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 generates applause. It is but the uglier side of political spin. We can see through this one, but not as easily see through

1. “Labour Investment v. Tory Cuts”

2. “Beyond boom and bust”

3. Investment with no monetary returns funded through the deficit.

4. Daily government initiatives based on politically funded “research” that any objective researcher would throw in the waste bin.(And were, mostly binned once they had filled the news bulletins for a day).

 Iain Dale and Dan Hannan often have good things to say about their opponents, as did Tony Blair about Mrs Thatcher. If mainstream politicians cannot see the good in mainstream opponents, then they should not be cast to the fringes, for they are unlikely to have the ability to see their own faults. They should not be a candidate for the leader of the opposition.