I've canvassed for the Labour Party for about 40 years.I canvassed in the good times and in the bad times and in the very bad times.
In the early seventies,when parts of Duston were in Castle Ward I remember a leading trade union official who lived there sort of secretly pledged support but wouldn't put a poster up-in case the neighbours would be offended!
Times changed of course and that trade union official went on to be a prominent Borough and County Councillor.
When times were good everyone wanted to show that they were part of 'New Labour'-millionaires and TV personalities and honest fresh faced property developers and bankers all flashed their party affiliation like it was going out of fashion.
Of course New Labour lost some of the features that made the Labour party distinctive.Socialism was an early casualty, and not long afterwards even Social Democracy took a bit of a tumble-but what the hell! After 18 years of Tory misrule we were winning and it didn't much matter how we won.
Old lefties were derided and hounded into either silence or exile.The New Labour project was always about winning regardless of what we were winning.
And that's the rub, a Parliamentary Party consisting largely of chancers and opportunists.
Principles-that's Old Labour-policies-who cares as long as we win-ideology-that's even older than Old Labour.
So what you are left with is a hollowed out shell of an organisation and what is happening in Westminster today os the result of the destruction of the values of the Labour party.
The nepotism and cronyism is endemic in the Labour party because all it has been about over the last few years is winning
Lets win Mondeo man,lets win suburban middleclass,lets win businessmen,lets win the high rollers.
Parachute our gfavoured sons and daughters into 'safe' seats and get rid of the awkward squad-those who thought the Labour Party was a political Party that cared about social justice and equality.
The events two years ago in my own ward of Castle here in Northampton should have been warning enough.The regional Labour party,that once had some real power and influence in deciding policy and even had annual regional conferences is an invisible bunch of forelock tuggers.
Did you know it is impossible to get a list of members of the East Midland Regional Executive!
Invisible little grey apparachniks.
the Regional Director(no less) decided on some very flimsy evidence that Castle Ward was not fit to select its own candidate-and imposed a useless creature from outside(but luckily a friend of S.Keeble MP,friend of tumble driers everywhere)
Imposing candidates on Castle wardhas become a habit of the Regional Director and she has done it again for the County Council(same candidate)
Two years ago the Regional party ,without telling the local branch or constituency spent over £800 of members money getting this woman trailing home a very poor second.
This time round,with no ward organisation and over 70 other candidates facing meltdown,they intend to spend over £800 again to try and get this pathetic candidate back!
This is the evidence of a Party without purpose or principle,simply perpetuating their own clique because there is nothing left to do.
What they are doing in our ward is replicated up and down the country and reaches its apex in the ugliness that is the PLP saving its own bacon!
There is now no purpose in the presently constructed Labour Party.
Forty years of effort and the end result is Sally Keeble and Tess Scott!!
and an authoritarian right wing political machine that leaves great swathes of social reform untouched.
Socialism anyone?
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What a rude and nasty attitude you disply to the sitting Borough Councillor for Castle Ward. Calling someone a 'useless creature' is nothing short of contemptible. Councillor Scott has worked hard and done a lot of good in this ward. Were you not so biased and bitter you would recognise this. It would appear to be lost on you after all this time, that we who are served by Councillor Scott are not hung up on the petty squabbles of the local Labour Party - we couldn't care less. She is extremely competent and has a genuine interest in the problems and difficulties of the people in this ward, and tries her best to sort them out.
ReplyDeleteI thought childish name calling in politics had died out, but it would appear that some have never moved forward.....in etiquette terms, or politics! It says far more about the person doing the calling than the person called.
Dear Castle Ward Resident.
ReplyDeleteI very much doubt if you are a castle ward resident-more likely a resident of Moulton.
Since the imposition of ms.Scott on Castle ward-uniquely she is the only Labour Party Councillor NEVER to have been selected by the ward members
She has;
Refused to attend Ward meetings of the party that she represents.
Refused to speak with her County Council colleague who she seeks to replace
Spoken for no more than once in the Council chamber,and never on issues that matter to the people of castle ward.
In her election material she is claiming to have done things that she had no part in-for instance the traffic problems near the old St George's School-Tony and Marie dealt with that and it was Tony that had to threaten the County Council with legal action before anything was done.
As far as moving telephone boxes-Peter Evans had dealt with that before the last Borough elections.
Ms Scott may indeed do casework on belaf of residents-but that is what Councillors have always done in this ward-bid deal!
Ms.Scott cost the Labour Party over £800 to get elected last time-that is indeed her most significant record of achievement.
She has been a poor local Councillor and a poor representative of the Labour Party-that's why it refused to endorse her as the local candidate this time,and that was wht once again the regional party had to impose her on the local branch
New Labour-old methods!
Tess who? we have never seen her in our part of Castle Ward, and the only leaflets we have received in the election are from UKIP, The Tory and Tony Clarke as the Independent. If she is a hard working Councillor then god help the Labour Party.
ReplyDeleteWhat in the helll have telephone boxes and parking go to do with my comments? My comments were on your rather vile personal attack. You would be pleased to have one of her children read what you wrote would you?
ReplyDeleteYou are once again harping on about the local Labour party rather than defending your nasty personal attack - I rather think that is because your comment is indefensible. You may hate the way she was selected, hate who she is friends with, but frankly you ought to be ashamed of your comment.
I do not vote Labour, nor ever would, I simply do not like to see the politics of the gutter.
I read your blog amongst others, as I wish to gain an insight into our local political scene, with an idea of possible getting involved and maybe even standing for council myself in the future. If things are still at this schoolyard level I think perhaps I may pass.
As a footnote, it may be worth you noting that if I were a Moulton resident, I would have called myself 'Moulton Resident' D'oh!
If you cant stand the heat.......................
ReplyDeleteWhat an extraordinary attitude the so called 'castle ward resident' displays.
ReplyDeletePick up any newspaper anyplace,anytime and read what politicians say about each other,read what the journalists say about politicians,read what members of the public say about politicians.
To describe a politician,local or national,as useless is on the failly mild end of abuse.
In Councillor Scott's case it is fairly and justifiably used.Over the last thirty plus years I have known excellent councillors,hard working councillors, lazy councillors and useless ones.
I have known them from every party and have frequently commented on their capacities in public.
If 'Castle ward resident' is such a delicate flower,then local politics is certainly not an activity you should contemplate.I can assure you that you get much worse than 'useless'!
Indeed I was once called in public a 'spawn of Satan'-and my accuser seemed such a nice old lady too!
lmao... Sorry but I can't help it.
ReplyDeleteHave I told you that I think you rock John?
I have never met Ms. Scott, so will not comment... I am sure she's "lovely" and does a great job!
Anyways, 'spawn of Satan' thanks for the blog and making me smile, I needed it today.