John McDonell’s jest that if he could go back in time he would “assassinate Thatcher” has caused some, rightfully, harsh words from Iain Dale. Here is my response. McDonnell should be held up as an extreme element of New Labour thinking. It is OK to say something in jest, no matter how ludicrous, if it [...]
All posts in category Labour in Opposition
John McDonnell should be cast to the political fringes
Posted by manicbeancounter on June 8, 2010
http://manicbeancounter.com/2010/06/08/john-mcdonnell-should-be-cast-to-the-political-fringes/
Cameron gets the message on the Legacy of Labour
David Cameron yesterday started blaming the current deficit problems on the last Labour Government. Benedict Brogan on his Telegraph Blog quotes Cameron “I think people understand by now that the debt crisis is the legacy of the last government. But exactly the same applies to the action we will need to take to deal with it. [...]
Posted by manicbeancounter on June 8, 2010
http://manicbeancounter.com/2010/06/08/cameron-gets-the-message-on-the-legacy-of-labour/
Higher Tax Rates – a Poison Pill for Government Finances?
John Redwood and the Adam Smith Institute may have inadvertently exposed a poison pill left by the outgoing Labour Government. I completely agree with the contention that in the medium to long term higher tax rates reduce revenue. This the ASI obtain this conclusion from the analysis of Capital Gains Tax Rates and revenues over the past [...]
Posted by manicbeancounter on May 25, 2010
http://manicbeancounter.com/2010/05/25/higher-tax-rates-a-poison-pill-for-government-finances/
Cutting the Deficit – The PR aspect for the Tories.
There is growing recognition that the job of cutting the deficit will destroy the electoral prospects of those carrying out the task for a generation. Capitalists at work, have (very much tongue in cheek) suggested that a war might be needed to save the next government, much as the Falklands boosted the Tories and helped [...]
Posted by manicbeancounter on May 2, 2010
http://manicbeancounter.com/2010/05/02/cutting-the-deficit-the-pr-aspect-for-the-tories/
The Two Faces of Labour
The gaffe and very humble apology later by Gordon Brown may have a significant impact on the General Election. But, as I wrote on John Redwood’s blog, there is a deeper public v private face to the Labour campaign. In recent years our politics has become too like those of the countries that have defaulted in [...]
Posted by manicbeancounter on April 28, 2010
http://manicbeancounter.com/2010/04/28/the-two-faces-of-labour/
Labour Totally Loses It
Labour seem to have totally lost any sense of proportion when They talk about less than cuts of 0.5% of GDP sending the UK back into recession when most of that will due to not replacing leavers. When Gordon Brown is angry about other parties proposed Cuts in child Tax Credits and trust funds. Something that [...]
Posted by manicbeancounter on April 27, 2010
http://manicbeancounter.com/2010/04/27/labour-totally-loses-it/
Lib-Dem Manifesto – an appeal to the Labour Left
After Nick Clegg produced the best performance in last night’s ITV debate, it is time to examine their manifesto. Others has so far failed. John Redwood attacks the £5bn hole in the Lib-Dem figures, but misses the more important bits. Brian Barder on LabourList has clearly not read the Manifesto and Tom Harris thinking that the policies [...]
Posted by manicbeancounter on April 16, 2010
http://manicbeancounter.com/2010/04/16/lib-dem-manifesto-%e2%80%93-an-appeal-to-the-labour-left/
Labour Down to 120 seats in 2010?
Could Labour really be reduced to 120 seat’s at the next general election? Not impossible, but would hand the Conservatives a poison chalice Jackie Ashley claims in the Guardian. “Some Labour people may think I’m sounding too gloomy, but those who have been privy to recent private polling are a lot more than gloomy. This suggests that [...]
Posted by manicbeancounter on November 9, 2009
http://manicbeancounter.com/2009/11/09/labour-down-to-120-seats-in-2010/
Labour Loses Ipswich by-election?
This morning on BBC1 Breakfast programme Emily Thornberry MP acted as the Labour Party spokesperson for their crushing defeat in the Norwich North by-election. Repeatedly she mentioned the IPSWICH by-election. This is despite having been in Norwich two days previously. This is the same MP who would like women MP’s to be taken more seriously? If [...]
Posted by manicbeancounter on July 25, 2009
http://manicbeancounter.com/2009/07/25/labour-loses-ipswich-by-election/
Child Poverty Bill – Another Labour Poison Pill?
Yesterday the government put forward the Child Poverty Bill, with mandatory targets for reducing poverty. It is utter folly. For those that really care about helping the poorest, meeting a particular target is not the way to go about it. It is fairly easy (and relatively cheap) to get a large number just below the [...]
Posted by manicbeancounter on July 21, 2009
http://manicbeancounter.com/2009/07/21/child-poverty-bill-another-labour-poison-pill/
