|
The only website Gordon relies on.
David Miliband, the Foreign Office and our Khartoum Embassy have been as useless as usual in defending our Teddy Bear naming teacher. They`re far too politically correct to send a Teddy called Mohammed to every child in Darfur. At the very least, they could have demanded consistency from Sudan`s crazed courts. Why not chop off the hands of every child who voted to call the wretched bear Mohammed?
* * *
Has us Yvette been indoctrinated by a Communities and Local Government Department which hates local government, wants to transfer all its functions to quangos and can`t abide the power base which running housing gives it?
Her Housing Bill dredges up so many mad ideas from the C&LG basement. Though perhaps it all comes from her Bouncy Blairite Boss.
* * *
To lose one Labour General Secretary (Matt Carter) is careless. To lose two (Peter Watt) is disastrous. But our officials are creeps who wouldn`t crawl without orders from on high. On high (but not very) was Hazel Blears, Party Chair and Tony`s little helper. Still, at least, the row will end donations. Give to Labour and get exposed, vilified and crucified.
* * *
I`m amazed at how scared and rattled many of my PLP colleagues are, particularly new MPs who`ve not been tested in politics before.
They should remember Healey`s law of politics: shit happens. Eat. Enjoy. Keep smiling.
* * *
A Personal Statement I have never taken contributions in cash or kind from anyone in my long political career. None have ever been offered.
I did have two fish fingers and a fish pie from Young`s in July and two portions of fish and chips and three fish fingers last Wednesday at the launch of their Great Grimsby range. Delicious. Eating them is Labour Party policy. As Gordon put it at Conference: “British fish fingers for British gobs.” Particularly mine.
* * *
Messy for Gordon: Live by Disraeli`s maxim: “Never apologise. Never complain”. “Never Explain”. Everything you say will be taken down and used against you. You don`t have to actually answer questions. Say you`re concerned. Sit up on enquiry (Lord Hutton?). Announce that you can`t say anything until it`s over. Then stum. Until you and everyone else are totally exonerated. It`s insane to plead guilty and call in the fuzz right at the start. It`s also daft to get mad. Don`t let it get to you. Don`t let your anger at being misunderstood by Tory picadoring pillocks show. Don`t fall back on “They`re worse – they made a mess”. “They`ve got no policies”. Attacking them when you`re in trouble is a waste of time.
Tory tails are up. They do moral indignation well. The Mail loves jumping on open wounds.
Get it in proportion. The people will. Forget the intellectuals, the Westminster mob and people like you. Think of the huddled masses yearning to be Labour.
What we need is a surge forward on a populist front. Like housing. Set up a Freddie Mac and a Fanny Mae to rescue people. Like transport: £1 rail travel for pensioners. Like urban regeneration: a Conservation Corp. Like Post Office closures: stop closures of profitable POs. Like Child Benefit: up. Like free TV licences for over 60s. Like cancel ID Cards and save £17 billion. Like fire the Governor of the Bank of England if he doesn`t reduce interest rates by 1% NOW.
Forget the conservation and constitutional crap. It doesn`t grab anyone.
See my 101 Populist Pleasures to indulge in before the election. It`s what the people want, not what the Policy Forum, your advisers, the media, suggest. None of them live in the real world.
* * *
Would you believe it. My intern, Amy, who`s a marvellous lass even if she does come from Lancashire, has been banned from Downing Street staff briefings for Parliamentary staff.
Her offence? She told them how daft it is to answer all criticism by attacking the Tories.
She`s right. They`re insane. I`ve written to tell them that. No response. That`s Labour.
Let my people come. |
