Goodbye Labour, Hello Lib Dems

Lib Dem Fightback starts here....

I was around 7 years old when Labour came to power in 1997. I didn't know it then but it would be a hugely formative next decade in my political beliefs.

When I moved to secondary school, the school was able to build a brand new, modern home which would have been aided by money made available by Labour in government. I have no doubt this helped me achieve good grades and reach university. I have equally little doubt that the fact Conservatives came to power when I was 20 and jobs suddenly were lost or found to be less reliable is a reason why I found it hard to gain employment after graduating.

I disclose this background information because it has formed my political views today. My view that Labour in power helps far more people, nay the entire country, than any Conservative government. My view that the Blair years were nothing but positive and enabled huge change and positive growth in the country. I'm more than aware there were mistakes made and opportunities missed but it was a generally positive period of mine, and the country's, history.

Having said all of this, I am dismayed that the Labour Party of today all but disowns the brilliant achievements of the only Labour government in the past 40 years. In the re-election of Jeremy Corbyn yesterday, it was confirmed that my political beliefs had no home in the wildly transformed Labour Party of 2016.

It is for this reason I decided to join the Liberal Democrats. When Tim Farron, leader of the Lib Dems lest we forget, can be more positive about Labour's 13 years in power than Labour's own leader and members, you know it is time to part ways. It is not without sadness, having voted Labour in the two general elections I've been eligible to be part of but it has become inevitable.

It has become clear to me that the following beliefs are no longer commonplace in the modern Labour Party;

• Firstly I want the party to actively fight and scrutinise Brexit. Jeremy Corbyn has consistently voted against the EU and has not asked a single question on the subject. I want the process to be monitored and fought at each step. 
• Secondly I want a sensible, reasonable economic strategy. I want investment in the country but I want it to be funded and reasonable. I still believe in clearing the deficit but at a much slower rate. £500bn is frankly unfunded, plucked from thin air and risks the economy overall. 
• Thirdly I don't honestly believe in uncapped immigration, which is Jeremy Corbyn's stated position. I certainly do not believe in the tens of thousands that the Conservatives state but I would probably aim to keep it between 200 and 300 thousand net per year and support for those coming in to learn the language and feel at home in the country.
• I also believe in comprehensive schooling. I don't want grammar schools, free schools or even academies. I would like comprehensive schools across the board and I think secondaries should be able to specialise in particular skills which would lead in to jobs. 
• Finally I also want defence spending to be at least maintained if not marginally increased. I would like to see troops given improved resources as well as support for members of the military when they leave service. I certainly want the UK to remain a member of NATO, which is again not necessarily a Corbyn stance.

Four of those five main beliefs of mine felt no longer at home in the Labour Party and so I took the decision to move my allegiance to the Liberal Democrats. I have received a very warm and friendly welcome from the party members which is in stark contrast to the arguing and criticising of my beliefs I found from some Labour members.

I would encourage anyone who may agree with some or all of my beliefs to switch to the Liberal Democrats. I certainly do not see those moderate beliefs being fought for or put forward in the Labour Party for the foreseeable future. I therefore joined the party that founded the welfare state, introduced national insurance, pensions and is the party of Keynes, of Lloyd George, Paddy Ashdown and Charles Kennedy.

Read In The Event of a Corbyn Victory

Labour's identity crisis

It is almost exactly two weeks until the Labour leadership contest is over. The party will either have a new leader or re-elect a leader that has lost the confidence of his MPs. Polling suggests that Jeremy Corbyn will be voted back in as leader although there are reports to the contrary from parts of the opposing side. If Corbyn is re-elected, it will be a major moment for the party and for me personally.

I have never been convinced of the Corbyn effect, even after attending a rally in his first leadership election, which is why I have strongly backed his challenger Owen Smith. Labour under Corbyn has never led in the polls, Labour under Corbyn endured the worst council elections for an opposition in 30 years and Labour under Corbyn has moved away from myself (and judging by the polls a large number of electorate) in some key policy areas. This is why I have backed Owen Smith and the wider PLP in their lack of confidence in, and challenge to, the current leader.

Background Details

I have been asked a few times through social media about what I might do after a Corbyn victory and I wanted to write about what I think I will do and explain my reasoning. First, I want to produce a little background to this and state that having been raised in a pro Labour household (and currently pro Corbyn household) I have been a lifelong supporter of the party. I have been eligable to vote in two general elections and in both I gave my vote to Labour. I thought I would always vote Labour. Corbyn has changed that.

Corbyn's stance on the economy, immigration, the EU and his poor leadership of a party means that should Labour enter a general election with Corbyn as leader I could not in good conscience vote for the party I used to feel represented me best. I say, used to, because the policies and beliefs that Corbyn has shown in the EU referendum and in the following leadership election have moved the party away from my views and my views have in fact been shouted down by other supporters of the party. This has led me to feel that I am no longer represented by Labour.

My Reasoning

Fight for your right to Brexit

I would like to stay in the EU or at the least the single market, I fear what would happen if we do not. It has become clear Corbyn does not feel the same. He is not fighting, or examining, the exit from the EU nearly enough.

I am pro-immigration but in reasonable numbers, I would be happy with the numbers remaining around 200,000 or 300,000 as they are now. What Corbyn has stated is that he would place no upper limit on immigration, which will alienate a large number of even Labour’s voters.

I am pro investment in the economy, I don’t for one second believe austerity is the answer. I do however believe in clearing the deficit, albeit at a slower pace over a decade or two. Corbyn announced an unfunded £500bn investment plan during the leadership campaign which is great but would massively increase the deficit. It also wilfully ignores that Labour did not gain the trust of the public over the economy in 2015 running on a much more sensible budget. 

Corbyn has left his cabinet unsupported and without instruction for much of his tenure, see multiple accounts from former and currently serving cabinet members., even the London mayor. His opposition to the government has been weak, his performances at PMQ’s poor and will not count out deselections. The fact he loses confidence of 80% of his own party, the people needed to form effective government and sell the party to the public, and does not resign is disrespectful to the party. I couldn’t honestly say I trust Corbyn to be Prime Minister of this country.

I am also a realist. I, like many others in the electorate I am sure, want to see reasonable, realistic and funded ideas. Some of Corbyn’s goals and ‘policies’ have been frankly pie in the sky. Talking about world peace and how Britain will inspire many other countries to give up nuclear weapons is not realistic. Revealing a £500bn figure without details of where the money will come from or where it will go. Explaining that the abuse the Labour Party has suffered will end because he ‘doesn’t condone it’ is not good enough. I have attended an Owen Smith press conference and heard concrete details, a plan and funded policies, which is what I expect from my politicians.

What Next?

For all the above reasons and a couple more, I don’t feel represented by Labour any longer and is why I couldn’t rightfully call myself a supporter of the party after his re-election. I also would not feel comfortable challenging some of these views with some supporters of the party as I would be shouted down and called names or told to leave. It has been difficult facing up to this because as I mentioned already I have always felt well represented by Labour and thought myself likely to always vote for the party.

It also makes it difficult to admit that I will consider other parties that now more closely represent my views. The Liberal Democrats strong stance on the EU is very appealing, as is their centre left stance on some issues. It would in all honesty be a reluctant change but in the light of a Corbyn victory it is a change that I have to consider. I fear for the party that I have always supported, as shown in Thursday’s by-election in Sheffield, the extra members and the rallies are not translating to any kind of support outside the party.

It has been a difficult few weeks, having felt well represented by the Labour Party for the entirety of my political life and seeing that eroded away. I am sure there are those on the opposite to me who have never felt so connected to a mainstream party however Labour has, for the most part, always been a centre left, democratic socialist party but that identity feels like it is being lost to me.  

I will be hoping for a surprise when the election results are revealed and that Owen Smith will give Labour a bounce in the polls that it much needs. I hope also that I won’t be left without a party properly representing me. I fear that neither will come true and fear that many others, like me, will not back a Corbyn led Labour at the next general election.

How Owen Smith Can Win Labour Leadership

It has been a positive week for Owen Smith, a surprising endorsement from GMB Union plus a confident and assured performance in the latest hustings event. It has fuelled hopes from Smith supporters that the race for leader may actually be closer than many assumed. Smith still has a mountain to climb and cannot afford many mistakes however progress is being made. I'm using this post to outline a few ways I believe Owen Smith can close the gap further.

The key areas where I believe Smith has the edge over Jeremy Corbyn are on policies, economic competence and the EU. If these issues are front and centre in the campaign until September then Smith will be in with a chance. The other, potentially crucial, advantage Owen Smith has over Jeremy Corbyn is the use of the mainstream media. It's been clear that Owen has had a much greater presence on television in particular, this means a greater reach and greater cut through with his ideas.

The setbacks so far have been largely at the hands of due diligence. The handling and process of calling a challenge has been the major line of attack from Corbyn, the argument against this had begun to form judging by the hustings last night. The high court decision could be further ammunition for Corbyn on this front.

Lines of Attack

The important thing for Owen Smith is to establish clear differences between himself and Corbyn. This is vital because members won't be interested in a watered down version of the same thing, so to establish differences and make clear there is a choice, is vital. From my point of view, the biggest difference between the two candidates and a huge potential vote winner for Smith is the quality and detail of policies. The party has been starved of policy based debate in the past year so if Smith can focus arguments on the quality and substance in his policies this will be a major point.

The beauty is the detail

The added bonus of focusing on the policies and depth that Smith offers is that while it is a strength for Owen, it is also a weakness of Corbyn. Many of Corbyn's answers, particularly in Thursday's hustings, were vague and lacked specifics or depth of policy which juxtaposed against Owen's mentions of 50p top rate of tax, 20% corporation tax and wealth taxes showed a clear difference.

This is a good link to how and why Owen Smith wins when it comes to the economy. While Corbyn focuses on emphasising a fair economy for all, his argument against lacks specifics of how this will be achieved. The amount of thought out and fully funded ideas from Smith makes clear the lack of substance Corbyn offers. The lack of policy based debate on the economy or any other area before this leadership race means there is a thirst and an interest which Smith can play to.

Finally on the EU, Smith has made a bold move to continue fighting against Brexit, possibly to the point of a second referendum. While this may be a harder sell to the wider electorate at the moment, I think it is a well judged stance for the membership. The reason I think it is well judged is because many Labour supporters voted to stay in and are dismayed that the country could be leaving, it is also clear that many members don't believe Corbyn showed enough passion for, or commitment to, the EU. The combination of these issues mean Smith's stance could be a vote winner, while it also portrays Corbyn to still be less enthusiastic about the EU than Smith.

The ability to spread these key issues and the content and substance Smith offers through the mainstream media means he will reach members who don't attend rallies or hustings. As long as Corbyn remains inward looking, focusing his attention on those who attend his rallies rather than television appearances I don't believe he is reaching as big an audience as he could. This could prove to be a key area in the campaign.

The Debate Focus

As with any election the debates will be crucial to the outcome and therefore both candidates have to have strategies ready to use in order to try to emphasise their strengths. My advice to Owen Smith would be to continually ask Corbyn, how? When Jeremy mentions one of his broad, idealistic 'policies' then the simple but effective response would be to ask specifically how he would achieve this. I don't believe he would be able to provide the specific taxes or cuts or funded investment to back up his claim. This would emphasise the difference between the lightweight Corbyn and the content backed Smith.

I would also try to force Corbyn to talk numbers and cold hard facts. I'm not sure Corbyn has a grasp on the numbers and the weighting behind his ideas, if the conversation was to go this way then it would show not only his inability to back up his phrases but highlight the competence and advantage Smith has on the economy and on policy. On the EU I would also try to get Corbyn to commit to a stance, what sort of deal would he accept, what his red lines are and whether he would ever fight to keep Britain in the EU again. Smith's advantage in this area is that his opinion is clear, he would fight to stay in and would put any tabled deal to the public to rubber stamp. Corbyn's stance is still unclear so it is an area that can be probed and Smith's advantage increased.

The Blairite Witch Project

Corbyn's most effective line of attack is over Smith's resignation from the shadow cabinet. At first this seemed to stump Smith although there were indications of a response forming in the second debate. I think the most effective counter to this argument is for Owen to show his high ambitions for the party (to form a government, lead in polls, push back Tory cuts, etc) and say that all the evidence shows Corbyn can't and won't achieve this. Put it back to Jeremy and ask if he was happy with how the party was performing, if not why he didn't act and insist that he couldn't sit around while the Conservatives undo everything Labour achieved in government.

In Conclusion

The strategy and almost chess like point and counter point of politics is one of the reasons I am so passionate about politics. Thinking about the strengths and weaknesses of you and your opponent, planning the lines of attack, responses to it and how to respond to that response is, in my view, a basic element of successful politics. It is an element that I haven't really seen from Corbyn and one of the reasons I am backing Owen Smith, who has clearly deployed a strategic and thought out campaign so far.

I believe if Owen Smith continues to employ the same tactics and maybe takes some of my ideas on board then I believe he can win, or at least make it a very close battle for the leadership. I admit my own bias in this piece but I tried to be as fair as possible. In the interest of fairness, if I get requests I'll happily write a similar piece on the strategies that Corbyn could use to boost his chances too.

Hope you've found this interesting, here's to a friendly and policy filled campaign.

The Future of Labour

Who's the better leader here?

Last night saw the first of six leadership debates between current Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn and challenger Owen Smith. It was a frustrating night as no one appeared willing to listen and both sides became further entrenched in their own views. It was disappointing from a personal viewpoint because the debate and reaction to it proved to me all the flaws and issues with the probable winner, Corbyn.

Despite his 10 Pledges released yesterday, Corbyn still remains unbelievably light on content and substance. His simplistic responses and stuttering delivery of them seemed to go down well with the converted but will not connect with any uninitiated inside the party never mind outside of it. This cuts to the heart of the Smith challenge and is the answer to why he and others resigned, which seems to be hard for Corbyn to grasp. It was a dispiriting night which is why I wanted to write this blog and why I'll be attempting to care a little less in the coming weeks.

I apologise in advance for the length of this but I have tried to be as comprehensive as possible.

The Election Reaction

The reasons for defeat in May 2015 I believe are key to Corbyn's appeal. Many Labour folk decided that a shift further left was the medicine to our defeat and that Miliband wasn't left enough to win. This is too simplistic and ignores how any election ever has been won. The defeat in 2015 was down to not gaining credibility and trust in handling of the economy, it was down to the fear factor over SNP alliances and it was down to the Conservatives ruthlessly targeting these areas with repeated attacks which were not adequately responded to or fought. Labour lost on these issues and they are all areas where we can still be beaten, even more convincingly. No shift to the left has helped in these areas and no election has ever been won by a party appealing exclusively to one part of the electorate.

The Corbyn Appeal

Jeremy Corbyn's 10 pledges

I believe that Labour members saw Ed Miliband trying to appeal outside of Labour membership and losing. The train of thought followed that if we can't win doing that, then we might as well appoint someone who will give us what we want to hear. I also strongly believe that Corbyn offers the simple answer and allows members to avoid difficult questions about how Labour can win, the challenge we face and the powers versus principles discussion. Corbyn says we can win power by being anti austerity, it feels good so why question it, why look for the proof because it's what some members want to hear. The problem is that come election time media, experts, the opposition will question it and will inevitably find holes in it.

It is this simplistic, upbeat but hollow message which leads me to equate Corbyn to Trump. I believe both operate in the sphere of post truth politics. I believe both appeal using feelings rather than facts. Corbyn says he can bring inequality, he'll make an anti austerity economy that works for all, he'll win an election. Trump says he can make America great again. There's very little substance in any of these claims but it feels good to some who hear it so what is in it for them to question it. Their simplistic message is easy to get on board with and then you add in the 'fact' that the media and/or the establishment is against you which unites the support. Trump is without question far worse and far more dangerous but the similarities in their simplistic message and appeal is pretty obvious.

In the leadership debate alone I counted many times where Corbyn flat out lied. Labour have never been ahead in the polls, before or after the leadership challenge. Labour abstained on the welfare bill on the first reading, as parliamentary process often dictates, eventually universally opposing it and that was not because of his appointment. Labour is hugely untrusted on the economy unlike the feeling Jeremy wants to project. Jeremy did say he wanted article 50 invoked immediately on live TV. However facts don't matter when arguing with feelings like we appear to be, a truly post truth politician.

The Issue I have With Corbyn

There is no disagreement in being anti austerity or fighting inequality or investing in the country, literally who could argue against that? The issue for me is substance, believability and ability to practice what is preached. What I like about Owen Smith is that his policies, while similar to Corbyn's, have substance to them, they have been fully costed and planned and there are specific money raising strategies such as 50p top rate of tax, wealth tax, corporation tax to 20%. Despite the 10 Pledges yesterday I'm still waiting for this substance from the leader even after 10 months in charge. It is this substance which will convince people of Labour's economic credibility, an area Corbyn and McDonnell are already massively behind in polling.

Owen Smith's 20 policies for Labour's future

The response to the policies raised by Owen Smith has also been disappointing and does not inspire faith for a successful election campaign. Instead of looking objectively at the ideas, maybe pointing out flaws or any holes or even praising some, the response was childish. The claims came that they were all Corbyn policies. This playground 'he copied me' response is disappointing especially as if they had been Corbyn policies they would be widely known and advertised in Labour's messages or at least in Corbyn's messages especially, you would have thought, during a Leadership challenge. As someone with an avid interest in politics and a Labour supporter, you'd have thought I would have read or seen that these policies were Corbyn Labour's stances. Either they weren't his policies or Corbyn is an incredibly bad orator and communicator of his policies, whichever way you look at it it's not good.

On top of the lack of substance and empty words, my other issue is how he has led Labour. Since the leadership challenge was announced many Labour MP's have come out and explained how they have been hamstrung by Corbyn's lack of communication and leadership. Whether it is Heidi Alexander on the NHS, Lillian Greenwood on transport, Thangam Debbonaire on her shadow cabinet appointment, Corbyn himself on article 50 or even today on the honours list. There is a long list of strategy errors, miscommunication and lack of leadership which show that Labour fighting for an election win is hamstrung by its leader.

Labour MP's have been criticised as traitors and being disloyal for saying these things but is it really disloyal to serve your party the best you can, keeping these issues secret but eventually quit as you are not able to do the job to the best of your abilities. It is this kind of substance on life under Corbyn leadership which shows his inability to lead sustained attacks, continued messages on topics against the Tories. When you have 172 MP's vote against you, it shows that you are not inspiring faith in your ability to do your job.

Why Owen Smith?

As I have already mentioned I believe he has the substance and the ideas that can convince not only Labour voters but people who have lost faith in Labour. Those who didn't trust Labour on the economy can look at his fully funded rebalancing of corporation tax, top rate of tax, NHS spending, his new deal idea. Those in the country who don't want a coalition for a government can be reassured about that not being Labour's only way into power. Those who want to see sustained, effective attacks on Tory austerity, universal credits, honours awards can be reassured that they will be carried out professionally and with energy. Those who want to see a stronger Labour presence in the mainstream media will see their leader appearing more regularly and appealing to a much wider and broader audience.

Owen Smith has the substance in his ideas, the ability to lead attacks on the Tories, a positive stance with areas he believes in not just areas he opposes, he has the oratory skills and appearance that matter to those with a less intense interest in politics, crucially he is the one looking outside of the party. Owen Smith has a much stronger appeal to those outside of Labour, a bigger ability to convince Labour voters not just members. Owen also has the competence in economic stance which is so crucial in election campaigns.

Electing Jeremy Corbyn with his disastrous personal ratings, catastrophic party polling and limited electoral appeal will be the end of Labour as a democratic force. Whether the PLP splits or if it unites, election day will be a disaster because Corbyn has been framed to millions in the country and cannot be reframed.

It is that electoral demise which is so depressing to me. Seeing the BBC snap poll in May last year was crushing, I don't want to go through that again so soon but with Corbyn as leader I know what is coming, all the signs are there, all the attack points for the Tories are there, it will be brutal. If you want a Labour government in the next year or two, I urge you not to vote for Corbyn.

The Labour Party: Not Much of a Party

*I apologise in advance for the length of this article, I had a lot to say and much material to talk about.*

A tidal wave of political repercussions were unleashed on June 24th following the vote to Brexit which have been felt nationwide but possibly most profoundly within the Labour Party. David Cameron resigned from his post following his defeat in the referendum and a general election is almost certain to follow, despite what new Prime Minister Theresa May might say, this is the root cause of the unrest in Labour since then.



Our almighty leader

The prospect of a general election has driven the majority of MP's to push for a change of leader and at it's heart a change of focus and belief. Jeremy Corbyn has thus far shown little appetite or strategy for winning an election and has made little to no in roads into the Conservative lead in the polls and the country, all of this while the cabinet and party in power have been split like never before. Corbyn's backers, Momentum, have admitted no desire to win an election. The leader of this group tweeted, "Democracy gives power to people, "winning" is the small bit that matters to political elites who want to keep power themselves." It cannot be argued that this does not reflect Corbyn's ideals, as someone who repeatedly attends and speaks at Momentum events, such as this one where fellow Labour MPs were labelled, "f****** useless" by ally John McDonnell.

This belief, principles over power, is the battle at the heart of the Labour Party. 172 MP's who backed a motion of no confidence in Corbyn know the importance of stopping Conservative law making for their constituents who have suffered cuts, taxes, wage freezes and more. The only way for this to be stopped is winning an election, which Corbyn has not only no desire to do but has shown little ability or competence to.

The Electoral Evidence

First let's look at the evidence we have from the year of Corbyn rule. It is true that there have been some by-election victories however these were safe Labour seats and an opposition should be increasing their vote share especially immediately after an election. The council elections, while not as bad as predicted, cannot and should not be called anything but a failure. Corbyn became one of the worst ever performing opposition leader with these results.  

Then came the referendum, while I don't dispute that Corbyn made more appearances than other Labour MP's, the question is impact and passion. Look at how hard Corbyn has fought for his own job, then compare to how hard he fought to save the jobs that will be lost by Brexit. Look at the arguments he put forward during those appearances (no upper limit on immigration, climate change) while admirable, these are not the issues the public were most concerned with and his thoughts particularly on immigration are unlikely to chime with most of the electorate. The result was Brexit and it is hard to take any confidence from that election strategy and performance forward to a general election.

His confusion and lack of strategy following Brexit also pours fuel on the fire, first calling for article 50 to be called immediately then changing his mind, he has yet to contribute any ideas on what sort of relationship we should have with Europe to this day. Added to this, I don't believe he has commented on our new Prime Minister or shown any hint of a strategy against her and this has resulted in a major lack of Labour presence in the news. This is the where the doubt, lack of confidence and belief in the leader stems from for the 172 MP's. It is this lack of confidence balanced with the desire, the importance, the imperative nature of winning the next election. I for one could not bare the thought of 11 years of Conservative government.

The Removal Process

With the issue of winning an election and the reasoning behind the push for his removal, I turn to the process of his removal. Over the past 2 weeks we have seen dozens of resignations, a vote of no confidence, a legal battle and the announcement of a leadership election. It has been a mess and has turned very ugly at times, partly due to those who want Corbyn to quit and partly due to Corbyn himself. I would expect under most other circumstances, in a work situation or with flatmates for example, if the majority of your colleagues or friends declare their support for you leaving, most would not hang around and make the situation worse. We've seen David Cameron and Andrea Leadsom realise their inability to command the confidence of those they would work with and stand down. However Corbyn is different.

Corbyn's stubbornness, arrogance, selfishness has seen the situation get much worse and drag the Labour name through the mire. On the other hand, I would have liked a more ruthless party to cut him loose and move onwards and upwards. It has been a situation badly handled on both sides. At this point, Corbyn cannot realistically expect 172 MP's, a huge majority, to simply backtrack and support him...it wouldn't work in Parliament or crucially on the doorstep. Therefore it is Jeremy that must be the bigger person, accept that even if he wins a leadership race he cannot achieve the things he wants to achieve, and step aside. Will he do that? Not likely. He and his backers seem set on splitting the party for their own means. This is the sad predicament we face.

The process has been ugly, and will likely get more gruesome, but this is not due to a badly organised 'coup'. It is a result of Jeremy Corbyn's insistence that staying as leader is more important than having a well oiled, efficient parliamentary party that can effectively oppose, and more important than getting Labour into power.

The Man Himself

I want to finally say something about Jeremy Corbyn the person. While it is admirable that so many people have been engaged in politics through him, I think they are following a false prophet. Either he massively misunderstands how politics works, he actively doesn't want to engage with it or he is simply incompetent. I say this on the evidence that he has actively backed away from attacking the Conservatives (see Vice documentary) after Iain Duncan Smith's resignation, he has regularly missed PLP meetings, he has performed badly at PMQ's, he speaks to a membership rather than an electorate, he actively dismisses rather than persuades and has shown no strategy or future planning. You may hope this is a learning curve, but the time for learning is quickly evaporating.

I have to admire Corbyn in some respects, while he positions himself as the epitome of truth, honesty and lack of spin, he is in fact the master of spin and dishonesty. While his speeches talk of empathy for the pressures of the working class and his anti austerity stance, it is all hot air. He has not, or not to my knowledge, produced a single policy regarding job creation or the type of job he would encourage. He has not talked about encouraging small businesses or entrepreneurs. I have no idea on his education policy or if he even has one. He has no policies that will connect with the electorate, get him elected and give him the power to help those he 'claims' to have empathy with and want to support. It is doubtful whether he even wants to win an election, therefore claiming he can help those who need the help the most is meaningless, politics talk. He talks about democracy and principle but won't stand aside when 80% of an PLP party vote against him. He talked about legal action should a democratic NEC vote go against him. This is a man that stands for truth, justice, honesty but is in fact a selfish, self absorbed, arrogant man.

Corbyn is the only leader I can remember who would attend a protest in his honour. He is the only leader I can remember that believes he knows better than 80% of his own party. He is the only leader who focuses on the issues that matter to him not the issues the electorate care about. The cult of Corbyn sweeps all this aside and instead focuses on conspiracy theories and an elite whitewash. If Corbyn really wanted to help those he continually claims he wants to help, he should be doing all he can to become the elite and stack the decks in the favour of those people. Instead his focus is on maintaining his personal power, a paranoia of dethronement which gives rise to conspiracy theories which rely on friends of friends and leaps of imagination. Once again self preservation is his first priority.

If Corbyn wants to judge people by their friends, then maybe he should look at himself. His close links with Hamas, Hezbollah and people with a history of anti-Semite comments do him no favours. (Watch this Select Committee meeting and listen to the links he has with numerous wayward characters) Why is it that so many anti-Semite related suspensions and controversies have appeared under his leadership than under Miliband, Brown, Blair and before that? His surge in popularity has inspired a belief within the people holding these extreme views that they now have a backing, a following and a license to speak out. While Theresa May was being crowned the new Conservative PM, Corbyn was addressing the Cuba Solidarity Fund. This shows both the friends he keeps but the lack of political awareness, the lack of connection with the issues that matter. It shows he is in it for self interest, not to represent those that most need representation.



Coming soon: Leadership election round 2

Where Now?

As a lifelong Labour supporter, I have tried to get on board with the Corbyn party but I have become massively disengaged and disinterested with where he has taken the party I love. I want, more than anything, to have Labour in power making decisions that can rebalance inequality, provide stable jobs, invest in things, get a good relationship with Europe, improve the education system but not only do I not see this being achieved with Corbyn, I don't hear him speaking with any details or conviction on these subjects and to be honest, I'm not sure he is in politics for these subjects. In fairness he is entitled to have his own interests but when they are dragging the party in to areas it cannot go, that's when problems occur. As a lifelong Labour supporter, I can't stand by and let this happen.
 
I will be supporting Owen Smith in the leadership election. Smith is someone who, in calling for a second referendum on the nature of our post Brexit Europe relationship, has already inspired more hope and faith in me than Corbyn has. This is after only a day of his leadership campaign. It shows a strategy, a political stance for the many and not just the membership. I hope we will see a leadership election full of policies and detailed content on the issues that matter....jobs, education, NHS, the economy, the EU. It is not only how elections are won but it is how Corbyn can be found out.

I hope it will be a safe, orderly, friendly but content filled and detailed campaign. Ultimately I hope I will feel a lot more hopeful and inspired about Labour's future by September than I do now. Should Corbyn be returned, I fear not only for the Labour Party but for the country facing a decade of Conservative government.

If you read all this way.....good on you!

Much Ado About Corbyn

I positioned this picture on the far left.

Post Brexit Britain is shaping up well so far. Not only do we have a lame duck Prime Minister, the opposition are also in meltdown following the vote to take Britain out of everything we are familiar with.

Tony Blair explained it well this morning, comparing the Brexit vote to moving house. Choosing to leave the house you know well, the benefits and the flaws, swapping it for a house you have no clue about, the flaws or problems there might be or what the house looks like. However this is the situation we're facing and I don't blame David Cameron for quitting, having no appetite to lead Britain in to a world he campaigned endlessly to avoid. He will leave as one of Britain's worst ever Prime Ministers but his departure is the catalyst for huge political upheaval. A new Conservative leader and because of a high likelihood of a snap general election, it has sparked a race for a new Labour leader.

My Background

I have to admit a bias before I enter this discussion. I have never, and baring a dramatic change of aptitude, will never be a Corbyn supporter. So much so that a couple of months ago I began to consider moving my support to the Liberal Democrats. There are many reasons behind this but mainly I want a leader and a party that has a drive, ambition and focus on winning. Corbyn has openly admitted he feels it is not his job to attack Conservative mistakes and his political moves in his 12 months in charge have been uninspiring, disappointing and underwhelming. I cannot think of a single achievement, you may point out the tax credits U-turn however this was a House of Lords victory mainly.

My other reason is the political approach Corbyn and particularly his supporters have adopted. His is not a persuasive voice, his is not a democratic voice, his is instead a dismissive voice. If you choose to criticise Corbyn you are a Blairite, you are a red Tory, you are a traitor to your party. There is no attempt at discourse, no attempt to persuade or even listen to your point of view. This is not how you win supporters, it is not how you win over an already biased media and it is not even how you win over members of your party. If the repeated phrase of Labour is a broad church is true then you do not win around more critical members of your church by shutting them out, dismissing them and accusing them. I myself have suffered from this and it is what first started my slide in to the arms of another political party. It is not disloyal to question if the leader is the right person for the party. A party the country so desperately needs right now. 

Coup Coup

With this out in the open I arrive onto todays events where 11 (at time of writing) members of the shadow cabinet has resigned. I firstly point out these MP's are people who have served in the Labour party for decades, they have a wide range of political stance (Seema Malhotra was close to John McDonall) and none of them will be options for future leader. Suddenly each of these MP's have been abused, past stances examined and criticised all because they fear for the future of the party. I also want to note that none of these MP's can realistically be called Blairites, there are not many Blairites who would serve in the shadow cabinet currently, nor would they be wanted by Corbyn.

Regarding the timing, it comes after a disappointing and underwhelming performance in the referendum by Corbyn and it is also done in mind that a snap general election could be called even before the turn of the year. Corbyn's past performances - the first opposition leader to lose seats in council elections and losing Labour voters in the EURef - do not inspire any belief that Labour would be successful in defeating a Boris led Conservatives.

I think the referendum is the key point, Labour could have won huge support if it had led the way, made a positive and crucially relatable message to the electorate. Instead Corbyn refused to play any part in cross party events, whereas Sadiq Khan, Tim Farron, Natalie Bennett all did. Instead Corbyn chose to comment on global warming (a valid issue but not in a majority of voters' eyes) and completely, overwhelmingly misread the public's opinions on immigration, stating he had no upper limit in mind. Being so out of touch with the opinions and interests of working class voters probably contributed to a leave vote in areas like the north east and north west, usually Labour strongholds.

What Now?

With all of this mind, his approach to politics, his record in opposition, his election record and his misreading of public opinion plus his many disappointing PMQ's performances and his positioning too far on the political left, I believe it is perfectly understandable why Labour MP's have acted the way they have. I could have mentioned much more, such as the shocking poll released today about Labour voters and his poor delivery of speeches but I can only write so much. I want a Labour government so much, this country needs the positive, equal and fair governance badly but under Corbyn I just cannot see the party I love going anywhere but backwards. While the change might be ugly, it's a change that has to be done. Cameron had the decency to stand down when he saw he could not command his party's loyalty, I hope Corbyn has the same decency.  

A Sad Day

After an immensely sad 24 hours following a depressing 12 months before a rubbish 5 years, we have arrived at this. A Labour MP, Jo Cox, being murdered in broad daylight for little more than her political views it seems. It is a sad state of affairs and every time I read about it or see it on the news, it's just sad. No other way of saying it, simply bone-numbingly sad. Sad because a bright burning light has been put out all too soon and hundreds of lives changed but sad because of what this says about political debate and the background it stems from.

The one hope that I have is that this awful event could maybe raise the level of political discourse in the country, something Jo Cox was able to fight against as she battled for her beliefs and stuck to her principles, over refugees most prominently. I hold this hope having been completely disengaged with politics since May 2015 when fear and division won. This has lead, on an increasingly downward spiral, to the hate filled, fear fuelled, emotion driven referendum debate. My belief is that this negative and divisive campaigning, tone and policies are the reasons behind the horrendous killing of Jo Cox.

I am hesitant to raise politics at this difficult period of time, especially as others have been criticised for doing so but when a politician is killed for apparent political reasoning then I feel there has to be some reflection, retrospection and investigation. Personally I feel all politicians and the media need to have a long hard look at themselves and ask if they have always kept the tone elevated and campaigning on the right topics and have used the facts accurately.

I want to raise the ugly face of patriotism and look back to the fear of the SNP coming and "taking over" our 'British' Parliament in the general election of 2015. I look back at the 'British votes' law which was voted through. I look at the fear and hate filled campaigning on immigration, those foreigners coming here and taking our jobs, money, houses and all the rapists, murderers and criminals coming from abroad. Can anyone realistically say this rhetoric, which is quite clearly designed to rile, anger and fuel emotion, is not at all to blame for Jo Cox's murder?

All that I have mentioned used to be the discussion kept to the outer reaches of politics but the sudden lurch to the right in British politics has brought it very much front and centre. This fear, anger and desperation is enough to make even a right thinking person consider their beliefs but imagine where these words might lead someone who suffers from mental health issues and what might go through their mind. Politicians, media and advisors need to carefully consider the potential effects of their words in the future and if there is one thing I hope comes from these dark days I hope it is this.

Much of my sadness and my words have been aimed at the right of politics but the left also needs to look at themselves. The rebuttal of this fear and hatred has to be a stronger message of hope, togetherness and positivity, Labour and their friends haven't had an answer to immigration and this should be a priority to push back against this awful narrative. Corbyn needs to begin to start discussing with and persuading his detractors not simply dismissing or ignoring it as a criticism of him, the left needs to be winning over people across the spectrum and bringing people together.

Famously the pen is supposed to be mightier than the sword and so the entire country needs to learn its lessons from this tragedy. We need to return to factual politics, not the politics of emotion. We need positive, thoughtful, empathetic words to reunite the country not divide it. Jo Cox's death is a tragedy of the grandest proportions, the only way to honour her is to fight for what she believed so passionately in.


For some further thoughts which follow a similar tone but are probably far more eloquent that mine, I would urge you to watch the video of James O'Brian on LBC posted in this Mirror article......http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/james-obrien-launches-passionate-rant-8220381

Regardless of your view, your political position or background I would also urge you to add your name to the no doubt thousands in the book of condolence here....https://donation.labour.org.uk/w/jo-cox-condolences

The Labour State

We are Labour

Hi folks, long time no see, haven't blogged much since the general and labour elections. To be fair not much has changed since then, the Conservatives are continuing a lot of policies that I disagree with and Labour are frustrating me as much as they were back in September conference season. I decided to write a little blog about the problems I think are still facing Labour and how they might be tackled.

It isn't too much of a secret that Jeremy Corbyn was not my choice of Labour leader, but unlike many, I was prepared to give him the benefit of the doubt as I agreed with most of his key policies. I would scrap Trident, I think the railways should be renationalised and I would generally agree with his belief in discussion instead of war. What has, and continues to, frustrate about Jeremy is the way he has run the party, his lack of leadership and the rudderless, toothless approach. I can't think of one area where Labour have made advances against the Conservatives. I think it is telling that even while Tories use awful language to describe refugees and benefit receivers, the NHS is in an appalling state and Tories are split over Europe, that no progress has been made in any sort of polling.

The man in charge

I believe this is because the Labour party are being allowed to appear like a disjointed, disunited, unfocused bunch of MP's with very different policies. Other than the railways I struggle to think of any clear policies that Labour stands for. While the leadership continues to allow MP's to openly disagree with each other, argue and confuse the electorate it not only simply looks bad, it splits media attention and sends no clear message. I want to compare this to the opposition, the current government, who even over Europe have no cabinet members speaking out against each other and won an election by consistently repeating phrases and messages that got drilled in to the electorate, about the SNP, about the economy and Labours record on it. Even if these were pure fiction, they were repeated so often they became fact.

This lack of leadership means Labour can make no clear stance on a subject, MP's can not go in to the media and repeat it, no pressure is built on the Tories and no progress is made in the polls. This is the very core of modern politics. These problems are on display regularly every Wednesday during PMQ's, a range of questions are asked, no follow up or rebuttals are offered and no pressure is built. There are a lot of things that can be thrown at this government, pick one for a period of time, focus on it and attack. Labour loses a lot of any potential momentum built by answering questions or even philosophising over issues that not only aren't in huge public interest but only serve to offer more bullets for most of the media to aim at Corbyn. I'm thinking Falklands, IRA questions and Trident. It is almost sadomasochistic.

Labour's record in government versus Tory rule.
Thanks to LabourEoin on Twitter

One other issue I wanted to talk about is this new found desire for many Labour members to criticise and denigrate the achievements of the last Labour government. If Labour wants any hope of winning in the future, it has to embrace its past and make the public remember the great things that Labour were able to do and could do given another chance. This includes cutting homelessness by 41%, opening over 3500 Sure Start centres, record low NHS waiting times and introducing the national minimum wage. These facts should be praised, shouted from the rooftops not brushed from history because it's 'blairite'.

To have any chance of repairing after just 10 years of Tory rule, Labour has to win over 2 million new voters. This means people who voted Conservative, UKIP, SNP, Green. It will require clear, wide reaching policies and reversing lies over the economy in particular. I am not saying Corbyn needs replacing, I am saying Corbyn must wake up to real politics. Focus on issues that capture public focus, get the whole party repeating this issue, target Tory records and speak as one party. It will take leadership and a plan, it's time to step up.


P.S. As an added bonus I've added a video by Kate Tempest. She is an awesome spoken word artist who has released a poem/song about the current state of Europe. Have a look at the lyrics, they are spot on and they cut deep. I particularly liked, "It’s big business baby and its smile is hideous.
Top down violence, structural viciousness." I believe she actually read this at a Labour party gathering over Christmas.