do you want to see?
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