Ah, I suppose it had to come sooner or later; even Neil is showing signs of discontent:
What is the point of being in the Labour Party anymore?
Indeed. I asked myself that very same question two and a half years ago. For a different reason, of course, but I share the sense of disappointment and the feeling of being let down. Neil is disappointed at the coronation of Brown as leader, stripping away the possibility of a democratic leadership contest.
I felt quite important thinking a few million of us Labour party members and union members were going to have a say deciding the next PM, but now all we have is a meaningless deputy PM election
Well, sometimes shit happens. The party has rules and they were followed. If an MP can’t scrape together enough nominations they can’t stand; tough. If that means the front runner gets a clear run home, well, that’s the way it is. Of course that letter I received the other day all becomes a bit pointless now, doesn’t it?
Neil isn’t keen on Brown. Can’t say I am either, but I’m happy enough with the outcome. Brown is likely to piss off the electorate between now and 2009 sufficiently for them to boot him out on his miserable arse. That may not be the outcome Neil would want, but it is an outcome that – even when I was supportive of Labour – I would have reluctantly sought. Too long in power is corrupting. The government becomes tired and ready to go. This one is fast approaching that point. And, frankly, an effective one party state is certainly not healthy.
Neil’s going to stick with it, though:
Well I suppose I will plod along in the Labour Party – still campaigning on the issues but I perfectly understand why so many others have given up and left – even if they are wrong to do so.
That’s a matter of opinion, though. Given my desire to see a change of government, I can hardly see how my leaving was wrong – or that they would want me. Still, Neil manages to get in a back-handed swipe at the Tories:
But at least they were allowed two leaders to vote on, even if they hadn’t a clue what they stood for.
Neil, have you forgotten something of the night so soon?
I too joined Labour in the 1990s, after Kinnock led us to that dreadful election defeat and got the boot. I was quite excited about TB becoming leader, but that soon evaporated. I tore my card up and sent it back to our local MP some years ago. I do, however, have a deal of optimism about GB – call me foolish if you like, but I do think that he will make a difference to the party. Whether that’s positive or otherwise – well, let’s wait and see, eh? Fingers crossed…
It is true – I am thoroughly fed up with the contempt that the leadership shows for members – I think the fact that even the deputy leadership candidates have unequal access to party member lists sums it up. What sort of election is it when the candidates don’t even know who the electorate are?
There are too many Tories in the Labour leadership BUT that is still obviously better than giving the Tories total control.