Opinions from a loyal Labour Party member
Posts tagged Alan Johnson
Yorkshire and Humber MPs dominate Labour’s new shadow cabinet
589 days
by Stuart Bruce
in Labour Party
Not only does Labour Party’s new leader represent a Yorkshire constituency, but nine of the new shadow cabinet do as well. Doncaster is particularly well represented with all three of its MPs in the shadow cabinet.
What’s most impressive to me is how well Ed Miliband has deployed the team he’s been handed by the PLP election.
Caroline Flint is ideal for communities and local government where some radical thinking is certainly required. It requires someone who isn’t afraid to court unpopularity amongst the more recalcitrant members of the Labour Party who simply want to maintain the status quo.
Alan Johnson will be the ideal foil to George Osbourne. As rich boy George attacks the poor, weak and vulnerable, Alan will be the perfect voice of reason on the side of people like us, while George backs the rich.
Just like his dad, Hilary Benn is a great speaker and is well suited to his new role.
Yvette Cooper well deserves one of the great offices of state and her new role is a great platform for her.
Mary Creagh is the least well-known of the new shadow cabinet and has never even held ministerial office. However, as a backbench MP she has an excellent track record of campaigning including on junk food. That’s why I think her new role is the right one.
I know all bar one, and have worked closely with many, of the new team. The only one of the ten I don’t know is John Healey.
The full list of Labour Party shadow cabinet in Yorkshire and Humber is:
Don Valley: Caroline Flint MP; Shadow Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government: www.carolineflint.co.uk
Doncaster Central: Rosie Winterton MP; Chief Whip: www.rosiewinterton.co.uk
Doncaster North: Ed Miliband MP; Leader of the Opposition: www.edmiliband.org.uk
Hemsworth: Jon Trickett MP; Shadow Minister of State for the Cabinet Office: www.jontrickett.org.uk
(Jon isn’t a full member, but will attend shadow cabinet meetings)
Kingston-upon-Hull West & Hessle: Alan Johnson MP; Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer: www.alanjohnson.org
Leeds Central: Hilary Benn MP; Shadow Leader of the House of Commons: www.hilarybenn.org
Morley & Outwood: Ed Balls MP; Shadow Secretary of State for Home Affairs: www.edballs.com
Normanton, Pontefract & Castleford: Yvette Cooper MP; Shadow Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs and Shadow Minister for Women and Equalities: www.yvettecooper.com
Wakefield: Mary Creagh MP; Shadow Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs: www.marycreagh.co.uk
Wentworth and Dearne: John Healey MP; Shadow Secretary of State for Health: www.johnhealeymp.co.uk
Labour Party renewal – what next?
739 days
by Stuart Bruce
in Labour Party
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 manifesto launch showcases cabinet talent
769 days
Today’s manifesto launch highlighted yet another of Labour’s key strengths – the depth and strength of Labour’s cabinet.
Cameron can’t put forward his cabinet team, because it’s no match for Labour’s. Can you imagine Alan Johnson v. Chris Grayling? Alastair Darling v. George Osbourne. Andy Burnham v. Andrew Lansley. Hilary Benn v. Nick Herbert. In each and every case it’s no contest.
That’s why Gordon had the cabinet with him to answer questions. He knows he’s got a talented team.
In contrast Cameron knows he’s got to distance himself from the rest of his cabinet. Not only does their appearance highlight how lightweight they all are, but more importantly it shows people that for all Cameron’s slick salesmanship about compassionate Cameron, it’s still the same old nasty Tories underneath.
For all that Cameron likes to pretend he’s Tony Blair’s heir, the big difference is that Blair had the ability and courage to change the Labour Party. Cameron doesn’t even have the ability or courage to change the Conservative Party so how can we believe him when he says he’ll change the country?
General election TV debates: Alan Johnson v. Chris Grayling
833 days
Alan Johnson was on fine form on the Andrew Marr show this morning. Other politicians resort to hyperbole and pointless attacks on the opposition (some Labour MPs are as bad as the Tories and Lib Dems) but Alan is nearly always cool, confident and authentic.
Kerry McCarthy tweeted: “Never underestimate the seriousness of the British electorate says AJ. That’s why polls are tightening. How about AJ & Grayling debate?”
That’s exactly what the British public deserve. Debates between the main party leaders are an excellent start, but in a Parliamentary democracy aren’t enough. We’re not voting for a president, so we need to reflect the fact that we’re voting for a party and a leadership team.
The number of cabinet positions mean that it’s unrealistic to have debates between them all. But it would be possible to have debates between the holders of the main offices – Chancellor, Home Secretary and Foreign Secretary.
It’s doubtful the Tories would be for this as it’s one thing for them to risk Cameron against Brown, but if it’s Miliband v. Hague, Johnson v. Grayling or Darling v. Osbourne then it’s no contest. It would highlight just how weak and shallow the Conservatives really are. Not only can Cameron not trust his would be MPs, he can’t even trust his potential cabinet colleagues.
In the four great offices of state Labour has three potential leaders. The Tories have one leader, one failure and two no hopers.
Tackle the binge drinkers, not the sensible majority
852 days
There is a lot of pre-election hot air today around the subject of alcohol and licensing law reform. I’m broadly in favour of Alan Johnson’s proposals, but still don’t really think any party is getting this right.
I was an enthusiastic proponent of licensing law reform and 24 hour opening, even organising a conference ‘Time called on last orders’ to help successfully lobby in favour of the new legislation. I see it as one of Labour’s many achievements in government. So what went wrong? Well nothing much in my back.
The problem as I see it isn’t the pubs, clubs or supermarkets. It is the irresponsibility of a minority of people (not all of them young, so let’s not demonise the wrong people.) What Alan Johnson and the Home Office should be focusing on as far more draconian sanctions against the minority of people who are responsible for drunken behaviour on our streets. If they can afford to get drunk, they can afford to pay big fines.
I propose a zero tolerance approach to drunkenness and rowdiness on the streets. Two sanctions should be introduced 1) On the spot fines 2) Compulsory alcohol education programmes after the first offences (none of this three strikes and your out nonsense.)
The alcohol education programmes would be at zero cost to the taxpayer as attendees would foot the entire cost of the programme themselves. The set-up costs could be levied with a voluntary/compulsory charge on alcohol producers and vendors, but allowing them to recoup the costs from the attendees.
I’d also like to see some sort of reform to the licensing law to force most venues to introduce an at seat service. This would have numerous benefits including slowing down the speed at which people can drink, increasing the cost but also crucially doing so by increasing the number of people employed thus helping to tackle unemployment. Venues that don’t do this would have licenses refused or restricted.
Together these two proposals would go a good way to reclaim the streets for the vast majority who want to sensibly enjoy the night-time economy and achieve the European cafe culture that Britain needs.