Now -read the book!

Here is a link to my memoirs which, if you are a glutton for punishment, you can purchase online at https://www.kobo.com/gb/en/ebook/an-obscure-footnote-in-trade-union-history.
Men fight and lose the battle, and the thing that they fought for comes about in spite of their defeat, and when it comes turns out not to be what they meant, and other men have to fight for what they meant under another name. (William Morris - A Dream of John Ball)

Tuesday, December 05, 2006

Is this the begining of the end of New Labour?


Blairite loyalist, Ann Clwyd MP has been ousted as Chair of the Parliamentary Party. Tony Lloyd not some one particularly of the left but an Anti war MP never the less, has been elected to the role. Apparently many MP’s did not feel Clwyd represented their views. Lloyd won by 169 votes to 156.

Clearly some Labour MP’s, previously loyal, are finally finding some backbone by voting against one of Blair’s (and Browns) chosen one. I hope they show similar independence in the nomination process for leader? It is in the same MP’s hands as to whether we have a proper debate about the future direction of the Labour Party by ensuring John McDonnell is on the ballot paper when the leadership election is finally called.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Aah, well done Tony. We love u lots and lots in Manchester. Opposes the labour Government on occasions but never once has he forgotton what a labour Government is there for. Legend and a Manchester MP as well an amicus member. Well done mate!

Anonymous said...

I'm not sure it's to do with New Labour. Clwyd was never a Blairite (famously being sacked from the frontbench in the mid-90s, and replaced by Clare Short). This was about Iraq. Clwyd was a noted left-wing supporter of the war. I think this votes reflects a growing feeling in the PLP that they were lied to about Iraq.