Firstly, can I just say that you really need to research into John McTernan's CV. He is the unsung hero behind a catalogue of national and international Labour disasters. Starting with Blair of course but most heart breaking for me, contributing to the loss of Julia Gillard to the odious Paul Rudd and her subsequent retirement from Australian Politics. Then he started writing for 'The Scotsman' right before we lost that entire nation in the last election. That said why oh why is he trotted out to bleat on and try to harness the opinions of the current PLP. Have they no opinion themselves, no original thought or as it appears backbone?? Thank Goodness he was soundly belittled by a Momentum guy Cllr Sam Tarry on channel 4 news. McTernan was trying to defend Tom Watson's earlier comments on us being Trotsky entryists manipulating true labour supporters. Again where was Watson himself??? But 'underneath' the headlines of infiltration was something much darker that barely got a second mention. TW stated that he would also be in favour of this PLP being endowed with MORE power to elect its own shadow cabinet??? McTernan went on to say, presumably as TOm Watson's spokesperson, that Jeremy Corbyn could no longer be allowed to govern the way he had, allowing John McDonnell to be so dismissive and derisive of PLP. HELL NO!!! That would be rewarding them for treachery. Are they drunk??? At least we have a glimpse of what they want and it's a non starter. JMcD is our economic strategy every bit as much as JC is our leader. It's 2 for 1 deal. You buy one you get one free. NON negotiable PLP. What else you got?? And you haven't even had the wherewithal to ask direct but thru some Blairite never was let alone has been. Shame on you! You are losing credibility by the nano-second. Thanks to Shoada Patrick Related reading: http://www.newtekjournalismukworld.com/british-political-scene/open-letter-to-tom-watson-labour-party-deputy-leader http://blogs.spectator.co.uk/2015/07/john-mcternan-on-labour-leader-who-cares-about-the-grassroots/ http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b07nm8nf/newsnight-08082016
4 Comments
From Paul Haywood via Facebook This Saturday I attended a rally to hear what Jeremy Corbyn [Labour Party leader] had to say about the future of Cornwall and the entire country. No politician has ever inspired me to take an interest in politics until now, as I have never seen anyone in the running in my lifetime who is determined to implement REAL change. Make no mistake that this man's policies are a threat to the wealthy elite and political establishment. You will be seeing a lot of the 'smear campaign' trying to make him appear "un-electable". They are trying so hard simply because he IS electable and we the people have the power to make him Prime Minister. We have a real chance here, let's make the country work for all, not just the rich. Join the movement! Thanks to Paul. Check out our other reports and images from rallies around the UK: http://www.newtekjournalismukworld.com/jeremy-corbyn-re-election-campaign.html http://www.newtekjournalismukworld.com/your-voice/corbyn-liverpool-rally-debrief-diane-oliver http://www.newtekjournalismukworld.com/british-political-scene/from-an-unelectable-jeremy-corbyn-rally-in-hull http://www.newtekjournalismukworld.com/your-voice/from-a-jeremy-corbyn-rally-come-love-fest-in-leeds Wales, Hull, Cornwall, Brighton, Leeds, York, Liverpool and more rallies to follow
Right folks I have kept relatively quiet about this on my personal account this year.
Although it is obvious from my profile picture where my voting intentions lie [with Jeremy Corbyn]. So for what it's worth here's my opinion on the Labour Leadership. Let's be clear on this there was no need for this election. Less than a year ago Jeremy Corbyn received a massive mandate. The election has come about because from the day he was elected a hardcore number of Labour MPs have never accepted him as leader. So certain members of the PLP have plotted behind Corbyn's back and undermined him at every turn. Some were prepared to half-heartedly give him a chance but have been convinced by the plotters that he is 'unelectable' and that it 'isn't working''. Now Jeremy Corbyn has received the worst press by the media establishment that I can ever remember (even worse than Michael Foot and Tony Benn in his heyday). We all knew it would be bad but even I wasn't quite expecting the extent of it. Unfortunately it would seem that certain Labour MPs have been feeding the press the stories as well. Now like I said we obviously didn't expect anything other than a rough ride off the Tories and Establishment. But when member's of your own party are even more outspoken in their belittling and general hatred of the man it begs the question what is going on? Well all we have heard from the beginning from the anti-Corbynites is Jeremy is unelectable. So where is the evidence for this theory? 1983 often gets mentioned which undoubtedly was a electoral disaster. We [Labour] shrunk down to 28% of the vote and 209 seats. All the blame was pinned on the left wing Manifesto 'the longest suicide note in history' and the ineptness of Michael Foot. It has since been a convenient label to say the left lost us the '83 election. But if you look at facts there was more going on. First of all we had the SDP split off and then the Falklands War factor. The SDP split our vote, no doubt about that, and they were heavily promoted by the establishment who wanted them to replace Labour as the biggest opposition party. Second Thatcher was coasting in the glory of the Falklands factor. What she did was turn a defeat into victory by cleverly turning herself into some Churchill type figure. These two factors destroyed us more than anything else but it has since become accepted wisdom that we lost because of our left-wing programme. So what about now? Well to my mind there is no evidence Jeremy is unelectable. Labour has won every 2016 Parliamentary by-election, 3 with increased majorities. We have won every Mayoral election. For the May Local elections it was predicted by the Doom Sayers that we were going to have an election meltdown. It didn't happen. Overall we lost 18 Councillors. Certainly not good enough but up from the 2015 General election and nothing like the disaster that was predicted. Which leads me to this point. How would we have done if the party was actually united? It seems to me that certain parts of the party have never wanted Jeremy to succeed, in fact they have wanted him to fail and for it to become a self-fulfilling prophecy. That is the shocking truth and that is the nub of it. I'm not saying winning with Jeremy will be easy. Far from it. It's a massive challenge but some it seems aren't even prepared to try. So certain parts of the party have repeated continuously, like a mantra, Corbyn is unelectable, Corbyn is unelectable. If you keep repeating the same line they hope it will become a truth. So much for pulling together to fight the Tories. The thing that annoys me the most is this. Last year Labour had the most democratic leadership election in British political history. Corbyn won with 59.5% of the vote. But a certain hardcore rump of the PLP won't accept him or his democratic mandate. They seem to think they 'know best'. The trouble is that too many of our PLP have become removed from the rank and file and have been stuck in the Westminster bubble for too long. It makes me think that some of them are only interested in democracy if they get the result they want. Same with the EU referendum. Already talk of another one because the establishment didn't get the result they wanted. But I digress. These people think they know better and that Corbyn is a disaster so they have used the referendum result as the excuse to mount a coup against him. Even Owen Smith said that was a red herring on Channel 4 news a few weeks ago. Which of course brings me to him. Now I have nothing against Owen Smith; he seems ok. But in my opinion he is being used by the Blairites to stand against Corbyn and I don't think he can see that. Also I don't think he is as left as he is making out but instead is cynically trying to win Corbyn supporters over. So I like many others will be voting for Jeremy Corbyn who I know to be a real Socialist as opposed to Smith who I am unsure about. What certain parts of the party fail to seem to grasp is that huge numbers of people became disillusioned with 'New Labour' in particular and politics in general. Blair caused massive amounts of bad feeling by sending us to Iraq but also in general with the last Labour government being too tied to big business and not doing enough for ordinary people. Some want the glory days of 1997 back but we won't win with a centre agenda anymore. We lost 5 million votes between 1997-2010. The Blairites can't accept this truth anymore than they can accept Jeremy Corbyn as leader. It just won't compute for them. It's often said that Corbyn is stuck in the 70's and 80's but the way I see it is the Blairites are stuck in the 90's in some sort of time trap. The sad truth I believe is that some elements of the party would rather we lose with Jeremy than win. It is a shocking thing to say but how else can it be explaine; all the constant undermining? In fact Blair even said last year that he wouldn't want Labour to win with a left-wing manifesto. How can this be? Labour has always been a broad church. A coalition. That's something to be celebrated. But look at it this way. Throughout Labour's history the Labour left have had a raw deal. Whenever the left has been in the ascendancy they are called wreckers, loony lefties, unelectable, dreamers and they are some of the nicer things said. Now it is said we are turning the Party into a protest party. But they are not getting it. We want to build a Social Movement yes of which the PLP is the parliamentary arm of the movement. But the PLP isn't the be all and end all as some seem to think. Change comes not just through Parliament but through public pressure and that's what a social movement is about. Our membership is now over half a million and that is something to be celebrated and shouted from the rooftops. Let's get people involved in democracy and make the party a living breathing movement. But the way some speak you would think it's a negative thing. Why is this? I have to say because I think some are frightened of democracy and they don't want change or dare I say it lose control. It amazes on one level how it's justified the different reasons given for opposing the leader. Now if Corbyn wins again (as a lot expect but I am not counting my chickens just yet) what happens then? This is the big question. Will this hardcore rump of MPs be prepared to accept him anymore? I can't see it to be honest. Will they try to challenge him every year? Very good chance. z I have no problem with having a democratic leadership election every year. Democracy is wonderful and I am in favour of making the party more democratic for the members. But let's be honest this is a gigantic distraction when we should be uniting and fighting the Tories. Will there be a split? There's a good chance but it's hard to predict. If a handful leave I will be candid and say good riddance. We really don't need the backbiting the undermining; the constant working against the leader. But if there is a major split it will be disastrous. That's because we will be all losers. History will repeat itself; it will be 1983 again. Our vote will split and we will let the Tories in for a generation. So I appeal to all the members and supporters of the Labour Party. Accept the decision of the membership in September whatever it is. I'm specifically talking to Labour MP's but all the rank file as well. Let's have a good comradely debate about the issues with no abuse or racism, sexism, Islamophobia, antisemitism etc. Have the result and move forward United hopefully with a Corbyn victory. Is that too much to ask? Thanks to Rick Evans
Constituent gets visit from police for asking questions of MP The Labour Party appears to have entered its McCarthy period. Members are being removed from the party for some weird, wacky and undemocratic reasons. Take this shared in a Jeremy Corbyn supporting forum on Facebook which is part of the Reed saga: Tony Greenstein: This is a warning, heads up or call it what you will.
Social media is being trawled. You may be provoked. You may respond in the heat of the moment. You may be removed from the Labour Party and lose your vote in the current leadership election. And as most people are asking, is that what it is all about? Is that the only way the challenger can win? Dare we say more? NO. My opinion of the first Owen Smith / Jeremy Corbyn televised husting from Wales
I have just watched all of the first leadership husting and thought Mr Corbyn explained his plans and strategy on ensuring a Labour government at the next election very clear and also more importantly in such a way that people who never voted Labour last time can see a true alternative to the failed neo-liberalism politics of the last 30-40 years. He even offered the opportunity for the parliamentary rebels within the party to come back and work with the leadership again. He said that Smith and the PLP would be welcomed back to offer a united opposition to the Tories. The challenger not once said he would work with the current leadership. This made it clear that it is Smith and the rebel MP's who will split the party. He agreed with Mr Corbyn again and again, shared his vision on many of his policies and views but still said we cannot win under you Jeremy. He agreed to invest in training new and also existing manufacturing and engineering skills to ensure that we can again become a nation which builds and invents again. For the challenger to just repeat the policies already in place and in the planning with repeatedly saying 'Not under you Jeremy' is nothing short of insulting to the vast majority of the membership who have already made it clear that we have the leader to put forward all of what he claims he can deliver. It is clear that Smith clearly puts the benefit of the party and therefore the country slightly behind his own ego. This evenings' husting showed that Smith and the 172 MP's who he kept insisting cannot work under Mr Corbyn are only interested in image over substance. He offered no real alternate plan from the current one, just that he and they can put it across in a more image friendly manner. If tonight's viewing proved anything it was, I believe, in showing that we already have the leader in place to ensure a Labour victory at the next General Election and also that the party will inevitably lose some self-serving members of the PLP who cannot see past their own inflated egos; therefore when they do lose this challenge, and they try to split the party they can be replaced with politicians with the loyalty and foresight to ensure that we have a true socialist party that reflects the wishes of the membership. Thanks to Colin Nash If you want to share an opinion piece or a review please contact the editor. In Brighton Jeremy Corbyn addressed a crowd outside who had failed to get tickets before he went inside for the main event He looked frail and old and tired as he made his way into the packed room.
There wasn't a big troupe of minders or men in suits leading him up to the stage and he didn't rush. He acknowledged everybody. As he took to the stage he swelled up. He knew what he was doing and he spoke really well. A great speech? No. I have heard many better. But it had something. When it was over I decided to hang about for a bit and witness the man out of the spotlight. It had been a very long day and it showed on him and yet....... He talked to everybody. He posed for selfies and laughed and joked. It was two stewards in high viz jackets that finally managed to get him off the stage and away. I sat down in the near empty hall and tried to take in what I had just witnessed. Then it suddenly all made sense. Jeremy Corbyn is a political superstar. There isn't a politician in the country comes anywhere near close. You would expect him to be surrounded by bouncers, PR men and men in sharp suits but there was non of that. The speech had passion but not the sort that blows you away.. and I realised why. Because it was honesty from a genuine bloke. Just like all the others in the room. As he ended and left I realised what was so very important here.... A couple of the other speakers were ok... they made valid points. But with Jeremy... he was utterly devoid of any cynicism. And that's what I felt. I am the most cynical of people when it comes to politicians. I was cynical about the earlier speakers although they were good there was still a real sense of self with them, apart from one guy who had been a labour member for 50 years. That's it!!! Devoid of cynicism. What I had witnessed was an ordinary man, amongst ordinary people, sharing a vision for the future. Not his vision but ours. There was a real sense of this all belonging to everybody in that room. It was outstanding in its ordinariness. And that was what was so utterly extraordinary! I believe him, and I believe in what he wants us to share in. Wonderful. Thanks to Denis Donovan who went to the Jeremy Corbyn rally in Brighton Tuesday August 1, 2016 |
Yourvoice
This blog will include a range of reports and opinion pieces covering many issues. It will be YOUR Voice. Archives
April 2017
Categories
All
|