The lowest form of political exchange is one in which arguments are raised to knock down views allegedly held by a political adversary even though there is no evidence the he/she has ever held such views. This tactic can gain traction with constant repetition through various media (“repeat a lie a thousand times …”). It […]
Posts under ‘Westminster’
Do MPs have a “greater mandate”?
Aug 17th, 2016 by David Pavett.Constitutional specialist Vernon Bogdanor wrote recently in the New Statesman The Labour Party is composed of three main elements – the Parliamentary Labour Party, the trade unions and the members. But the PLP is the most important, given that it represents the nine million people who voted Labour in 2015, and any future Labour government […]
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On narrow parliamentarianism
Aug 8th, 2016 by David Pavett.On Saturday 6th August the Guardian carried an article by house-journalist Jonathan Freedland entitled ‘Corbyn can’t dismiss the importance of MPs. On Brexit, they’re centre stage.’ The aim of the article was to expose the absurdity of the anti-Parliamentary stance of the “Corbynistas”. On the slightest examination, however, Freedland’s argument falls apart exposing the vapidity his […]
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John McDonnell on the leadership battle
Jul 1st, 2016 by John McDonnell.This talk was given by John McDonnell on Wednesday 29 June at a Stand Up for Labour event in the George IV pub in Chiswick, West London. The transcript has been lightly edited to account for the difference between spoken and written language but the content is unchanged. Let me just tell you where we’re […]
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We must not let this act of cowardice succeed
Jun 28th, 2016 by Mark Seddon.Barely ten months ago, I urged my branch, the New York City Labour Party Branch, to first nominate and then vote for Jeremy Corbyn as leader of the Labour Party and for Tom Watson as his deputy. In this I was supported by longtime New York Labour activist, journalist and Tribune columnist, Ian Williams. […]
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Will there be a snap election in 2016?
Feb 7th, 2016 by Phil Burton-Cartledge.Toby Perkins caught the punditocracy unawares last night by floating the possibility of a snap election later on this year. Now hold on a minute, doesn’t the Fixed Term Parliaments Act prevent an election from being called at the Prime Minister’s convenience? Yes, that’s right. Unless two thirds of Parliament think otherwise. Here, Toby sets […]
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Taking a closer look at Hilary Benn’s “electrifying” speech
Dec 13th, 2015 by David Pavett.Hilary Benn’s Commons speech in the Syria debate on 2 December has received high praise from right wing politicians and the media. It has been variously described as “one of the great speeches of the House of Commons” (Phillip Hammond), a “tour de force” (Tony Blair), “electrifying” (Andrew Rawnsley in the Observer) and “politically elevating” […]
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Syria “rebels” listed in full
Dec 3rd, 2015 by Newsdesk.The 66 Labour MPs who voted with the Government on the main motion to support “taking military action, specifically airstrikes, exclusively against ISIL in Syria” represented well under a third of the 231 current Labour members of Parliament. They included 11 out of 28 Commons members of the shadow cabinet, six junior shadow ministers and three […]
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A guide to the comradely divisions in Labour’s parliamentary party
Nov 15th, 2015 by Phil Burton-Cartledge.Is the Labour Party divided? Of course it is. But divided doesn’t necessarily mean at each others’ throats, at least not all of the time. As divisions have been the theme of the week, it’s time to quickly cast one’s eye over the Parliamentary Labour Party and discern what groups are emerging among this most august […]
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Jeremy Corbyn brings straight talking, honest politics to PMQs
Sep 16th, 2015 by Phil Burton-Cartledge.Jeremy Corbyn this morning pledged to try and change Prime Minister’s Questions. Would he go for the “honest politics, plainly spoken” approach of his leadership campaign, avoiding the name-calling and yah boo sucks, or will he rise to the bait put to him by Dave? As we now know, he started as he’s been carrying […]
