Alison McGovern, who permanently looks as if she is about to burst into tears because someone has dared to question her, was entirely typical of the Labour Party when she appeared on Newsnight.
Ever since the Government stopped including their fellow "free" market fanatics, the Liberal Democrats, then most Labour MPs have been opposing its economic policy from the right. For almost as long, that has put them in conflict with their own front bench.
Ever since the Government stopped including their fellow "free" market fanatics, the Liberal Democrats, then most Labour MPs have been opposing its economic policy from the right. For almost as long, that has put them in conflict with their own front bench.
But Keir Starmer is about to become Leader, and among the many fresh hells that that would conjure up might be McGovern, or someone very like her, as Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer. Thereby returning Labour to the days of Chris Leslie, who "served" as Shadow Chancellor while snarlingly demanding permanent austerity as a matter of principle.
McGovern certainly sounded the part last night. Labour is now the party of "It'll never work", the party of "We can't afford it", and the party of "That's far too good for the beastly little common people".
All while Boris Johnson and Rishi Sunak are implementing John McDonnell's programme, knowing that they owe their majority to people who would have voted for Jeremy Corbyn a second time if he had still been determined to Get Brexit Done.
All while Boris Johnson and Rishi Sunak are implementing John McDonnell's programme, knowing that they owe their majority to people who would have voted for Jeremy Corbyn a second time if he had still been determined to Get Brexit Done.
McDonnell was of course something of a player in the dilution of that commitment. But today, he has rightly identified Julian Assange as the Dreyfus of our our age, having becomE, scandalously, the first sitting British MP to visit him in Belmarsh.
Whereas, of course, McGovern signed up to the demand of Stella Creasy and Jess Phillips that Assange be extradited to Sweden, meaning to Guantánamo Bay immediately upon his arrival in Sweden, over a completely made up allegation of rape that would not have counted as such, if in any other country, then certainly in this one. Even the Swedes have since dropped it.
It is McGovern's, Creasy's and Phillips's Labour Party again now. Expect all three to have prominent roles under Starmer. But who cares? Ours is the 2020 Vision of a new political party, a new think tank, a new weekly newspaper, a new fortnightly satirical magazine, a new monthly cultural review, a new quarterly academic journal, and so much else besides. I will be standing for Parliament again here at North West Durham next time, so please give generously. In any event, please email davidaslindsay@hotmail.com. Very many thanks.
Whereas, of course, McGovern signed up to the demand of Stella Creasy and Jess Phillips that Assange be extradited to Sweden, meaning to Guantánamo Bay immediately upon his arrival in Sweden, over a completely made up allegation of rape that would not have counted as such, if in any other country, then certainly in this one. Even the Swedes have since dropped it.
It is McGovern's, Creasy's and Phillips's Labour Party again now. Expect all three to have prominent roles under Starmer. But who cares? Ours is the 2020 Vision of a new political party, a new think tank, a new weekly newspaper, a new fortnightly satirical magazine, a new monthly cultural review, a new quarterly academic journal, and so much else besides. I will be standing for Parliament again here at North West Durham next time, so please give generously. In any event, please email davidaslindsay@hotmail.com. Very many thanks.
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