Seriously great article, if only party leaders would take note. Instead Labour is listening to McSweeney who says its natural base will still vote for it despite its rightward lurch. Idiot.
I think this underestimates the Labour bureaucratic class's genuine hatred of progressives and left-wingers. They spent most of their formative political years as the first line of defence for the British political establishment against the left.
When they push further right than the Tories, it's not just craven pursuit of media approval, but a result of their own self-radicalisation thanks to their decades trying to keep Labour 'Trot-free'.
There are fewer Leave voters but they are spread out across marginal constituencies, while many others are condensed in safe seats. Either proportional representation or expanding remote work opportunities could reduce their impact
The newspapers were right: snow was general all over England. It was falling softly upon the Great Fen and, further westwards, softly falling into the dark mutinous Severn waves. It was falling too upon every part of the lonely churchyard where the Brexit voter lay buried
Having read this I immediately received this press release from Labour. Does anyone alive outside of media and politics still refer to police as 'bobbies'?
During a local by-election, we had quite an extended discussion about using 'bobbies on the beat' in a leaflet. I just burst out laughing when I read it in a draft but apparently it was along party guidelines 🤷♂️ It didn't go in in the end b/c the candidate didn't like it.
This relates to my least favourite tendency within Labour, which is what I call “self-indulgent self-hatred”.
When they castigate themselves for having not listened to “ordinary people” on immigration, crime etc, and how the only solution is a grab bag of the same old policies proven to not work.
‘For my friends, stern lectures about sacrifice; for my enemies, incompetent triangulation’
Watching a Labour MP sternly assert that it's really important to be serious immigration because *look at the polls* ... and then make it very clear that they've followed none (0) of 50+ yrs research.
„It is the prospect of this voter’s departure to the likes of Reform that gives both Labour and the Conservatives the heebie-jeebies. Where does this voter live? In the graveyard, usually.“
😂😂😂
Worry not! It's a truly tremendous piece that I've been sharing. Reminds me of Will Self saying on Question Time many years ago that we're ruled by a 'necocracy', as we spend so much money on people about to meet St Peter (provoking an audience gasp...).
Worth bookmarking https://archive.ph/ as it's an excellent workaround for paywalls, which seems to be perfectly legal - though I doubt the Times et al would agree!
Comments
Goes some way to make me feel better about my subscription after some neo-Trumpist garbage since the US election.
https://www.jrf.org.uk/public-attitudes/addressing-key-voters-economic-insecurity-is-vital-for-all-parties
Statute Quia Emptores be damned.
When they castigate themselves for having not listened to “ordinary people” on immigration, crime etc, and how the only solution is a grab bag of the same old policies proven to not work.
1. Yes, immigration is bad and we’ve been weak on it
2. Having stirred that pot, here’s some vague solutions that do nothing
3. Hey, why are our voters going to the far right?
Watching a Labour MP sternly assert that it's really important to be serious immigration because *look at the polls* ... and then make it very clear that they've followed none (0) of 50+ yrs research.
😂😂😂
Could be read many ways if commas or colons absent ...
As was this memorable piece from @jburnmurdoch.ft.com a week after the referendum
https://on.ft.com/4iW6mN8
Quite the political doom loop for a party trying to win those votes. Labour have perfect excuse to target 12 year old + ahead of changing vote age