In this election I’m backing…
May 18th
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I’ve had quite a few people asking who I’m backing in this vital election.
To eliminate any doubt I just want to confirm that my candidate is…
Luke Akehurst for Labour’s NEC
Labour Party renewal – what next?
May 12th
As I’m getting over my disappointment that Alan Johnson won’t run for Labour leader I’m pondering what the future holds and how we can use the next few years to renew, regroup and refresh ourselves.
Firstly, we need a long leadership election. We don’t need to be hasty, Harriet will make a fine interim leader. My personal preference is for a leader that isn’t overly associated with the old Brownite/Blairite factional slips, which was always bigger in the media than it was in reality.
In opposition Labour can afford to have a vigorous and exciting policy debate that reminds us of our core values enshrined in the new Clause 4 of our rule book.
But, we shouldn’t stop at policy. Before we can do that properly I seriously believe we need root and branch reform of the Labour Party itself. We’re still based on party structure that has hardly changed for over a 100 years. This needs to change, to change fundamentally. We must question the very existence of branches, constituency parties, district parties, regional boards, the National Policy Forum and the NEC.
As for who to support as leader, I think it’s fool-hardy to start backing potential leaders before any have even officially declared. However, I can easily rule out Ed Balls for two reasons.
First and foremost he is far too divisive a figure and responsible for far too much that has gone wrong in the Labour Party. He simply cannot represent a fresh start for the party.
His style of politics, shown time and time again in TV interviews and speeches, is that of the playground bully. The problem with the Labour Party over the last few years, wasn’t just Brown, it was Balls.
Ed Balls represents the politics of the Twentieth Century, to borrow a slogan from the past we need to go forward, not back.
Secondly on a more mundane note, his majority is far to slim. We can not have a leader that will be subject to another ‘castration’ strategy. A new voting system won’t help Ed and a leader can’t do a chicken run.
In the absence of Alan Johnson on the ballot paper I’d like to see a candidate who will offer the party that opportunity for a totally fresh start and is open to embracing new ideas that emerge, not being hidebound or associated with policies from the past.
UPDATE:
If we didn’t win with the organ grinder, we won’t with the monkey. RT @stuartbruce: Labour Party renewal Not Ed Balls. http://bit.ly/bncgM6
Paul Richards
Labourpaul
Labour’s negotiating team with the Liberal Democrats – why Ed Balls?
May 11th
Labour’s team to negotiate with the Liberal Democrats isn’t exactly overwhelming.
Lord Mandelson I can understand. His cabinet position, his breadth of experience and the key role he has played in the last two years all mean he should be in the room.
Harriet Harman, not my favourite Labour politician, has earned the right to be at the table as she was elected to the role of Deputy Leader.
Lord Adonis as an ex Liberal Democrat who is now a senior Labour figure can provide a unique insight and help to find common ground.
Ed Miliband was the architect of Labour’s manifesto, so if we’re going to be negotiating changes is the obvious choice.
But why is Ed Balls on the team? I can’t think of a cabinet member less well qualified than Balls to be on the team. It can’t be his cabinet position, as education and families isn’t one of the huge areas of difference between Labour and the Liberal Democrats. It shouldn’t be that he’s a close confidant of Gordon Brown, as Ed Miliband can fulfil that role. What else could Ed be there for?
Can anyone enlighten me?
Gordon Brown email to Labour Party members
May 10th
Stuart
I wanted to explain to you the decision I have taken today.
I have said since Friday that it is crucial that this country, which I love so dearly, has a principled and strong government that can meet the challenge of securing the recovery and changing our politics.
As we know, the Liberal Democrats felt that they should first talk to the Conservative Party. Mr Clegg has just informed me this afternoon that he intends to continue those discussions and now wants to open up formal discussions with the Labour Party. I think it is sensible that we respond positively.
It is clear to me that there is a progressive majority in Britain and I believe it could be in the interests of the whole country to form a progressive coalition government. If the national interest can be served by such a coalition then I should discharge the duty to form that government.
But I have no desire to stay in my position longer than is needed to ensure that the path to progress is assured. The reason we have a hung Parliament is that no single party and no single leader was able to win the full support of the country. As the leader of this great party, I must accept that is a judgement on me.
Therefore I intend to ask the Labour Party to set in train the process needed for a leadership election. I would hope for a leader to be in place by Labour Party conference. I will play no part in that contest and will back no individual candidate.
Once again can I thank you for your unstinting help and commitment to this wonderful party. Sarah and I appreciate the kindness you have shown us over the years.
I will of course stay in contact with you over the coming weeks and months.
Yours sincerely
Gordon Brown
Cameron and Brown rejected by the people – what next?
May 7th
The nation has spoken. It is crying out for change, but not the change offered by Cameron’s Conservatives. The Tories have been clearly rejected with the overwhelming majority of the country saying no to its manifesto for change. The Tories can’t claim this as anything but a defeat.
But let’s be fair, Gordon Brown has also been rejected. Labour can’t claim this as anything but a defeat. The people haven’t rejected Labour, but neither have they given Brown a ringing endorsement.
Nick Clegg’s Liberal Democrats are in a more of a mixed position. They’ve an overwhelming right to scream about the unfairness of the system. A massive six million plus votes and just over 50 seats just isn’t morally right.
Everyone is speculating as to what will happen next.
What is constitutionally correct? Gordon Brown continues as Prime Minister until May 25 and tries to form a Government with the support of minority parties, including the Lib Dems.
What is morally correct? The problem with what is constitutionally correct, is that it isn’t morally right. Neither Cameron or Brown have the moral right to govern.
What is politically possible? Who knows? Clegg doesn’t look likely to do a deal with Brown, but practically Labour needs weeks if not months to change it’s leader. Cameron might try to stage an electoral coup and attempt a minority government, even though the Tory manifesto has been resoundly rejected.
My solution? Gordon Brown should seize the moral high ground and do the following:
- Announce that he doesn’t have the moral right to govern.
- Ask Cameron to form a government…
- … on the condition that before the end of the year we have a referendum on electoral reform. Cameron can continue to oppose a more democratic voting system and cling to the status quo, but he’s got to give the people the opportunity to decide. Not him.
- And that on the new system (or old if that’s what people want) we have a new election before the end of June next year.
Cameron will then be faced with a choice. He can put Britain first, or he can put his party first. Brown will already have shown that he puts Britain first, can Cameron match him? I doubt it. That gives Brown the moral authority to remain as Prime Minister and do exactly what I’ve outlined – have a referendum and new election. He can then get on tackling sorting out the economy and the other important business of government.
Vote Labour – my personal plea
May 6th
I’ve campaigned for Labour in every election since 1987. But this time is different. In every other election I hoped that Labour would win, I was disappointed, shocked, gutted when we didn’t win in 1987 and 1992. But that’s as far as it went.
But this time it’s different. This time it’s far more emotional and personal. Because this time I’m responsible for people.
- I’ve got a daughter who’s almost three and I’m sick to the pit of my stomach with fear for her future if the Tories win. But my fear isn’t just for her, it’s for every other child in the country whose lives will be blighted by the Tories.
- I’ve got a team of brilliant young people that I employ and am responsible for. I’m terrified for their future if the Tories win. I’m terrified how Tory economic policies will devastate small businesses and force thousands of us out of business, just like in the 80s. I don’t want my young people to suffer that trauma.
- I’ve got a father-in-law living in a great care home. I’m terrified what will happen to him if the Tories win. From Tory and Tory/Lib Dem councils around the country we’ve already seen how they deliberately attack the most vulnerable in society by closing homes and viciously cutting home care services.
Quite simply I’m terrified of the Tories and how they’ll govern to benefit the few, while the rest of the country can go to hell.
Growing up in the 80s I’ve had personal experience of just how bad it is to suffer under the misery of a Tory government. I remember:
- being taught in schools with classrooms where the roof leaked, where classrooms were Portacabins in the playground, where we didn’t have enough teachers.
- people waiting over a year for hospital appointments, not just weeks.
- when people were scared of the police who the Tories were trying to turn into a political tool to attack the miners and working people.
- when Tory ministers celebrated the fact that a pregnant woman was handcuffed to her hospital bed
- when people were losing their homes and jobs, because of extortionate 15% interest rates.
It scares me that young people I talk to don’t know just how terrible the Tories really are. They never lived through the sheer misery of a government with the core principles of selfishness and greed.
And the truth is even if you believe in Compassionate Cameron, it’s still the same old nasty Tory Party that he leads. Tony Blair was a true leader and took on Labour Party members to reclaim it and take it back to its founding principles, rejecting the left-wing doctrines that had polluted Labour’s original philosophies.
Cameron hasn’t done this. There can only be three reasons:
- Cameron is lying and doesn’t really believe his compassionate Conservatism, it’s just a ruse to seize power. I used to believe Dave and think he had changed, just not his party. Now, I’m not so sure. Maybe I’ve been conned by Cameron.
- Cameron is too scared to take on his own members. He doesn’t have the courage for the job. You have to ask if he can’t lead a political party, how can he lead a country?
- Cameron isn’t capable of taking on his own members. He’s just not bright enough. You have to ask if he can’t lead a political party, how can he lead a country?
So I urge you, if you do one thing today then vote to stop the Tories plunging Britain into misery.
Vote to ensure that the UK gets true electoral reform as advocated by Labour and the Liberal Democrats, not the gerrymandering, vote-rigging proposed by Cameron.
UPDATE: A few typos helpfully corrected by @karenbruce, my lesson is more haste less speed!
Gordon Brown’s standing ovation for barnstorming speech
May 3rd
Gordon Brown obviously believes in keeping the best till last. He’s just given a barnstorming speech to Citizens UK. He was greeted with massive applause as he entered and a standing ovation for the clear Labour policies he articulated.
UPDATE: Full video (via Political Scrapbook)
David Cameron’s ‘Big Society’ just didn’t cut it. People who are really involved in community action and volunteering don’t want it.
What the Tories mean by ‘Big Society’ is abandoning the government’s responsibility to the most vulnerable in society, expecting community groups and charities to pick up the slack, because the Conservatives can’t be bothered and don’t think it’s important enough.
What Labour means by ‘Big Society’ is the government helping and facilitating community groups and charities to enable them and make it easier for them to achieve even more. It’s more than a subtle difference. The Tories are setting out to deliberately disadvantage the most vulnerable people in society who are the least able to take on the responsibilities of running their own schools, post offices and police. Meanwhile the privileged, who already have the most, will be able to grab even more as they ‘run’ their own services.
Tax cuts for millionaires now on Tory website
Apr 30th
You can have some great fun with Google Sidewiki. It let’s you add your own helpful information and explanations to websites.This means you can the truth about the Tories to their website – for anyone to see. You can share Sidewiki entries on Blogger, Facebook, Twitter and Google profiles.
To add your own exposes of the Tories, just install the Google Toolbar with Sidewiki and away you go. You can even highlight specific proposals on the site and add your own explanation of why it’s such a bad policy.
Seven years today since my first blog
Apr 24th
It was seven years ago today (on April 24, 2003) when I started my first blog. Little did I know at the time what an amazing effect it would have on my life and career.
If I hadn’t started that blog I might never have started Wolfstar. It would be great to be able to say that I started the blog because of my amazing intuition and foresight. But unfortunately it wouldn’t be true.
In truth it was probably laziness that made me start the blog. From 1998 to 2005 I was a elected local councillor on Leeds City Council. When I was first elected as a councillor I did something that was extremely unusual at the time and started a councillor website. As I’m not a professional designer or coder this was actually quite hard work and if I’m honest wasn’t particularly brilliant.
That’s why when I first came across ‘blogging’ I was intrigued as I thought, that sounds a lot easier than running my website. And so my first blog was born. It was the first councillor blog in the UK and the third political blog – former Lib Dem MP Richard Allan (now European Head of Public Policy for Facebook) and Labour MP Tom Watson were first and second respectively.
It didn’t take long for The Guardian to find my blog and in July 2003 it ran a profile about the UK’s first blogging councillor. As The Guardian article indicates my councillor blog deliberately wasn’t like many of today’s political blogs. It was determinedly focused on local issues that mattered to people in Leeds and more specifically my ward of Middleton (later Middleton Park) in south Leeds.
But my blog wasn’t just about the minutia of being a local councillor. That sort of the thing is for officers. You can’t run a good councillor blog without being political. It was when I was being highly political about local issues that my blog always received the most attention and engagement. Despite popular belief local politics is party political. That’s one of the problems with many of the official efforts to get councillors blogging. Because they are official they have to be a politics free zone (otherwise the local authority would be accused of funding party political campaigning). But you can’t take the politics out of it. Even seemingly mundane decisions such as when the road sweepers visit can actually be highly political (the Tories want the leafy suburbs to be pristine and don’t care about the council estates).
The other important thing I learnt from my councillor blog was the massive impact what you do online can have on what happens offline. The intention of my councillor blog was never to get all 16,000 of the local electors to read it. What I did want (and succeeded in) was to get local ‘influencers’ to read it. If they knew properly about what I was doing then they could talk face to face to other people in the community. That’s why I was pleased that people like the chairs and secretaries of residents associations read it, the local vicar read it, the local neighbourhood policing team read it (and even asked me to write about them!) All these people then went out and spread the word for me.
The success of my councillor blog meant that it didn’t take long before it dawned on me that blogs weren’t just about making my life easier, but also had enormous potential for my day job as a public relations consultant… but that’s a story for another blog post.
Cross-posted to A PR Guy’s Musings: Stuart Bruce, my professional blog.
Leaders’ Debate live Qik video streaming
Apr 22nd
This evening I’m at at Leaders’ Debate party with Eddie Izzard and Hilary Benn. As usual I’ll be tweeting furiously during the debate and afterwards I plan to do some immediate live video streaming interviews.
You can watch them here on my Qik Live Channel:
I’ll be using a Sony Ericsson Xperia X10 for the live video streaming and for reasons of transparency I’ve got to remind you that Sony Ericsson is a client of my company Wolfstar. For the technically minded amongst you it’s a Android phone, and IMHO (in my humble opinion the best available!)
