Not a few superannuated Bennites, and indeed anybody who prefers their social democracy served straight no chaser, will be entirely entranced by Greek politics right now. Here, for the first time in three decades, is a leftwing European government locked into a collision course with neoliberalism. Circumstances specific to that country have enabled Syriza to win […]
Posts Tagged ‘Political Strategy’
Is Ed Miliband the next Margaret Thatcher?
Feb 23rd, 2015 by Phil Burton-Cartledge.When you’re involved in politics you grow accustomed to hearing some very silly things. This is doubly so in the rarefied world of political comment. I don’t get paid for my pearls (some people spot trains in their free time, I do this), yet the pressure to have something unique and interesting to say is […]
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What has Left unity got to do with winning elections?
Feb 22nd, 2015 by Jon Lansman.The new left party which sees itself as the sister party of Syriza, has revealed its election strategy. Left Unity had already publicly pledged not to clash with other anti-austerity candidates in the general election, whether they are anti-austerity candidates of the Labour Left or from other left organisations to the left of Labour. Now they say they […]
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Fat chance have Tory fat heads of turning attention from fat cats to fat people
Feb 15th, 2015 by Phil Burton-Cartledge.It’s been a bad week for the Tories. This is supposed to be the month they pull ahead and seal the general election deal. Fat chance. The HSBC tax dodging scandal, the £15,000/head black and white Tory fundraiser, the facing down of Lord Fink by Ed Miliband after initial threats to sue, then Fink handing […]
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Backing Labour because it’s the lesser evil – right or wrong?
Feb 11th, 2015 by Phil Burton-Cartledge.Unfortunately, this piece from Phil Hartup has been a common refrain among left wingers for as long as I remember. We have to keep Labour in because the Tories are worse. While obviously true, it would be nice to make a a good left case on the basis of the entirety of Labour’s programme rather […]
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The Pasokification of Scottish Labour is writing on wall unless Labour moves Left
Feb 6th, 2015 by Michael Meacher.There is virtually no parallel for it in modern Western politics except perhaps the election which reduced the ruling Canadian Conservative party to just 2 seats. Ashcroft’s detailed polling of 14 Labour-held constituencies (plus 2 LibDem constituencies with even more dire predictions for their incumbents) is truly dramatic, showing an average 21% swing from Labour […]
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Labour 6:1 in favour of a public railway, stronger unions and an end to austerity
Jan 30th, 2015 by Jon Lansman.Earlier this week we reported that, following Syriza‘s remarkable victory in Greece on a platform of ending austerity and greater state intervention in the economy, 15 Labour MPs including Michael Meacher had called for a similar change in direction here. They issued a statement calling for an alternative to austerity, for public ownership of the railways and for a […]
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Labour would do better being anti-austerity, anti-war and anti-corporate says poll
Jan 30th, 2015 by Jon Lansman.According to new polling evidence from YouGov, not just Labour voters but also the party’s swing voters prefer “a leftist Labour Party than a Blairite one” as Stephan Shakespeare, YouGov’s CEO puts it, adding: “People are not as attracted to the mushy centre as they were five years ago“. The poll shows big majorities for an agenda […]
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Syriza’s shows Labour how to prevent vote haemorrhage to Greens, SNP & UKIP
Jan 28th, 2015 by Michael Meacher.It would be idle to pretend that Britain’s economic problems resemble those of Greece when the latter has suffered a 25% reduction in its national income and where three out of every five young adults are now out of work. But there is one parallel between them which is shared by both countries, as well […]
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Nothing stands between Labour and election victory except its own timidity
Jan 25th, 2015 by Michael Meacher.A sad tale of ambivalence and timidity across a range of policies This coming Monday the remaining stages of the Infrastructure Bill will be taken in Parliament, including votes on the launch of fracking in this country. Cameron and Osborne have declared they are both ‘gung-ho’ to develop this technology to the fullest degree as […]
