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Blair is dead, Blairism is alive, well, and in the Cabinet. Not exactly what those of us who welcomed Gordon as the first Labour Leader of our Labour Party for 14 years wanted.
et there it is: triangulation all the time, protection of the perks of wealth and profit; endless public service reform, no concessions to the unions, bash beneficiaries back to work, endless toughness on crime and terrorism and anything for Europe. Blair`s “truth” goes marching on. Indeed, his southern strategy of thin gruel for the North to hold Mondeo man and Worcester woman in the South is seen as the key to victory.
Balls. The causes of our present discontents are the apathy and alienation of our core supporters. Life is meaner, budgets tighter, living standards squeezed by debt, fuel and food price increases, low wages and weak bargaining power. We`ve messed up public rented housing (by not building any) while house prices rocket and done all too little for them.
It`s not a happy life which will bring them flocking out to vote with joy and enthusiasm in 2010 in either the North or the South.
More dollops of Blairism aren`t going to make things any better – indeed worse because of the squeeze on public sector workers and on public spending.
Be bold. Be Labour. Take low earners right out of tax. Increase taxes on earnings over £100,000, but next year to avoid deflation this. Levy utility and oil company profits. Double the Winter Fuel Allowance. Raise the Minimum Wage and change the tax system so profits generated here are taxed here. Borrow to build build build.
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I`m sorry for Jacqui Smith. She`s wasting her time struggling to sustain other people`s failed policies: to persuade the Party to support 42 day detention and cushioning the impact of the cripplingly expensive and totally useless ID Card scheme so it comes in bit by bit, voluntarily and mainly after the 2010 election.
Jacqui you don`t have to lay down your career for follies. You`re the Minister. Stand up. Tell them 42 days won`t pass and £19 billion is too much to spend on an ID Card system which won`t protect us from terrorism, won`t stop identity theft and won`t even work. Chuck em both. |
