The Guardian reported a little over an hour ago:
And still no one is coming forward and saying what sort of opportunity this provides us with to build the country we want.
Why, oh why, oh why? There is no other possible response to that.
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What a pantomime!
It seems to that here is an open goal and Labour could easily score and take the lead. Instead it is like watching Monty Python: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ur5fGSBsfq8 without the goal at the end.
Good Afternoon!
You are correct. The helm is there for the taking but there is no leadership at present because Labour & Tory are the same and they are all too busy thinking ‘where will I be tomorrow, next week, next month, next year?’.
Since 1979 we have moved steadily towards a one-party state and it’s quite possible that this is a major step towards that.
The Brexit clusterf*ck is ongoing for the forseeable future anything else will not get a look in. Just another layer of the disaster that this is.
But shock doctrine cuts both ways – they can use it to double down on the austerity rhetoric – or we can use it to break apart the sclerosis of the systems of politics, of economics… of everything.
Just because the labour party is in a circular firing squad doesn’t mean we need to join it.
I know I’m repeating myself… but there must be *something* we can do?
Oh I hope you’re right, there is opportunity here but it needs to be taken swiftly. After the GFC there was a window of opportunity to control the banks and that was allowed to slide.
Because the unbelievably ego centric London centric Labour group of MPs have decided now is the time to try and remove Corbyn.
I have no idea how good a leader Corbyn could be, but I do know he hasn’t been given a chance, constantly having to try and deal with his backstabbing loyal MPs. And as far as I can tell, subject to a near complete media blackout unless there is a negative story to tell.
It is a little more complicated than you suggest
London centric MPs? This use of London as an insult is utterly stupid. Particulalrly so when applied to critics of a London MP who as leader has filled his last stand shadow cabinet with many fellow London MPs. If anything it is those MPs representing the supposed hallowed non-London areas who are forcing him out.
Last night a group of us (on-line) talked about the referendum and what after. For me the issue facing Labour is jobs. Not the Mcjobs that Camorom talks about but jobs that pay fair wages. Shown below is what I penned last night and believe that it fits in with the spirit of Richard’s article. (a speech that Corbyn could give):
Many Labour supporters will have been dismayed by the recent vote to exit the EU. Other Labour supporters will have voted to leave the EU. Labour heartlands such Sunderland and South Wales and others voted to leave the EU.
It is no coincidence that these, and other regions, have suffered over many years from industrial decline leading to rising unemployment. No government in the last 36 years has had any sort of adequate policy to address this reality.
People, rightly, want fairly paid, worthwhile and secure jobs. They have an expectation that governments have a key role to play in delivering the conditions under which such jobs can be created. Since the late 1970s successive governments have failed the British people in this respect.
The Labour party will fight the next election on the basis of creating the jobs people expect. The next Labour government will create these jobs directly in two ways. It will launch a nationwide programme to rennovate houses to high energy efficiency standards. Where houses cannot be rennovated they will be demolished and rebuilt. As a minimum we expect such a programme to create at least 50,000 well paid long term jobs. The initial focus of this action will be in areas that have high unemployment. The current housing shortage will be tackled through a house building programme. This will be led by the government and the houses will be built to the very highest energy efficiency standards.
These are the first steps in a long term plan to re-industrialise the UK & thus provide good jobs with fair wages to British citizens.
The United Kingdom is a sovereign country in terms of its currency and its money supply. This sovereignty and the financial strength that flows from it will be the basis for providing good, long term jobs to British citizens.
This is what they expect and this is what they will get from the next Labour administration.
.ends.
I will be publishing something along those lines later
Why is Labour doing its circular firing squad now (as opposed to when the Conservatives have settled down)?
As far as I can tell, triggering an election before 2020 requires a 66% majority in Parliament. If Labour doesn’t want it – it doesn’t happen. And the same for Conservatives.
So what’s happening so soon that Labour can’t wait and gloat in the Conservatives difficulty?
Corbyn has been vigorously anti-war. He has not apologized for Labour invading Iraq, but he could. Chilcot reports in two weeks.
I don’t hold out much hope for a Government report to actually criticize the Leadership of 2003, but it will be humiliating if the Labour leader uses his response to say the war was wrong. What if he says the war was illegal? What if he calls for charges?
Safer to get rid of him now and put in a reliable chap to say “It was terrible – it was so long ago we must now move on”.
Ross
You may want to read my Guardian article
I assure you, I agonised
Your point about the 66% majority in parliament is a good one. Rumbling in the background is the on-going investigation into Tory election expenses in marginals – police investigations still on-going (I believe around 15 or more seats are involved). It is not beyond the bounds of possibility that the Tories could lose their majority – although this is likely to take a year or so & may be overtaken by events.
Not sure where to post this, but I’ve just read that Osborne’s earlier statement of confidence (which I didn’t hear directly) said “We have worked systematically through a plan that today means Britain has the strongest major advanced economy in the world.” Can you Richard, or any other qualified experts who might be reading this, comment on the validity of his claim? If it’s true then clearly we’re in better shape than many of us thought. If it’s not true then what action can be taken against him for intentional dissemblance to mislead not only the nation but the world’s markets. Am I over-reacting?
Consider it a lie
You’ve gotta say it take some chutzpah to address the world’s press with such a statement at a time of national crisis. How does he get away with it?
Why, oh why, oh why? There is no other possible response to that.
The answer is a four-letter word and it is staring you in the face. If people will insist on calling it DEBT (given the embedded austerity narrative) no-one will support spending it.