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Category: Labour

Is Prezza right to call Milburn a “collaborator”?

Is Prezza right to call Milburn a “collaborator”?

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SkyNews Should Labour figures be working with the coalition? As expected there’s been a furious response from ex-Labour deputy, John Prescott to the overnight news that former arch-Blairite cabinet minister, Alan Milburn is possibly going to return to government to act as “Social Mobility Czar” – whatever that means. Prezza Twittered: “So after Field & Hutton, Milburn becomes the 3rd collaborator. They collaborated to get Brown OUT. Now collaborating to keep Cameron IN” For the three Labour figures named were…

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Could Oona pip Ken for Labour’s London nomination?

Could Oona pip Ken for Labour’s London nomination?

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Is it worth 4/1 that she’ll be the one to take on Boris? Until now I have followed the received wisdom that Ken is a near certianty to secure his party’s nomination for London mayor in that other Labour election that will be taking place in the capital next month alongside the vote for next leader. The wily Ken, the argument goes, has been about for so long and he has such name recognition that he’s almost untouchable. But is…

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“Labour: F***ked, futile, and finished..”

“Labour: F***ked, futile, and finished..”

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SkyNews Will Mandy’s VAT revelation hurt his party? According to the SkyNews today’s extract in the Times from has this description of a general election planning meeting from last October. ” …Harriet Harman proposed basing the party’s election campaign around three Fs: future, family and fairness. The former Business Secretary recounts that other ministers proposed their own Fs. “How about f****d?” Alistair Darling proposed. “Futile?” said Douglas Alexander. “Finished,” added Lord Mandelson, who was chairing the meeting. He also reveals…

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How open is the Labour Party to persuasion?

How open is the Labour Party to persuasion?

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Is this now a contest between the brothers? Early on in the Labour leadership battle, Mike drew what I thought was potentially a good analogy between David Cameron’s succesful campaign for the Tory leadership in 2005 and Andy Burnham’s candidature for Labour this time round. Young Burnham, he surmised, could turn out to be the Cameron of this campaign – a relative unknown coming from behind to win while better-known front-runners faltered. As it is, Burnham has hardly achieved lift-off.  …

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Are we underestimating Oona’s chances?

Are we underestimating Oona’s chances?

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Can she really beat Ken AND then Boris? I’ve been taken to task by a couple of people within London Labour for my contention in several recent posts that Ken Livingstone is a near certainty in this summer’s race for the party nomination to take on Boris in the next London mayoral election. This will be voted on by individual party members and trade union levy payers in September’s postal ballot that will run alongside the Labour leader ship election…

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Is the contest moving Labour to the left?

Is the contest moving Labour to the left?

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Could there be dangers in ceding the centre ground? The Evening Standard political writer, Paul Waugh, has made an astute observation about the Labour leadership race – it is taking the party leftwards. He noted: “…..David Miliband came up with a string of policies that will gladden the hearts of party activists and trade unions. Axeing £100million tax breaks for private schools was an easy hit and one that – surely completely unintentionally – drew attention to Diane Abbott’s praise…

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It’s final nominations day in Labour’s election?

It’s final nominations day in Labour’s election?

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Will it be a four, five or six horse race? Today marks the final scramble for the three remaining Labour hopefuls who have yet to make the cut to secure the required 33 nominations from fellow MPs. Andy Burnham is just two off and looks a near certainty. John McDonnell has sixteen so might struggle – though will he be helped or hindered by his regret at not murdering Mrs. Thatcher in the 1980s? Judging by the reception he got…

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Sean Fear on the power of incumbency

Sean Fear on the power of incumbency

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Did this prevent a Tory majority? It has long been the case that in American elections, incumbency has been an important factor. Until fairly recently, that was not considered to be the case in British elections. While it was acknowledged that Liberal Democrats could build up sizeable personal followings, the general view was that it was a very minor factor in the far more numerous Conservative/Labour contests. This view must now be challenged, judging by the results from May 6th….

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