Saturday 14 September 2019

Rank, Style and Title

As I said yesterday, at least for anybody who is still alive, there can be no higher distinction on the British Left than to have been banned for life from the Labour Party by Tony Blair. To the best of my knowledge, only George Galloway and I are in that position.

Meaning that we are each other's only equals on the British Left. And meaning that we outrank everybody else. Even including Jeremy Corbyn. And certainly including Little Laura Pidcock, who could not even vote in a General Election until 2010.

Another hung Parliament is coming, and we need our people to hold the balance of power in it. A new party is now in the process of registration. After nearly 30 years of suggestion, speculation, and even a sort of preparation, I will stand for Parliament here at North West Durham. The crowdfunding page is here, and buy the book here. Please email davidaslindsay@hotmail.com. Very many thanks.

Meanwhile, although some of us still wish that he had stood at Birmingham Yardley, George is seeking to be elected at West Bromwich East.

I could cry as I write this, because Tom Watson thanked me personally and publicly for my endorsement in 2015, because he remains my friend on Facebook, because we followed each other on Twitter until the moment that I was thrown off it, because I supported him from day one of his Deputy Leadership campaign (whereas I switched from Andy Burnham to Jeremy Corbyn after the infamous abstention), because I supported Ed Miliband from the first day of his Leadership campaign until the last day of his Leadership, because I was active in Blue Labour, and because 20 years ago I was living in the same student house as Tom Hamilton.

But hey ho, I remember Tom Hamilton seconding George in a debate and then being congratulated by him on having given "the speech of the night". I remember trying valiantly to persuade Tom to vote Labour at all in 2001, when he had never been a party member. I remember him telling me that the headline in every newspaper on 12th September 2001 should have read "We're All Palestinians Now". I remember him giving a speech in which he described the ideology of the State of Israel as "Ein Reich, Ein Volk, Ein Führer". So the world turns.

Tom Watson was the man who, more than any other, could have made Blue Labour Corbynism happen. But instead, he is the man who, more than any other, has stopped Blue Labour Corbynism from happening. With the return of the Maxwells, we need George to be back speaking under parliamentary privilege. He election for the seat that he has chosen to contest is as imperative as the reelection of Chris Williamson at Derby North, with or without the Labour Party.

And of your charity, elect me at North West Durham. I am George's only equal on the British Left, in that only he and I have been banned for life from the Labour Party by Tony Blair. Top that. I bet you can't. We outrank everybody else. Even including Jeremy Corbyn. And certainly including Little Laura Pidcock, who could not even vote in a General Election until 2010. My crowdfunding page is here.

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