Reading Council and Labour party shenanigans

What is happening in Reading at the moment.

It appears that Reading Council Tax payers have under previously Labour control council were paying for local Trades Union officials. Over the last 8 years this has cost Reading around £1.4m. The new Conservative/Lib Dem coalition of course now want to stop these payments. Details can be found on Conservative councillor Richard Willis blog 'Reading Labour Party Corruption Exposed – Part 2' This was riased in Prime Ministers Questions yesterday, so expect to hear more.

Labour councillor John Ennis defends Labours position on this in his blog 'Willis’s obsessions have now reached such heights of fantasy that nobody can take him seriously on anything!'


Now partly because of this Reading Labour party councillors have responed in a facile meeting after one councillor was not allowed to ask supplementary question unless the Labour Mayor allowed it. More details on Jane Griffiths (Former Labour MP) blog see here it comes...;

waswasere also has full details of the meeting see What a shambles


'There's nothing against the rules that says the Mayor has to be apolitical during a council meeting as the ceremonial and political functions are clearly split in the constitution. However, there have been long standing conventions that appear to be proving inconvenient at the moment to the Reading Labour party.


It was clear from the first full Council meeting when Glenn Goodall was passed over in asking a supplemental question in favour of allowing the previous lead councillor for the Environment that we were not playing by the previous rules anymore and indeed the one sided admonishment of councillors during meetings has to be congratulated as a well targeted political move.'

Labour Councillor Richel Eden's has her view on what happened here.

It would appear councillors from different parties may not be working together as closely as the public would hope. Labour need to improve in Reading for their own sake, as well as for the people they represent.

Other details can be found on Lib Dem Cllr Daisy's Benson's blog Coalition Commitment contrasts with Labour opportunism on Council Housing.

I have never seen so many blogs from one council meeting, What a night!

Is abstaining on Europe such a good idea?

Labour abstained as a whole on the recent parliamentary vote on the EU which allows for a referendum on any future transfer of powers from London to Brussels but only if judges decide that this should be the case.

 

The story of course was the Tory revolt of 27 MP's on this sensitive subject for the Tories who promised a law that could trigger a referendum on EU treaty changes.

 

However this political move by Labour designed to split the Tories while letting the legislation through could back fire. Surely abstaining while being a political tool is not viewed well by the public. Its seen as sitting on the fence. This in the end will give UKIP more bullets to fire at the Labour party as well as the coalition,

 

I also want to note that I myself am sceptic of the European project because I am also worried about the loss of government control to the EU parliament.

Ed Miliband is after me

Ed Miliband has asked Lib Dems to help draw up Labour policy. I'm not sure how I can get involved in this. but I am tempted.

 

I guess this is a political ploy to split the Lib Dems between left and right. This won't be as easy as Ed thinks as many Lib Dems are left and right across a number of issues. Plus I haven't forgotten what Ed said "that he had a plan to make the Lib Dems an endangered species, and then extinct".

 

Also think its a myth that orange bookers are on the right, they just have a different strategy on how to raise people out of poverty which on the face of it appears more right wing. However if successful the orange book plans could raise higher numbers out of poverty then simply using the benefits system. Of course neither yellow or orange book plans are in full action within the coalition.

 

I disagree with Ed Miliband on his comments on areas of common interest like social mobility. It is an interest of the Lib Dems of course, using the pupil premium for example to help address this. However I feel under labour some people became stuck in poverty rather than given both carrots and sticks to climb out of poverty. The UK still does not feel socially mobile after having a Labour government for such a long time.

 

Labour also need to remember that to win over Lib Dems they need to address Labours record on civil liberties and centralisation. Lid Dems are fans of localisation, Liberty and left wing reforms such as prison reform as well as progressive politics.

 

There is no home for me in Labour but I am always willing to listen. Lets see what they come up with.

Labour not in the News

I have read and heard plenty of comment of the lack of Ed Miliband profile and exposure. I think this is not all down to Ed's leadership. He has taken two weeks paternity leave after all (and so he should). But what I have noticed is the lack of Labour comment and stories in the press in general.

 

If you do not follow the political programs where Labour are represented but are only a watch/reader or listener of the news reports then your hard pressed to find any Labour representation or comment. I don't think this is down to simply the blank sheet of paper or PR.

 

I think this is because there is more interest in the coalition. On what effects the coalition, what splits there are on policy between the parties or within the parties. This simply gives less space for Labour.

 

Time will tell whether this is a good thing or a bad thing for Labour.

No No No Not Alan Johnson as Shadow Chancellor

Ed Miliband has clearly changed his mind about winning over Liberal Democrat voters with the appointment of the highly authoritarian Alan Johnson. I freely admit that Alan is a big hitter and more popular than say Ed Balls who commentators expected to get the job.

However was this not a chance for Ed Miliband to demonstrate how different he is and to demonstrate this new generation. I personally think a more radical and better appointment would have been Yvette Cooper. Even though this could of looked like a snub to her husband Ed Balls. I think Yvette Cooper would have been a refreshing change to shadow Chancellor.

A missed opportunity to have an ambitious women as shadow Chancellor and to demostrate a different radical Labour party.

Todays link is to Tory Blogger Walaa Idris who asks How is Alan Johnson a New Generation!? and Labour blogger Scarlet Standard who supported Ed Miliband and can see internal and external political advantages of putting Johnson in the role.

Jack Straw calls Labours shadow cabinet selection 'Barking mad'

All parties have their own forms of democracy. I'm sure that none are perfect and it is for that party to choose or change their internal democracy. But Labours electoral college and elected shadow cabinet does appear to have some floors that could be improved and updated.

Today Labour will announce their shadow cabinet today. This brings up the question of not allowing the Labour leader to select the shadow cabinet. Ed Miliband will have to rely on those who are voted in through the Labour parliamentary party.

 

Jack Straw on BBC Five Live today said "It's fine if your not in the shadow cabinet because those appointments are made on a rational basis by the leader. If your in the shadow cabinet, the shadow cabinet is elected. I from a position of complete neutrality said to my colleagues, look I survived and prospered by this systems for 10 years. But I'll just tell you its barking mad. Because for arithmetical reasons as well its a daft system. what it means is that of the 18/19 people in the shadow cabinet probably a dozen are capable of being in the cabinet half a dozen are not and if and when, and it will be when we have a Labour government some of those people who thought it was a kind of meal ticket into the proper cabinet will be sorely disappointed.

Nicky Campbell "then asked will you come on in a few days and with Mandelsonian candour tell us the half a dozen who are not up to it?"

Jack Straw replied "Err no. Because if I did come on in a few days I would say to you that their all appositely fine. and indeed, but here's the point Nicky, I won't know, because it's the front bench as in the shadow cabinet is an interesting test of people character and ability. So you don't necessarily know immediately. Although what I do know is that if we left the decision of shadow cabinet as we left the decisions about the cabinet to the leader, people may say it gives them too much power but it actually gives them a great deal of responsibility."

The whole interview can be heard here (from about 2hours 10 minutes in) and includes some interesting comments on Peter Mandelson book.

I agree with Jack Straw on this. This process has an element of a popularity contest. MP's will need to stay on the good side of their fellow members. Not bad thing you may say, but this lack of control for any leader is no good thing for bring about a sense of leadership and for getting the members in the cabinet who would work best with you. It's possible that those MP's you don't get along with will also be the MP's that stab you in the back.

40 percent cuts you cannot be serious

Labour appear to be jumping on every story at the moment.

I personally I don't like these cuts but I do understand that they are not going to be 40percent. This is an exercise to find out where cuts can be made and while doing this departments may find cuts they didn't realise they could make. This could give them more options. Some departs will be making say 10% cuts while others 30%.

It seems to me that Labour appear to oppose every cut. However they claimed to of made plans for billions of cuts. Surely some of these cuts would of been simular to the current governments.

SmithNN8 Tweeted to me yesterday that 'Borrowing is just deferred taxation'. Thats just it, how long can you go on before the interest rates become too high or recovery is not as strong as hoped. How long can you wait until you make the cuts and if you wait too long could cuts be worse or tax higher?


I think Labour needs to improve its opposition so that it does not oppose everything otherwise voters won't take them seriously.

Todays link is to the Jack of Kent Blog who asks questions about the image of skepticism 

I would vote Diane Abbott for Leader of the Labour Party‏

Labour are looking for a high profile candidate that the people like. Then Labour MP's should look no further than Diane Abbott MP. She is popular with the public and increased her majority to one of Labours highest. Diane Abbott comes across as a 'real person' with strong views and not a career politician despite being an MP for 23 years.

It is a real shame then that Diane is unlikely to even get passed the first phase. Many of course would of had their favourites of the expected candidates and would not of expected Diane to stand which would effect her nominations.

Diane recently said that the nominations threshold is "ridiculous" and was designed to "strangle the left", see here. This is because Charles Clarke designed the current system under Neil Kinnock and he boasted to Diane that he had devised it precisely to block the Left. Under the current system candidates need 33 nominations,Which is 1/8th of the currently party. This appears to now be all but impossible with so many MP's already nominating David Miliband, Ed Miliband and Ed Balls and now Andy Burnham.

Diane Abbott is also different in many ways to the New Labourites listed above. No not because she is black or a woman but because she voted against polices she did not agree with and now doesn't need to be seen as making u-turns on Europe or immigration as Diane has a tack record of not always backing New Labour.

Of course not enough Labour MP's will get behind Diane. Many of course would of had their favourites of the expected candidates and would not of expected Diane to stand which would effect her nominations.  The other reason is because this will single them out to be rebels and they may not find jobs on the shadow cabinet once the New Labour leader is selected.

I believe the other Labour women simply did not stand because they thought they would not of gained the nominations. Surely 33 MP's is too high and this should be perhaps a percentage of Labour MP's say 5%. which would be about 13 MP's at the moment.

I think Next Labour or New Next Labour shouldn't move too far to the right otherwise we may find that they will shoot right past the Liberal Democrats or only the Greens end up being the choice of the Left or leave the Left with no choice. Labour do need this debate but at the moment the 'debate' is looking more and more one sided.

Todays link is to Left Foot Forward which has an article on Labour leadership candidates line up to attack Coalition over cuts.

How should Labour play Laws?

So should Labour try to split the coalition. They have an opportunity to use David Laws for political gain or stay quiet on this issue bearing in mind their own gremlins. If Laws is replaced by say John Redwood this could actually cause a rift in the coalition so could a more left Liberal Democrat.

There are not many experts remaining within the Tories or the Lib Dems to fill Laws shoes and we have already seen that George Osborne does need support. Maybe Vince Cable however I don't believe Vince and George could work that closely together.

At the moment the polls still put the Tories in the lead on 39 points and a general election would still result with a Conservative win but still short of seats. Liberal Democrats would lose some seats and Labour would gain some but the end result would still be the same.

Worse for Labour would be an outright Tory win. The Tories only need a few more percentage points to win. It would be very damaging for Labour to lose again so soon after the last loss.

The real danger for Labour would be a win with again a hung parliament then having to form a coalition again with the Liberal Democrats. Labour would have to make the cuts on public services themselves. This would leave Labour with no stick to attack the Liberal Democrats with or indeed the Tories with and in the next general election would result in a hevy lose for Labour.

Labour of course do not have a leader yet and this contest needs to be played out first. So I'm not sure Labour will want to attack Laws too harshly because It's not in their interests to damage the coalition and end up fighting another election now.

Labour need time just like the other parties also need time as no party accept perhaps the Conservative party could fight an election at the moment.

Only only have to look at the recent result in Thirsk and Malton to understand the dangers of trying to destroy the coalition at this stage. As you can read in the Spectator 'Encouraging early signs for the coalition' The Conservative and Liberal Democrat vote went up while Labours was down.

A bar chart for my Labour followers

Just ordered these blue sandals too.

I thought I would get this in before a Labour blogger gets it in. Heres a bar chart for the election in 5 years time (I jest).

Of course this can be used anywhere in England other than Brighton. Doesn't really matter if the bar chart proportion are correct to percentages, it works anywhere.


It does show a real danger for the Liberal Democrats although I trust not all Lib Dems are Labour voters.

Of course this is a serious matter but I just wanted to have some fun for a change.

Liberal Democrats are using Labour to get more from the Tories

Been quite a day where the Prime Minster resigns and it is not the top story.

I think the Liberal Democrats are playing a classic negotiation techniques. They have not got want they want from the Conservative party so now they are playing them off against the Labour party. It's not an easy game any of the parties are playing as they all have something to lose, perhaps none more so than the Liberal Democrats themselves.

I hope there can be some kind of a coalition because this would stop a small clique from running a party as they will have to deal with and agree with a wider group.

I'm not going to guess what happens next.

Lets prove to the Tories that PR works

The Conservatives don't want proportional representation not only because they are worried about having to work within a coalition. The other reason of course is that they fear the centre left ganging up on them in a rainborrow coalition.


Labourites forget that the Liberal Democrats are not only socialist with a small 's' but we are also Liberals. This Labour government has been far from liberal. The Conservatives with the Liberal Democrats could fix the police state developments. If the Liberal Democrats always sided with Labour we may as well all join the Labour party. Fact is Labour don't have the same principals as the Liberal Democrats. I'm not even sure if Labour are as progressive as the Lib Dems.


So to Liberal Democrats its not quite as easy as lets go with Labour because their more centre left, Conservatives do have there good points for Liberals too.

There is another reason to work with the Conservatives. We need to prove to Conservatives that coalisions work and that parties would work with them in a coalision. These would help the tories to fear proportional representation less.


Todays link is to Power 2010 who protested outside of the Liberal Democrat meeting on saturday.

Election Prediction

I noticed Tory Landlord has come up with his election prediction. He believes Tories: 36%, Labour: 29%, Lib Dems: 25% Others: 10%.

Here are my prediction.

The Conservatives will win the election with a minority government short by say 10 MP's with 37% share of the vote. The Conservatives will not work with the Liberal Democrats and the Liberal Democrats will not work with them due to a disagreement on voting reform.

Labour will have an even worse day at the polls then currently predicted and will get 27% share of the vote.

Liberal Democrats share will be about 26% and will come third just, Lib Dems will only have about 90 MP's. They will still lose only one seat to the Conservatives.

UKIP will win 2 seats including Nigel Farage and the Greens will win 1 seat, Brighton. The BNP will not win in Barking, Labour will. I'm also expect say 2 Independents to win and both nationalist parties to gain a seat each.

I think whoever wins the election will become very unpopular very quickly (poison chalices) as all parties said they had no plans to raise VAT the winner would be seen as a liar because the winning party will raise VAT.

So to sum up my prediction for the most unpredictable election I have been able to vote in is.

Tories: 37%
Labour: 27%
Lib Dems: 26%
Others: 10%.

UPDATE Lib Dem Voice has a prediction post here

I have gone for the above plus, 92 Lib Dem MPs 72% turnout, PM David Cameron

Civil Servants say The Way Britain is Governed Needs Reform‏

This story on the BBC headline 'Ministers passing too many 'bad' laws, say ex mandarins'. Former civil servants ask for the way Britain is governed to be reformed simply reinstates a believe that I think many people have on the workings of our current Labour government.

This is why we need a change of government;

1. Too much unnecessary legislation

2. Badly thought out and prepared legislation

3. Media driven policy, making for bad un-thought out rushed through policy.

4. Lack of training

5. Incomplete, poorly explained bills

6. Tick-box culture leading to a loss of initiative and this replaces responsible judgment and individual discretion

I could not agree more with the detail in the civil servants report. .

The full report can be read here on the Better Government Initiative website.

How Rude Cybersquatter Website Address Update

It appears that a John Pepin currently owns www.libdem.org.uk, which is currently directed to the UKIP Website.

It also appear that John Peterson owns the web site domain http://www.labourparty.org.uk/ which is currently directed to a web site called don’t vote Labour.

These domains are owned in the hope that the parties pay a sum of money to claim the domains. See this link here on Cybersquatters.

Oddly enough it also appears that no Conservative website name has been registered other than the ones already used by the UK Conservative party or other Conservative parties.

Perhaps I should Cybersquat http://www.myconservatrives.org.uk/ with http://www.libdems.org.uk/ in the hope of getting some money from them.

Mark Pack of Lib Dem Voice has noticed that this web site has been owned for quite some time and has pointed to a numer of web sites.

Richard Gadsden has commented that "political parties do not have rights in respect of their names comparable to those held by companies or trademark holders" which would make it hard to use nominet's dispute process to reclaim the Lib Dem name.

Thanks to Steve whose blog site is http://greengabbles.wordpress.com/ and Twitter account is http://twitter.com/stevegabb for the heads-up on this article.

Labour Double Standards on BNP Leaflets and Website

Labour List has this comparison of the shameless rip off of the Barack Obama website. See below.

But let’s not forget that Labour has been ripping of BNP leaflets in some local elections see here

Double standards I think?