'THAT WAS A DISASTER'

Thus spake Gordon Brown, in what he thought was the privacy of his limousine, calling a lifelong Labour voter a bigot, seconds after chatting amiably to her about immigration.
The incident speaks volumes about the disconnect between New Labour and core Labour voters.
It represents the hypocrisy at the heart of New Labour.
New Labour has never had any guiding political principles.

CAB FOR HIRE

The revelations about Stephen Byers, Patricia Hewitt and Geoffrey Hoon are shocking. To hear Byers calmly talking about £5,000 a day for his lobbying services, comparing himself to a 'cab for hire', was disgusting. These people were at the heart of the New Labour Project, and close to Blair. New Labour is rotten and corrupt to the core.

BLAIR IN THE HOT SEAT

We have been able to witness Blair questioned today about his part in the war with Iraq.
I was going to say interrogated, but that wasn't the approach of the polite, courteous, fumbling enquiry.
Blair ran rings round them. It was the establishment v the establishment, and the establishment won.

I really can't see this enquiry getting anywhere. The best we can hope for is the demise of New Labour at the general election.

Workers' Occupation of Vestas Wind Turbine Factory

The transport union RMT has pledged full support for the workers occupying the Vestas factory on the Isle of Wight. General Secretary Bob Crow is making a solidarity visit to the occupation tomorrow (Thursday) evening.

The occupation is a crucial stand for a Green New Deal against a crazy decision by greedy bosses and incompetent politicians. This factory is the only unit in England manufacturing wind turbines. The Dutch company owning the factory want to close it with the loss of 625 jobs.

The Government's feeble excuse is that the plant made blades for the US market, which were not the right specification for UK wind farms.

This is an acid test of the Government's commitment to green and renewable energy. If they are remotely serious about tackling climate change, they should take this factory into public ownership and protect the jobs.

New Labour can afford the Afghan war, the banks' bail-out, renewal of Trident missile system, new nuclear power stations and MP's expenses scandal. Unless they stop this closure the New Labour climate change strategy will be exposed as a total sham.

Minister's Husband Bends the Rules

The Home Secretary claimed her husband's 'adult' movies on MP's expenses. When she discovered the 'error', she paid back the cash.

A small sum of money. But a little incident that neatly sums up New Labour.

Another Minister Bends the Rules

After the Home Secretary's creative efforts with her allowances, now the Employment Minister Tony McNulty has been caught up to tricks.

The simple fact is this New Labour government has no principles. Both at an individual ministerial level, and as a government. New Labour has never had any moral high ground. The entire banking crisis in this country was allowed to happen by a government without any moral compass. Everyone except the government could seek the credit bubble was unsustainable. When the General Election comes sometime in the next year or so, New Labour will pay a heavy price.

The House of Cameron

David Cameron is using his favourite housing metaphor again.

The political truce declared while the banking and financial crisis raged is now over (though the crisis smoulders on). Cameron and Brown have resumed hostilities. In a speech today, the Tory leader attacks 'the complete and utter failure of Labour's economic record'. He is quoted as saying 'it was right to man the hoses when the house was on fire, but it's now also right to see who built the house'.

Well, Thatcher was the builder, and the architect. New Labour have merely added an extension.

New Labour Isn't Working

It looks likely unemployment will soon be higher than in 1997. Some forecasts say 2 million unemployed by around Christmas. No-one dare predict how bad it will eventually get. Another New Labour success story. At a time when thousands of new jobs ought to be available in a greener economy.

Money ? ..... No Problem !

Ben Foley has made an excellent point in his comment on my previous post.
Finding money, and plenty of it, is suddenly and miraculously no problem for the politicians.

My local Post Office is a lifeline for all sorts of financial transactions for many people. We don't have to drive anywhere, it's an easy walk. It's a community focus, with a local shop. It's been there, serving the local community, for as long as anybody can remember. For many people, it is effectively their local bank.

Now this New Labour government has decided to close it, after a sham 'consultation'.
To save a few bob, which they cannot possibly find in any other way. .......

My Government will Nationalise all the Banks

I don't recall ever seeing this in a Queen's Speech, or in a New Labour election manifesto. The New Labour project was already collapsing, even before the financial crisis. It doesn't have a shred of credibility.