17 September 2015

Brave New World for the Labour Party

A Day to Remember

A View from the Left by Don Urquhart

Everyone remembers where they were on 11th September 2001 when the destruction of the World Trade Centre was beamed round the world.  For George W Bush and the Military Industrial Complex it was the starting gun for rolling out atrocities of their own.  Over here we quickly put it in perspective.  Jimmy Carr was soon to express surprise at the American obsession with the Twin Towers: “Why would they be so concerned about the rebuilding of Wembley Stadium?” In Absolutely Fabulous, Eddie struggled to remember the date. She tried 7/11, and then, when rebuffed by Saffie, suggested 24/7.

I do not begrudge the Americans their iconic date but, for me, 9/12 is the one that counts. On that day in 2005 I heartily enjoyed the afternoon sun in Kennington as Kevin Pietersen smashed 158 and won us the Ashes. Then 5 years later to the day there was an event of even greater import. As the Labour leadership contest approached its climax, David Miliband pulled his game changing rabbit from the hat – he had obtained the endorsement of Gillian Duffy, she of the moment in the cab when Gordon Brown cemented his reputation as an arrogant hypocrite. For many Labour Party supporters Miliband’s was just as damning a Gillian Duffy moment as that which crushed his erstwhile boss.

Now it is 9/12 again. David Miliband is consigned to political limbo and lecture tours; the Party he fatally misread is on the brink of a new dawn.

Election Results

I watched the Labour Leadership Election Results on the BBC. They were due to be dramatically announced at 11.30 but Jane Hill, the BBC commentator, thoughtfully informed us at 11.20 that Corbyn had won on the first ballot. Social media being what they are, I’m sure that everyone in the hall knew the result before Jim Kennedy started in. So the announcement itself was something of an anti-climax unless you’re an aficionado of middle-aged people hugging.

On Twitter, and in the interviews, Jeremy was getting plenty of advice from friends, abuse from foes and commentary from a host of people who think we need their take on everything; a bit like David Cameron backing Nigella Lawson that time or Russell Brand helping out Ed Miliband.

What Jeremy did next

We Lefties expect too much. Jeremy is only human and he will be getting all sorts of advice from new and old friends Owen Jones has gone to the trouble of giving him a long list of dos and don’ts. He would be wise to ignore almost all of it. Arsène Wenger knows a lot better than any Arsenal fan what he needs to do with his team but that doesn’t stop us all holding forth about the relative merits of Giroud and Walcott in the main striking role.

I pray that he is tough enough to ignore the new mates he will find rubbing up against him. I was quite moved to see him leaving the hall with his arm round the shoulders of John McDonnell, who had for so long lurked with him on the Labour naughty step.

However, Matthew D’Ancona in the Guardian epitomises the sour grapes strand:
Has nobody told him how brief is the period in which the electorate will be remotely interested in him? They will form an impression extraordinarily fast and, in most cases, stick with it to the general election of 2020. This was an almost comically bad start. I sincerely hope that Labour feels collectively good about what it has just done, for private satisfaction is all its decision will achieve.

Are Tony Blair, Peter Mandelson, and Alastair Campbell sitting round the cauldron plotting? This is a vote against them more than anything else and they might just think they can have one more stir of their witches’ brew to prove they were right all along.

Prime Minister’s Questions

I sincerely believe that this election will reinvigorate Her Majesty’s Opposition. I think we’ve found out over the last few months that Corbyn will relentlessly pursue his agenda and I fully expect him to dismantle Cameron at PMQs.

In the past I have settled down to watch the Daily Politics preamble to PMQ’s. Nick Robinson would come on and tell us pretty much what questions Ed Miliband would be asking. I would like to see Corbyn come at Cameron out of the sun, firing whatever questions are at the top of his agenda and without warning. And there are plenty of options.

He has circulated Labour supporters by email asking what question he should put to David Cameron on Wednesday.

Watch this space!