Opinions from a loyal Labour Party member
Posts tagged Gordon Brown
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.
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.
Answer the question Dave
Apr 16th
I tweeted that Cameron couldn’t answer Brown’s question about money for the police and Cameron didn’t even appear to know what was in his own manifesto (the police are in for it), luckily Gordon did know.
The moment, which was the first ‘punch’ of the debate is already on YouTube (via Political Scrapbook)
Gordon Brown must not go V2
Jan 6th
The second post on this new blog said Gordon must not go.
This evening I’m on BBC Radio 5’s Matthew Bannister show. To give you a heads up on where I’ll be coming from I’ve just added my name to this letter from LabourList:
We are dismayed that Labour’s positive start to the New Year has been overshadowed after only two days by veteran Labour MPs who should know better. As candidates and activists, we know that nothing turns the public off more than introverted infighting in the corridors of Westminster and we hope that this distraction fizzles out as quickly as it started. Whether Labour wins or loses the next election will rest on whether we have the right answers for the challenges of the next decade and the right approach to politics.
This new approach has to recognise that there can be no return to the old style of politics after the next election. The public, rightly, have lost the last vestiges of faith in the political class after the expenses scandal, and the only way we can win it back is if the Labour Party tries to do things differently from the usual political cribsheet. We must not resort to negative attacks on the basis of class war. What matters is not the school someone went to, but whether they can understand the hopes and needs of all our people and are able to govern in the greater interests of our nation. It means that Labour must be willing to accept not everything it has done in government has been perfect, but that it’s ready to learn from its mistakes. And it means that we must go to polls on the boldest, most progressive platform we can muster. This is not a time for triangulation or cheap dividing lines. It’s a time for clarity of vision and ambition.
As the grassroots of the Labour Party we don’t doubt that the next four months will be difficult, but part of being a progressive is to maintain hope that nothing is insurmountable. We believe that an authentically Labour manifesto combined with our significant achievements in government and our passion for organising could bring about a historic fourth term. We call on Labour’s leadership in parliament, in government and in Downing Street to focus on bringing about a better future for the people of Britain.
Stuart Bruce
Gordon must not go
Jan 3rd
Ask any of my friends and they’ll tell you how vehemently opposed I was to Gordon Brown becoming Labour Party leader. It wasn’t because I didn’t rate or like Brown. I rate him extremely highly. He’s the one you’d always want on your team. He’s the one you’d always ask for advice. He’s the one whose counsel you would treasure. It’s just that I never thought of him as a leader. A leader is someone you’ll trust and follow even if your own instincts say something else. A leader is a communicator. A leader is someone who inspires. Gordon isn’t that sort of leader.
But he is the leader that we’ve got. It’s far too late to regret our mistakes. Sheerman, Clarke and Pope need to accept that. We must rally around Gordon and fight to win. Because Labour can win. No matter how poor a leader Gordon is, he’s still a gigantic political figure who gave sterling service as chancellor. And he’s surrounded by cabinet colleagues who bar two or three would all be capable of stepping up and leading the Labour Party and the country. Contrast this with what the Conservatives have. Cameron is it. He’s the best they’ve got. He’s all they’ve got. Who have the Tories got to replace Cameron? The boy George? I hardly think so. William Hague is a possibility, probably the only possibility.
And how popular are the Tories under Cameron? The simple answer is that they aren’t. They might be leading in the polls, but by nowhere near enough. People aren’t making a positive choice in favour of the Conservatives. They’ve lost faith and turned away from the Labour Party.
Labour can still win the general election. But only if we present a clear vision for the future. It’s not enough simply to point to our record or what people would lose under the Tories. We need to offer them something more.
