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Life’s moved into parallel universes. In Blairworld Tony leads us on, bravely launching new initiatives and reforms and justifying everything with his brilliant eloquence.
But no one’s listening. Everyone else is in Post-Blair World. There Tony’s history (without a bracelet). People are calculating support for alternative candidates, not just for deputy but for the leadership. Possibles are Alan Johnson, Harriet Harman, Hilary Benn, John Reid, John McDonald. These are for ABGs (Anyone But Gordon) people, but on the precedent of Bryan Gould, others wonder if anyone will stand against Gordon the Invincible. Meanwhile the Chancellor’s own supporters speculate about who he’ll offer what job and try to stop him endorsing every Blair whim. Identity cards are the only thing left which he hasn’t nailed himself to. My question is how long can we straddle these two worlds?
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Friday 30 June Go to the open our super dooper new Sure Start to find that it took place yesterday. Then the big crowd. Today there’s only me and no photographers, though I’m in full make-up.
Why are we cutting back on Sure Start instead of boasting long and loud about it. The mums I talk to all sing its praises for what it’s done for them as well as their kids.
Afternoon to the Primary Care Trust. Hopefully we’ve beaten off the threat to merge North East Lincolnshire’s PCT, which is doing well, with North Lincolnshire’s which is bankrupt. Why should MPs and councils have to waste so much time fighting rearguard actions against “reform” proposals which should never have been made in the first place.
Saturday 1 July An unusual day for me: to be in London, not Grimsby, on a Saturday for the Electoral Reform Society’s AGM. Proportional Representation is the only answer to so many of our present discontents such as the electoral dictatorship, increasing apathy and the unpredictability of local government.
The Tories, who’ve most to gain from it, have been altruistic enough to refuse to countenance it. Yet it’s equally daft of Labour not to take a greater interest. Everything points to a hung Parliament in 2008. Then no party will be able to govern without it.
Then to the Private Eye Party in the dangerously radical location of the Reform Club. Only three MPs present – all disguised as ordinary people – but many friends so old I though they were dead.
Dr Thomas Stuttaford tells me that when he was elected as a Tory MP in 1970 the Douglas Hume’s divided Tory MPs into the “brainies”, keen to be ministers, and the “drainies”, happy to be good constituency MPs. He was an unrepentant drainie and doesn’t regret it. Couldn’t happen today.
Sunday 2 July Leave London at 5.30 am, driven by my son, to go to the Civic Service for the new Mayor in Grimsby. This mustn’t be missed because it’s Grimsby in its pomp. It starts and ends with a procession to and from church. I’ve been walking around on walking sticks for several weeks in a fruitless attempt to win the sympathy vote (always small in Grimsby). Today I decide to march stickless in the parade to show Grimsby that though it has 2 inches and 19 pounds less MP for its money, he is still ambulant. Stagger through like Frankenstein’s monster marching next to the Lib Dem Council Leader who won’t let me lean on him. So much for a coalition.
Monday 3 July The PLP (Mitchell absent) agrees to the Chief Whip’s daft proposals to suspend members who bring the Party into disrepute. The sanction will be to withdraw the privilege of attending the PLP, though I don’t go anyway, so I won’t be joining the martyrs queue already forming outside the Dominatixos office.
It opens so many opportunities to snitch on your friends I am considering a complaint against Downing Street. All destabilization comes from them.
Thursday 6 July The media wolf pack is determined to destroy John Prescott before they move on to Tony Blair. I’ve been defending him in every medium open to geriatrics like me (mainly the Age Concern web site) but John Humphreys aggressive interview on Today reached a new low with his re-iterated questions on extra marital relationships. None of Humphrey’s business. Or ours. It’s also appalling journalism. These accusations are made on two Tory web sites and entirely unsubstantiated. If journalists have nothing better to do than repeat gossip and tittle tattle as if it was fact then we’re all at risk. Only I, incapable of standing in anyway, will be exempt.
Friday 7 July Small shops day. Like the All Party shops group I’m worried about the growing power of the big four supermarkets. We’re all in favour of competition but the growth of the big four leads to market domination.
What to do about it? We could require Planning Committees to take market dominance into account. Or require all the special deals the big guys get with their market muscle to be published. Sadly, worship of competition will mean we do nothing. Until thousands more small shops , corner shops, tobacconists and newsagents go bust. Not to mention the Post Offices that we’re trying to kill by withdrawing the Post Office card.
afternoon Meeting with failed asylum seeker family whom NASS is trying to move to Rotherham now they’re closing Grimsby as a dispersal centre. This will mean less work for me helping aslylum seekers who can’t get legal advice in Grimsby. But helping any at all produces abusive mail saying I do nothing for Grimsby and everything for immigrants.
I tried my old trick of writing back to one of my abusers, a Kate Jolly (who was anything but), saying, “I think you should know some deranged lunatic is writing to me using your name and address to write abusive letters. I enclose one for you to take what action you think appropriate”. The letter came back. Not known at this address. No such person. Which doesn’t stop the Grimsby Telegraph publicizing more of her insanities.
Monday 10 July To the rehearsal for Jonathon Miller’s Don Pasqual at the Opera House with the Arts Heritage Group. The opera’s magnificent and beautifully done. Michael Mates sitting next to me says our seats would have cost £150 on the night which increases it to a treble joy for a Yorkshireman.
The Public Accounts Committee doesn’t meet this month so members are at a loose end, creating a real danger that they’ll take out their aggressive instincts on innocent passers-by in the street
I go to the BBC debate instead and take out mine on the Corporation, ending with a ringing defense of government policy and an announcement that I would take the unusual step of voting with the government tonight. When I’d sat down I realized that Saint Tommy McAvoy in his mercy is still excusing me voting. So I won’t vote at all.
Wednesday 12 July The house collapses mysteriously. Another indication they’ve nothing for us to do. Go to Charles Kennedy’s party at Gladstone’s old house which is almost as posh as Tony Blair’s. Long chat with Brian Sedgmore who says that in his last months in Parliament Labour’s crimes against civil liberties and Iraq made him physically sick. Joining the Liberals made him instantly well. Tell him I’m getting better anyway and don’t need a miracle cure. Tell Charles I hope it’s a relaunch not a retirement party. He smiles wanly and clutches his orange juice.
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As I get better, I’m hoping to be almost normal again by October, I won’t be able to play for Grimsby Town again but I hope to return with my new added back bone. Sadly my upward path crosses with that of the Party. Yet perhaps my return from Cripple-world where ladies and girls stand up in buses to offer me their seats and everyone is so helpful, and Labour’s return from Blair World will both be complete when we meet again in Manchester. I somehow doubt it. |
