On top of that, the EU Referendum does not just affect Tories. So where is the Labour response? Come to think of it, where are the Lib Dems? I make no secret of having voted Yes in 1975, for the straightforward reason that I considered membership of the then EEC was, overall, a beneficial proposition for Britain. I still hold that view on the EU as it is today. And I now see a Labour campaign that must get its act together.
Cameron may remain as PM, but his credibility has been damaged by evasion over his tax affairs. Others prepared to speak up for Britain’s membership of the EU must, therefore, not just step up to the plate, but be seen to do so. And that means everyone in the Labour Party who backs the Remain campaign playing their part, whether they wanted Jeremy Corbyn as leader or not. So who might I mean?
The back-benchers who whine about Corbyn and John McDonnell are one group who, if they back Remain, should put their carping away until after the Referendum - whatever happens in May’s local elections. And those who declined to serve in a Corbyn shadow cabinet - hello Yvette Cooper and Liz Kendall - should also step up.
Who outside the Parliamentary party might lend some weight to proceedings? A seasoned and influential spinner with links all the way back to the Blair era would be very useful in getting all those senior figures out there and putting the case for the EU - I’m looking at you, Alastair Campbell. You’re not a Corbyn fan? Fine. You’re for Remain. That is the name of this game. You want to stay in, help organise it.
Why ask Big Al? Look at the Leave crowd: Matthew Elliott of the so-called Taxpayers’ Alliance, known for dealing off the bottom of the deck, Dan, Dan The Oratory Man, who is passionate and persuasive, but flagrantly dishonest, Nigel “Thirsty” Farage (ditto, but with more falling-over water), Liam Fox (no, don’t laugh), Bozza (ditto), Michael “Oiky” Gove (ditto), and the rest. Campbell made his name partly by being able to rebut bullshit, and that lot generate it in lorry loads. Plus he’s got the press figured out.
The Lib Dems don’t appear to want to turn up yet, Dave’s damaged his credibility, and that leaves Labour to pull together for Britain remaining in the EU. No pressure, then.
A laudable aim, Tim, but one I think doomed.
ReplyDeleteThe primary "obstacle" is that Corbyn simply doesn't want to engage in Eton fourth form yah-boo personality cat calls. This is a good thing, but it puts him at a disadvantage when it comes to the individual corruption of off shore crookedness. Which means in the short term the Bullingdon head boy is likely to escape a full on Commons charge. As is the appalling Armanised, orange-faced, beak-nosed fraud La Garde of the IMF.
In the long term, though, corruption and immorality will be as much part of the build up to the next election as it was prior to the dumping of "Shagger" Major. The question then is: What would Corbyn and McDonnell DO with a Labour victory? Would they have the guts to be as radical as the Atlee government of 1945? Or would they fall back into the corrupt ways of New Labour and its remaining Quislings? This country will take decades to recover from overt criminality and theft begun in 1979.
What it needs is POLICIES not spin doctors like the loathsome Campbell, who, lest we forget, was one of the originators of the "dossier" that led directly to the mass murder of hundreds of thousands of innocent Iraqis. Do we really want that kind of despicable creature back? Have we not had enough of politics by tenth rate sound bite and "photo opportunity"?
Where Europe is concerned I am in favour of the EU in principle, but not the current corrupt capitalist version. We have seen what it has inflicted - in conjunction with that piece of tripe, La Garde - on Greece, Ireland, Portugal, Spain and Italy. Anyone who thinks that's where it will stop is living in cloud cuckoo land. Therefore it will be necessary to repeal all the capitalist "legalities" out of the Union before it can be taken seriously as an instrument of European advancement. Until that happens, any truly radical government in the EU will be restricted in its policies by gangsters' molls like La Garde. And, if all else fails, quite possibly by armed intervention by NATO - don't scoff at that too readily.
In the end the assorted Parliamentary spivs you list look just like a hole in the corner gang of barrow boys. Corbyn and McDonnell have to decide if they want to be subsumed by them or not. Gestures are not enough.
Claiming the Labour EU campaign is Corbyn's rresponsibility alone is just Corbyn bashing. As time said - where are the rest?
ReplyDeleteAll of these scandals will blowover before the ref vote.
ReplyDeleteTiming is everything.
What is hard to fathom is why now?
There was also the pig scandal previously.
Tories and Cams future hinges on the ref vote.
If a leave is implemented, how can he stay?