Following the sacking of David Nutt, and last night's speech on immigration, Alan Johnson's Leadership bid is on. He clearly wants the old patriotic and conservative, Fabian and Christian Socialist, Catholic and Methodist vote. But are there still people like that in the Labour Party? If so, why? And will he repent of his attempt to destroy the Catholic schools, seen off so roundly by Archbishop Vincent Nichols that His Grace was elevated to the Primatial See and now awaits the Cardinal's Hat?
It was good to hear Hilary Armstrong put the old patriotic and conservative, Fabian and Christian Socialist, Catholic and (in Hilary's own case) Methodist case against cannabis in the House of Commons yesterday. Her constituency bulletin arrived today, containing fulsome, and we all know sincere, thanks and praise as she prepares to retire. But not a word as to any successor. If Hilary isn't going to vote for such a person, then why should anyone else?
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Repeatedly combining lots of heterogeneous categories into one sentence doesn't mean you've identified a political movement. It makes you a political constructivist, not unlike, for example, Lenin.
ReplyDeleteThis is exactly what I mean.
ReplyDeleteHilary who is RETIRING is sending out bulletins and you are writing a Blog.
You are completely underusing the resources available to you.
While you certainly have a chance in an election especially with disaffected Labour, you are still fighting an uphill battle.
Even on friendly terrritory you complained some months ago about a Catholic News letter not publishing your views.
Taking a look at the constituency map, you are not that far from Durham itself and the University. Quite an exciting challenge for underfrads to have a tutor campaigning for a local seat. There must be someone in the Uni paper (published fortnightly apparently) who would be an asset.
And presumably even some Durham students on the electoral register in NW Durham.
Quite simply, your target voter (and yes all politicians say ALL voters are tragets) is "in the bag". And theres not enough of them.
Youre relunctant to take on the floating vote.
You MIGHT win if you ae prepared to get out there.
You WILL lose if you dont!
Will, you clearly read it all in a book. "Heterogeneous"? You've obviously never been anywhere near the Old Labour heartlands. You should apply to be a New Labour candidate. Put on a skirt and call yourself Wilhomena.
ReplyDeleteJJGM, she has the communications allowance. Anyway, in her way, she's doing em no end of good. Unconsciously? She always had her ear a lot closer to the ground than that...
"There must be someone in the Uni paper (published fortnightly apparently) who would be an asset"
Rag.
"And presumably even some Durham students on the electoral register in NW Durham"
A tiny handful, if any. The City and its University are very self-contained.
Will Davies seems to be a Marxist academic who doesn't get the party, gone but not forgotten, set out on the BPA website.
ReplyDeleteGone, but not for ever.
ReplyDeleteNo one even vaguely attached to the university hierarchy would ever ahve anything to do with the student newspaper. And there are no students in the neighbouring seats, they are in Durham itself, a totally different place.
ReplyDeleteDavid, Hilary has the Communications allowance but you have the momentum.
ReplyDeleteObviously you know more about the NW Durham office in Crook than I do.
But how many local wards are there. You jnow the movers and shakers.
Likewise the local Catholic Church....how many parishes. Probably I could find them on the diocese web site. Get some people on board.
Are there Labour Catholics (Id guess Geraldine Smith and Stephen Pound) and some Scots who YOU would happily endorse. Thats the kinda Catholic you need.
I endorse anyone who signs up to A and at least eight clauses of B on the BPA website. And no one else.
ReplyDeleteIve decided to be your unofficial campaign manager. It should keep me out of trouble.
ReplyDeleteFirst off I will be notifying the Evening Chronicle and the Durham University newspaper with links to your Blog and a hope that it will be a maens of raising your profile.
The next step will be notifying our fellow Catholics with links to your Blog, whereby they can endorse your candiature.
Does NW Durham come under the auspices of Middlesbrough or is there a Diocese of Durham (Catholic). No matter. It should be easy enough to track down the parishes in the locality. I will contact the parishes on your behalf.
Old Labour? Well enough old timers around the North and north East in general. Cousins is retiring so no axe to grind. I think Ronnie Campbell is retiring too.
Time for us all to step up to the plate.
If you are serious, then please, please, PLEASE stop.
ReplyDeleteYou would do immense damage JJGM. Plus Durham University isn't even in this constituency or anything to do with us at all. You are also wasting your time with the Church itself, the diocesan paper has blacked out David's candidacy. The only hope is the Herald and he has close ties to that anyway.
ReplyDeleteThe Chonicle is not our local paper. You can get it here but you can get the Sunderland Echo in Durham, it's still not a Sunderland paper. The Chonicle is not a County Durham paper either.
ReplyDeleteI am extremely serious.
ReplyDeleteNo I dont think it would do any damage.
The Catholics, old Labour, Trade unionists and anti Europeans are people I can identify with and therefore they need to be aware that he is their man.
About 40,000 will vote next year and looking at the stats Hilary Armstrong was scoring into 50% and even 60%
With split votes etc we are talking about David getting AT LEAST 18,000 votes from a very localised profile to win.
It stands to reason he can only do that with a higher profile. Which means not just getting HIS people on board but also getting accross to the waverers.
I have already prepared a plan. First step is the Uni newspaper.
How on Earth could that do Damage to Davids cause?
This is all in hand locally. I've been working with all those people here for half my lifetime. Please, please, PLEASE stop.
ReplyDeleteWith respect the Catholic Herald is hardly going into every household in NW Durham.
ReplyDeleteAnd while I recognise that Durham University isnt actually in the constituency I am sure that many of the students DO live there.
Perhaps even some Admin staff or fellow tutors.
In a sense....I hate to use the word.....but David is a celebrity within the University. SO HE SHOULD USE IT?
Likewise a leaflet drop showing that if you can vote for David if you can agree to his principles seems CHEAP and IDEAL.
Made aware? Do you think we've never heard of him or something? We've been waiting for him at this election since before the 1997 election.
ReplyDelete"I am sure that many of the students DO live there"
ReplyDeleteThey don't. They live in Durham itself.
"Perhaps even some Admin staff or fellow tutors"
A few, although those, too, tend to live in Durham. And they wouldn't dream of reading the student newspaper. Some of them wouldn't have it in the house. This constituency is practically nothing to do with the University. County Durham in general is practically nothing to do with the University.
Email me if you feel like making a contribution towards a leaflet drop. But otherwise, please stop. Please.
I cannot make people AWARE of David.
ReplyDeleteBut I can make them MORE AWARE.
We should all be working on this.....eg David backed Bob Crowe in June. We need some reciprocal arrangement. Notify the Crowe type of Davids agenda which he spelled out for the Norfolk people .and get an endorsement.
Likewise there are at least 20 people in the Commons who by ANY DEFINITION are OLD Labour......circulate the programme to them also.
We either PLAY at it or DO IT.
This is all in hand, John. Write to people if you like, but they are already more than aware of me.
ReplyDeleteNo Durham students live over here. Even David didn't during term when he was a student. To the NW Durham constituency and even much of the Durham City one the university may as well be on the moon.
ReplyDeleteDavid I honestly cannot see your concern.
ReplyDeleteI need to go out for a few hours but I will return to this later tonight as it is a big topic.
Give you a chance to work it out too.
I need to spend some time this evening looking up websites for secondary schools in the area. Not sure about the ethics of contacting them direct but presumably theres no grammar schools in the area. We need those parents on board.
Don't you DARE. You cannot begin to imagine that that would do. I'd have to withdraw, I'd have no other option.
ReplyDeleteI've been working on this for 10 years and you are about to destroy it. Leave this project ALONE.
JJGM seems to be something of a public figure in Belfast. If he goes through with this Sinn Fein sabotage we will hunt him down.
ReplyDeleteIs JJGM really that fucking arrogant, to think David hasn't already been doing all this for years? To think he doesn't even know where the schools are in the place he grew up?
ReplyDeletePlease do not swear on my blog.
ReplyDeleteDavid did 8 years as a GOVERNOR of two of those schools. Who the hell do you think you are? And can you imagine the damage of being backed by a Sinn Fein supporter? No, you truly can't.
ReplyDeleteOh gee whizz. I come back from the Post Office to this.
ReplyDeleteA few points.
First of all "Lanchester Lass" I do indeed vote Sinn Féin. I am not exactly sure how that would impact on people in NW Durham as they have no need to be know. Besides much of my own agenda (I go to Mass every day and am a Minister of the Eucharist every day ) is close to Davids own.
I DO WANT HIM ELECTED.
I dont define myself as a "SF supporter" Id like to think that this would not be my epitaph. For example I served with amazing mediocrity for 30 plus years working blamelessly as a civil servant....indeed my mediocrity was recognised by a letter from the Cabinet Office telling me the Queen was minded to honour me.
So rather oddly people tend to perceive me as an upstanding person. Indeed when my own kids attended our local primary school and for a short time after I was also a governor.
Oh incidently I am sure David IS aware of schools in NW Durham. My point possibly unclear that I am not.
Which brings me to "Jim" who will hunt me down.....using er the phone book presumably. It really is THAT difficult Jim. Besides theres enough clues in the comments so I can reasonably expect you (and possibly Ant and Dec) by about 8pm.
So how do I respond to Jim?
By ignoring him I think.
You really should have done the same David. That was unworthy. I am more minded to accept the courteous request not to proceed than a rather nasty remark.
Anyway I cant understand how publicising a campaign SABOTAGES it.
So I really should defer to Davids request. Obviously he knows better. But I am not so minded while "Jims" comment remains.
Over to you David.
Now there seems to be some confusion as to whether I am naive about this or out to sabotage Davids campaign.
Guilty on the Naive Charge.
Not Guilty on Sabotage.
"I DO WANT HIM ELECTED"
ReplyDeleteThen please stop.
Although email if you really could help fund a leaflet drop.
Oh I am minded to stop.
ReplyDeleteLike I say the priority here is your election.
But we do seem to have a situation with "Jim" dont we?
You will obviously wish to distance yourself from his comment.
Then we can make progress on the issue of "sabotaging" your campaign.
Jim speaks for himself.
ReplyDelete