Category Archives: New Labour

What, no tension?

I was surprised by the matter-of-fact manner in which the BBC announced Harriet Harman as deputy leader of the Labour Party. I genuinely expected a Pop Idol style build up, with the camera flitting between Johnson, Benn, Blears and the … Continue reading

Posted in New Labour | 3 Comments

Scottish Roundup and Rights Affirming Laws

In the absence of the stalwarty DoctorVee, I have edited this week’s Scottish Roundup. I actually found trawling through loads of politicians’ blogs quite encouraging. People have a genuine passion for making things better (although of course, they all have … Continue reading

Posted in Elsewhere, New Labour, Scotland | Leave a comment

Instant ASBOs

This is a 180 degree reversal of the “innocent until proven guilty” principle. Its like being asked to solve a mathematical equation, and simply changing the answer to fit your workings out. Continue reading

Posted in Human Rights, New Labour, Scotland | 4 Comments

Joe Quango

There is a horrible ‘meta’ level to this entire idea. It is as if someone in a focus group somewhere has suggested that “giving the public more of a say” would be a good idea, and this policy has been devised on that basis. Continue reading

Posted in New Labour | 9 Comments

Labour MP: “Please help me find something interesting to do”

Labour MP Austin Mitchell has a weblog. He has a ‘general ramblings’ spot, where he writes a light-hearted. His latest entry chronicles a set of missed divisions because he has forgotten ‘Whip-speak’, and finishes thus: Having seen how much David … Continue reading

Posted in Iraq, New Labour | Leave a comment

It’s not the winning, its the taking part

The fact is, Gary, the opposition came out early, took us by surprise, and put us off our game. We’ve gone on the defensive, and the fans are saying “what’s going on here, I don’t recognise this team any more.” They’re not playing the kind of game that made the fans support them in the first place. Continue reading

Posted in New Labour, Terrorism | 3 Comments

Squandering Political Capital

Blair will not resign in shame, whatever Bloggerheads demands. But that does not mean that this “long goodbye” is an example of democratic failure. Instead, the slow decline in the Prime Minister’s power is an example of democracy at work – albeit with an extraordinarily long and frustrating time-lag… Continue reading

Posted in Debate, New Labour | 1 Comment

Terror, Tyranny, and Tony

The argument that I find most sickening is that which holds that since the current government is trustworthy and ethical, it follows that no future governments will abuse the powers they inherit. Never mind that I have no respect for the ethics of this government – Blair’s argument is a nonsense on its own terms. He cannot predict what future governments (or future police forces for that matter) will be like. Continue reading

Posted in Debate, New Labour | 2 Comments

Letter to Lord Falconer

Trust is not a right; it is something to be earned Continue reading

Posted in Iraq, New Labour | 1 Comment