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Re: The Labour Leadership

Posted by Mark23 on Thursday, 01 March 2007 12:41:25

I actually think Canvas is right, the most serious contender against Davd would probably be Milliband.

However, unfortunately I don't think Milliband is an experienced enough politician to carry enough weight.

Also, and most importantly, the only reason Labour have been in power has been for two main reasons:

(1) The economy

(2) Blair

Now, let's look at both. On the economy, most of it has been supported by very large amounts of debt, which has temporarily enriched the City banks, and their shareholders and workers, as people start to have to repay to record amounts (2x the rest of Europe) Brits have gone into under the past 10 years of Nu Labour. The debt economy has created 'wealth effect', which makes people feel more wealthy, when in actual fact, they've just got longer term loans and easy credit.

On the second, this is the most important. The only reason why Nu Labour got in in the first place was because a key section of the Tory vote, particularly in the middle classes, were sick of the Conservatives and Major at the end of their last term in power. The current Labour politicians are in denial about the fact that their leader has turned into a real bad cookie - whether withdrawing liberties, increasing big brother, or manipulating media-created fears in order to pass draconian laws through parliament. He's threatened person privacy in the most extreme fashion ever seen under a Labour or Conservative government, and people will start to wake up to that fact over the next few months.

Blair no longer carries any weight, and the Tory vote that was lost in 1997 will now return to them no matter who stands in the Labour leadership. That means no Labour majority in the next election, as long as David is in power, and to me, that will mean good news for national pride, civil liberties, privacy, and hope driven rather than fear and intervention driven, control obsessive leadership that the bad egg Tony Blair has been ruling under since 2000.

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Posted by canvas on Thursday, 01 March 2007 13:52:03

Mark23 - As somebody said last week at the Obama fundraiser in California - it's all these politicians with experience that got us into this mess in Iraq. We are now ready for a change...

I think David Miliband realises that he is not yet ready for the 'big' job. I admire him for that. It's not about being cowardly - it's about following your intuition.

I think this country is ready for a change of government. I'm really leaning towards voting for David Cameron at the moment. But that all depends on his policies. I'll just wait patiently to hear what he has to say about things that really matter to me. I really like DC - and I think he's a natural leader.

BUT - any signs of the old style right wing 'Nasty Tory' business and I'm outta here. :) LoL

 

Comment edited by canvas on Thursday, 01 March 2007 14:34:41

Posted by jessica on Thursday, 01 March 2007 14:51:24

I agree. I think the government thinks the general public who voted for them are complete idiots. Or that they can't add up or something. Why else do we have councel tax, capital gains tax, income tax, national insurance, stamp duty (which they oh so kindly raised to £125,000 -probably when they realised house prices have gone up that much in Scotland and Wales as well). Did i forget anything else, like inflation? Oh and instead of allowing your partner to add on your tax allowance - they give out tax credits to people on incomes less than £15,000 (or is it higher I don't know). Could a man or woman support a family of 2 adults and 3 children on an income of £20,000 these days? No.

Then there are excuses such as 'we're an ageing population' etc etc, being thrown at us for why the NHS is billions in debt, old people have to sell their homes to pay for care (even people who have 6 months to live get denied funding).

So where's all our money going???? To create more problems with a gambling den in Manchester, or to fund their lavish lifestyles (while the rest of us live in provety).

The thing is no one would mind funding their lavish lifestyles if the countries economy was stable, married families were promoted and strengthened (not to say single parents are rubbish, just its cheaper and easier to fund a couple living together than 2 people living apart). If we weren't forced to go to War in Iraq (or if at least we'd been treated with respect instead of being lied to).

Also instead of issuing Tony Blair death threats, wouldn't it be better justice to insist next time he has heart problems, he's treated in a single sex bay in a hospital were most of his voters are being treated and not in a private room. Show his supporters he understands where they are coming from? Even pop stars show some respect to their fans. Why can't he do the same.

Fortunately I've never voted labour so he hasn't let me down at all.







Posted by PoliticalJunkie on Thursday, 01 March 2007 17:32:41

Yet Cameron voted for the Iraq war and said he would have made the same decision as Blair if he was PM at the time. Cameron refueses to rule out military intervention in Iran. Cameron is possibly more anti-European than the likes of Hague, IDS and Howard.

People seem to forget that Cameron worked for Carlton Media, like Blair he is a fine 'spinner'. He can tell any audience what they want to hear.

Posted by canvas on Thursday, 01 March 2007 20:17:48

Like I said earlier - Tony Blair and George Bush lied about the Iraq war. The buck stops there. Labour will now pay the price for this illegal war (just like the Republicans are paying the price in the USA).

Tony Blair mislead his colleagues and the public about Iraq.

Oona King says she now regrets her decision to support Tony Blair about Iraq - and she feels that she was mislead. Robin Cook had the integrity to resign with honour from the government over Iraq.

Posted by Mark23 on Thursday, 01 March 2007 21:43:47

Yeah, I agree Canvas, and I also think you are going to see a lot more dissenting voices and criticism at or near to the time that Tony Blair decides to stand down. The Labour Party hierarchy are so naturally against dissenting views that whatever the leader says naturally has to go, in a somewhat dictatorial fashion. Once there is a power vacuum, I think some individual opinion might actually make it to the surface of the Labour Party, which will make a first in a long time.

Posted by canvas on Thursday, 01 March 2007 22:20:55

Interesting to see Republican Sen. John McCain is now trying to backtrack on his support for the Iraq war. No chance. The Republicans are going to be in for a big shock come election time. Fingers crossed for Obama.