Docile no more
There was pleasant euphoria today among the 40 MPs who put their heads over the parapet to challenge Gordon to repent and rebuild his budget. This was an act of solidarity among a mixed bag of backbenchers who have joined together for the first time.
The myth of subservient docile Labour backbenchers is dead. There is an organised group of backbenchers that has unity or strength. The Campaign group is divided and small. Tribune no longer exists. But there is a group of about 50 to 70 backbenchers with no personal ambitions but a great deal of mutual respect. They came together to oppose an outrage.
The change could not have been made without Frank Field’s furious forty. Today they are walking tall and looking towards a climb-down on another futile policy. The 42 days is intended to wrong-foot the opposition parties as friends of terrorists. It’s crude, unnecessary and counter productive. It will lose Muslim hearts and minds and be judged as a form of internment.
I have attended backbench briefings on this by Government ministers. Never have I had a persuasive answer on why the law is necessary. There are far more than 40 Labour MPs who are opposed to the 42 days. The opposition parties are united and parliamentary defeat is certain.
Why bother Gordon?
Hypochondriacs lead
The Hong Kong miracle was celebrated by a Parliamentary gathering of political luminaries and business leaders.
There was deep gloom from royalty and Chris Patten when the handover took place. One said that it felt like the Americans running from Saigon in 1968. A new dark age for Hong Kong was gloomily promised.
Out of their canny self-interest, the Chinese have midwifed in an era of glittering prosperity and self-confidence.
Britain is still the dominant foreign power in the region and our businesses are serving us well.
Now the task is to combine burgeoning growth with reverence for the environment. A former British Ambassador said the Chinese are the most neurotic hypochondriacs in the world. The fear of ill-health is driving the campaign for a clean environment.
China has undergone a metamorphosis in 30 years from a peasant economy to the second world super power. Hong Kong is the essential prosperous hub of the new China.
Bruised Brown
The exceptional Labour Leader was Tony Blair. Gordon Brown is morphing into a typical Labour Leader. Blair was supreme and dominant. Any whispers of rebellion were silenced by his Elmer Gantry style revivalist sermons in the PLP. He always won gales of adulation – even on the frequent occasions when he was wrong.
Brown did not dominate the PLP this week. He was more emollient than three weeks ago but he failed to heal the fresh wounds inflicted on canvassing MPs. Even the withering insults to Frank Field failed to hit their targets.
The so-called rebellion was the expression of the authentic voice of traditional classic Labour. The PLP under Blair was an adoring uncritical fan club. After Monday, it has lost the habit of servility and found its voice and conscience. Gordon Brown can take his place in the pantheon of Labour leaders who led by persuasion and argument.
Welcome Gordon to Real Labour.
I appreciate the difficulties but again its how it looks - 'yes we can help people - oh hang on, its difficult'
And that just look like a quick response to quieten down the rebels and then the devil is in the detail 4 months down the line.
I always thought that politics was the art of the possible ... Was it so difficult to see the effect on the poorest section of society - I think the Economist remarked on it when it was announced at the time ? And being £350 ahead instead of £500 is not good - thats almost 30% lost ..
Posted by: Tony | April 26, 2008 at 07:31 PM
I don't think it's fudge Tony. But it will be fiendishly complicated trying to compensate all the groups of people who have lost out. Others who believe they have lost but have not, will be unhappy.
The losses will be about £150 but I believe Gordon brown is right that almost all of them have gained £500 from a Labour government that they would have had if the Tories were still there.
But who said politics was about fairness?
Posted by: Paul Flynn | April 25, 2008 at 07:10 PM
True .. shame that it even got raised.
And is it just me but is there a degree of fudge creeping in on the 10p tax rate. Now it seems just for certain groups and we'll see what can be done ? Or is it more definate than that ?
Posted by: Tony | April 25, 2008 at 08:44 AM
Gordon has an impossible choice on this. There are enough Labour to ensure that the vote is lost. If Gordon changes his mind now he will be accused of dithering. If he continues and loses the vote he will claim it is a principled stand doing what is right. Opponents will be accused of siding with terrorists. He will go for the losing option. He loses less that way.
Posted by: Paul Flynn | April 24, 2008 at 05:28 PM
The myth of subservient docile Labour backbenchers is dead - and a good thing too ! Now if we can just nail this unrequired 42 days detention with charge stuff then it would do a lot to say it would be worth voting Labour again
Posted by: Tony | April 24, 2008 at 12:40 PM