Kettle off the Boil
Like many in the Guardian stable, Martin Kettle, was ecstatic when Sir Keir won the leadership. After years of relentlessly rubbishing JC here was, they discovered, a serious political figure who would turn the tide against Johnson and the Tories. But, shortly before the Hartlepool by-election, Kettle was forced to admit to the “near invisibility” of Sir Keir’s first year, because of the “dominance of covid”. Sir Keir now has “a second change to make a good first impression.” But, as Kettle will discover, the real world of politics has little in common with his naive and simplistic perceptions.
Not surprisingly, Kettle’s ‘political analysis’ has rarely been proved to be even vaguely correct.
Sir Keir is not the Answer
In many areas which have labour controlled councils voters complain about the failure of their council to deliver on a long list of necessary improvements. As a consequence, labour suffers at election time. Sadly, voters do not take account of the fact that since 2010 Tori governments have made savage and relentless reductions in grants to local authorities. But there are other factors behind labour’s lack of appeal – “asked for the main reason they didn’t vote labour the most common answer was Sir Keir” – James Johnson, co-founder of the polling company JL Partners. Sunday Times, 9th May
The following data in a focal data poll was very depressing:
Who is more trustworthy?
Johnson 39%
Sir Keir 33%
“Red Wall” Johnson 44%
“Red Wall” Sir Keir 26%
Who is more competent?
Johnson 40%
Sir Keir 33%
“Red Wall” Johnson 47%
“Red Wall” Sir Keir 28%
The Gang of Four (four, upper middle class, white males)
I’m talking about the Tory/ Lib Dem Gang of Cameron, Osborne, Clegg and Alexander. They viciously imposed disastrous austerity on the UK. It was mainly the poorest who suffered and all suffering the harmful effects of viciousness. But the Gang of Four have been doing very well for themselves.
Osborne, simultaneously had a total of nine so called jobs of which one alone paid him £650,000 a year for only a day’s work a week.
Alexander is now vice president of an investment bank in Beijing which sucks up to the ruling elite.
Clegg works for Facebook, at a reported $1,000,000 a year. Recently Clegg complained that Facebook should not be blamed for stoking conspiracy theories rather the critics should blame those who posted the stuff posted the stuff (i.e. the same devious excuse peddled by the gambling industry).
And Last but not least we have the revelations concerning “lobbyist” Cameron and the dodgy Greensill finance operation. Cameron stood to make 10s of millions.
So the Gang of Four seem only interested in looking after themselves. In stark contrast, Gordon Brown the Prime Minister they replaced spends all his time seeking to look after others.
Tory Sleaze ‘Aint What it Used to Be
What about an ‘Assumption of Corruption’ bill?!
Don’t forget! – Lord Archer was jailed for what the judge said was “as serious an offence of perjury as I have had experience of and have been able to find in the books”. Former cabinet minister, Jonathan Aitken, was also jailed for perjury. Alan Clark as minister of state for trade lied to the police. In witness box he confessed – “It’s our old friend, economical with the actualité.”
In terms of decorating No 10 and No 11, Tony Blair had spent £410,000; David Cameron had spent £105,000; Theresa May spent virtually nothing; Gordon Brown spent nothing.
A Code of Conduct for ministers is inadequate. “We need an ‘Assumption of Corruption’ bill! Every minister would have to go to court to prove beyond reasonable doubt that they had not done anything corrupt or abused their power in the past year. They would be presumed guilty until they had proved otherwise.” (David Newman, Oxford)