Too Socialist or too Centre Left?

[ferring seagull]

The country hasn't elected a truly Labour prime minister since Harold Wilson in 1974. As a movement it is dead in all but name as frankly nobody is sure what - or more importantly who - the Labour party is for anymore.

But there perhaps the problem is in the name, why don't they call themselves social democrats - 'New Labour' as a party name really had to be a joke !

 

[Hampster Gull]

But there perhaps the problem is in the name, why don't they call themselves social democrats - 'New Labour' as a party name really had to be a joke !

Newer Labour?

 

[ferring seagull]

Newer Labour?

Yeah but same old , same old !

 

[Hampster Gull]

Yeah but same old , same old !

Yep. Ah, i've got it

Old Labour

 

[Lincoln Imp]

Well, you could say that if you wanted to be ridiculous. As far as I'm aware, there is no imminent threat of Uncle Joe and his followers affecting things much in jolly old Blightly, outside if a paranoid fantasy even the Express would reject as a bit much.

But all the things I listed ARE actually happening. Unions are being smashed up, only today the government announced more curbs on free trade unions FACT. Nobody getting a pay rise, let alone nurses? We know this is true, are you going to deny it? Wage growth is at depression levels despite boardroom pay rocketing, but that's the disgusting inequality the Tories champion. Public services being attacked including fire station closures? Are you going to deny that too cos I could waste both our time and post loads of links but we both know that's not necessary because it's common knowledge.

So yes, you are guilty of Orwellian levels of distortion - all the things I listed are actually happening, and you can only counter with a bizarre fantasy.

As you must perfectly well know, I chose to make a bizarre example as a device to emphasise my point.

Will I deny that nurses' pay is not rising at a reasonable speed? Of course not!

Just as you will not not deny that other health centre workers have done very well in recent years. Or that by 2010 public sector workers were paid more than private sector ones, had greater job security, better working conditions and vastly better pensions than their private sector equivalents, and that many if not all of those advantages still apply.

This proves little in itself except that the facts are more complicated and the arguments more nuanced than the ranters of left or right would claim. Are you by any chance related to the train drivers Union leader I heard on the radio this morning arguing that the reason so many people voted for a right wing party was that the Labour Party wasn't left wing enough?

 

[Soulman]

Newer Labour?

Or Gone In To Labour, ie spent 9 months expecting and preparing, only to find the arrival was not on time, and not what they were expecting.